We all know that Quo fans can be a crazy bunch, but a good friend took it to the next level when he decided to bring out one of the best UK Quo tribute bands to play at his birthday party! He persuaded Richie Malone, current rhythm guitarist with Quo themselves to join the band, so we were treated to two public gigs plus his birthday party. Three nights in a row of solid rocking? Count me in!
The madness began on Thursday 12th December as we dropped Lola off for her short holiday with Joan & Al before continuing on to Particle Cafe for lunch. We hadn't visited this vegan cafe for a few years but were pleased to find that it was still serving excellent food (and we also grabbed some takeaway to serve as dinner later). From there, it was just a short drive to our overnight accommodation, the Fawkner Executive Suites & Serviced Apartments. Our 1-bedroom Executive Suite was very nicely furnished and spacious, also right next door to Quo friends thanks to the friendly managers! A short walk around the locale was a chance to stretch the legs, but it was very hot and we returned to the accommodation to catch up with Dave & Leanne for an hour-or-so. After freshening up and enjoying some of the Particle cafe takeaway food, it was time to head to the gig with Ky dropping Lee off at nearby Musicland at about 6.30pm. It was great to see so many familiar faces gathering for the gig and we had plenty of time to catch up with everyone, with the main event not starting until quite late. The gig wrapped up after midnight and then Richie hung around to chat with the fans and obliged with photos, so it was well after 1am by the time Lee got back to the accommodation! A review of the evening's shenanigans can be found on Lee's Access All Areas Quo website.
After a quiet start on Friday 13th morning (and a welcome 11am checkout!), we packed up and drove up the Calder as far as Kyneton. This nice little town was a handy halfway point and Dave & Leanne also stopped there, so we met up for a walk in the lovely Botanic Gardens before heading to historic Piper Street in search of lunch. We opted for the Duck Duck Goose & Larder and all enjoyed lovely meals there, before completing our drive with the hour-or-so trip to Bendigo. We checked into the All Seasons Resort Hotel at almost the same time as Dave & Leanne and our rooms were also very close together in this vast hotel/motel/resort complex. After relaxing in our room for a while, we met up with Chris and his wife Jeanine in the hotel's sports bar for a drink before freshening up in readiness for another evening of rocking with The Quo Story lads! Dave was kind enough to give Chris and I a lift to the Golden Vine Hotel and we all had plenty of time to catch up with the many fans there as well as refueling with dinner (and great to see a country pub with a couple of vegan options!). The Quo Story took the stage even later at the packed pub so it was yet another very late night, heading off from the pub just after 1am. A review of the second of these great gigs can again be found on Lee's Access All Areas Quo website.
It was a very warm start on Saturday as we slowly surfaced after the late night. Heading into town, we went for a drive past the impressive Fortuna Villa, before parking and enjoying a decent walk through the well-kept Rosalind Park. A leisurely coffee at the pleasant Gallery Cafe on View followed, before we wandered into town for lunch. Wholefoods Kitchen did a fine job with their vegan dishes and we needed another walk afterwards, so headed out the short distance to Lake Weeroona for a nice stroll (albeit in considerable heat). We then returned to the resort for Lee to freshen up in readiness for the birthday party. It was a short drive out of town (thanks to Eva and Paul for the ride) for the festivities, kicking off at about 4.30pm. It was a fantastic afternoon and evening, with a lot of great music (of course!) and the chance to catch up with more people. The birthday boy had certainly put a lot of effort into organizing such a huge event and it all went very smoothly. It was great to see him and his family so happy after all their hard work - and we all got to enjoy great gigs as part of it too! A review of the party can be found on Lee's Access All Areas Quo website.
It was a quiet start on Sunday morning and it was already very hot by the time 10am checkout rolled around. We said our goodbyes to a few folks before hitting the road, deciding to break the trip with a lunch stop in pretty Daylesford. Despite the heat, we managed to walk around the lake before learning that Eva & Paul had made exactly the same decision on their trip back to Melbourne airport to fly home in the evening! We met up with them on the main street and enjoyed lunch together at the Himalaya Bakery and Cafe, before returning to the lake for them to experience it too. It was lovely to have another chance to catch up with them before they started their long journey home. From Daylesford, it was an easy country drive back to Geelong to pick Lola up after her little holiday with Joan & Al and then on home by just after 5pm.
This short tour with The Quo Story and Richie was incredibly enjoyable. It was great to catch up with so many Quo-related friends from around the country (and the world!) as well as rocking out with this brilliant band three nights in a row. Hats off to a diehard Aussie Quo fan for making it happen!