Intimate and unplugged: Andy Penkow and Craig McLachlan’s special Shepparton gig

Joined by their “good friend, drummer extraordinaire, legendary percussionist” Dave Williams, the musicians say they are bringing an unforgettable evening to Shepparton.

Andy is an Australian singer-songwriter whose album Shades On Me reached number two on the ARIA Country Album chart. He has just returned from a six-month tour, performing 120 dates across Canada and Iceland.

Craig, known for his roles in Home and Away and Neighbours, to name a few, has also enjoyed chart success.

The three friends say fans can expect a unique blend of musical chemistry and classic tunes.

As I called, they were in the middle of rehearsal.

“We’ve been playing our little hearts out,” Andy told me, his enthusiasm evident.

Longstanding friendship and a new musical journey

Craig shared the story of their musical journey.

“Dave and I go back a long, long way to when we were kids together, growing up in NSW, playing in pub bands and club bands,” he said.

“We were actually playing licensed venues before we were old enough to shave and didn’t have driver’s licences yet. Dave and I have played together for years.”

Andy and Craig were introduced a couple of years ago by their tour manager, Shebie King.

“Andy was playing an intimate gig to fundraise and asked me to join him,” Craig said.

“Dave happened to be there that night.”

The trio “hit it off” and figured they could go and do “some fun, energised, intimate shows together”, Craig said.

Intimate performances

Performing in small venues has been a new and enriching experience for Craig.

“I’d never actually had the opportunity to play these intimate, acoustic gigs, and it was an overwhelming experience for me,” he said.

“Friends, fans, just curious music fans, right there — you can reach out and hand them your plectrum.”

Dave shared Craig’s enthusiasm.

“The great thing about stripping shows back like this is it gives you a chance to drop the fourth wall and invite the audience in, making them feel a part of the night,” he said.

“That’s the key element here — fun.”

Blend of genres and eras

Craig touched on the music planned for the night.

“There will be some great contemporary country songs from Andy that Dave and I delight in learning and playing,” he said.

“Then there’ll be a bunch of things that Dave and I will go right back to — the music that got us excited when we were kids.”

The set list is diverse, spanning from Elvis and Chuck Berry to the Doobie Brothers and Kiss.

“It’s a wonderful sort of mixed bag,” Craig said.

Touring highlights and upcoming performances

Andy shared highlights from his recent tour.

“I played shows in Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto, and even did some stuff in Iceland,” he said.

“The biggest highlight was seeing Neil Young perform in Toronto.

“It was very nostalgic, standing there looking at him from the stage, as my mum used to play a lot of his records when I was a kid.”

The three men are excited to bring their unique blend of music to Shepparton.

“We’re excited to get down there,” Andy said.

“It’s going to be an intimate show, something a little different. You guys are in for a huge treat.”

Invitation to the Shepparton community

“The power of music is when you get a bunch of musicians in a room together who connect emotionally — magic happens,” Craig said.

"We’re telling all of our friends in and around Shepparton to warm up your voices because we’ll be calling upon you all to join in the chorus.”

Andy Penkow, Craig McLachlan and Dave Williams are performing at The Vault this Friday.

It promises to be an intimate occasion filled with music and fun moments. Get your ticket here: https://www.trybooking.com/CQTDQ