Read on how Cory Hargreaves and his band Smokin’ Joker lit up Melbourne Park Stadium with rock supergroup Deep Purple. There is a downloadable media kit at the bottom of the page.
When Cory Hargreaves jumped up on the huge Melbourne Park stage to open the show for Deep Purple, the unsuspecting audience copped a curtain-raiser bonus they hadn’t bargained for.
Smokin’ Joker is a well-seasoned and tasty rock group led by dynamic Singer/songwriter and guitar riff-master, Cory Hargreaves.
Confident Cory, had said before the big gig he ‘wasn’t fussed’ by the prospect of about 16,000 fidgeting bums, shining stadium seats, waiting impatiently for the main act.
A good audience is, in the words of one of his songs, “So hard to find”.
Keen to make a good first impression, Smokin’ Joker treated the Melbourne Park punters to a sizzler of a set.
Before long the thousands of fans who had come to see Deep Purple were rockin’ along to Smokin’ Joker, and they rewarded the band at the end of each song with a huge cheer, and applause that rang through the stadium.
Jokers were grinners as they headed offstage, back to the Green Room for a well-earned drink, and a “good job, well done” pat on the back from happy Deep Purple members and Tour Manager, Peter McCrindle.
At interval the concession stands sold out all their stocks of Smokin’ Jokers CD - Audio Stimulus.
The world class quality of Cory Hargreaves vocals have already caught the ears and interest of some of the music industry heavies including Mark Holden (Australian Idol) who in 2008 said he has the potential to join the ranks of Australia’s best selling acts.
“I’m very confident i will secure some serious record label interest if i continue to write quality original music”, the high-energy Cory, said this week.
What really stands out across Cory’s impressive catalogue of songs is the power, passion and precision he and his band contribute to the arrangements.
Lead guitarist, Andrew Cromwell, draws on his classical and rock guitar influences to drive the songs with a strong, instinctive feel and decorate them with some right tasty trimmings.
Bass player Ben Hobbs helps Cromwell support Cory with some back-up vocal work, but mostly beds it all down in the rhythm department with drummer and percussionist, Karl Inderberg.
Cory is upfront with pure power on vocals, backed up by the full-bodied thrust of the rhythms and riffs he delivers on guitar.
And he’s moved a few audiences along the way, from the Gold Coast’s funarama clubs and pubs gigs, where he started about ten years ago, to touring here and in America.
The influences and exploits behind Cory’s strong, melodic, soulful songs are the “it-don’t-come-easy” sort you can only get from kicking up your heels on an international rock’n'roll vision quest odyssey.
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