Spirits are high at 101 Edward St as we recover from our weekend of  celebrations. Last week Doo-Bop hit its 12-month milestone, so we partied like cool cats all weekend to some of the hottest jazz in town.

In case you were Stevie Wondering

Our anniversary celebrations kicked off early with Peter Cupples on Thursday 21st June. Peter brought in the crowds with his sell-out Stevie Wonder performance.

Ingrid James says, “There was a touch of serendipity at Doo-Bop last Thursday night for the celebration of Stevie Wonder concert.  Both Stevie Wonder and Peter Cupples were signed up by US Motown’s Tamla Records during their illustrious careers, so it was somehow fitting that Peter would lead an all-star band to perform Wonder’s best hits to a most appreciative audience.”

12 hours of jazz

From piano players to fiddle players, from jazz to funk, Doo-Bop was filled with 12 hours of music from lunchtime on Friday June 22nd. The anniversary line-up had something for all tastes.

Upstairs in the Piano Bar

Chris Poulsen, who’s renowned for his infectious energy, was an ideal combination with a Friday lunchtime vino as entertainment for the diners in the Doo-Bop Piano Bar.

At COB on Friday, the Piano Bar was yet again alive with music from the John Delord & Jeremy O’Connor Duo, while the talented bar staff mixed cocktails to perfection.

Down in the Basement

When the ticket holders swept into the Basement Jazz Bar after dark, they were greeted with a glass of bubbly and a mystery golden envelope containing a special birthday surprise from Doo-Bop. The smiling and expectant fans were delighted when the show finally kicked off.

The night was introduced by Ingrid James, (Doo-Bop’s very own Creative Consultant) who was, rather fittingly, celebrating her own wedding anniversary. She opened the festivities for George Washingmachine with a unique and stunning rendition of You Are My Sunshine, followed by two lively and engaging duets with the gorgeous George.

The ever-popular George Washingmachine and his Quartet then went on to present a memorable and highly entertaining show to mark the occasion.

The audience was charmed even further in the second set when John Reeves pulled out his piano accordion, memorably referred to as the ‘Stomach Steinway’ by George. John’s versatility and skill on the accordion while accompanying George on his fiddle took everyone listening on a magnifique musical journey to Paris!

 

Doo-Bop gets a groove on

The anniversary weekend was the perfect time to introduce the new Late-Night Groove Sessions to Doo-Bop.

Robert Wainwright said, “The audience couldn’t get enough of J-Funk’s polished vocals, charismatic stage presence and – of course – incredibly funky songs! With a song selection drawn from some of the biggest names in funk and soul, J-Funk and his special guests kept the energy and enthusiasm sky-high in the basement bar on Friday night… it really was late-night Doo-Bop entertainment at its best.”

Celebrations Continue… 

We hosted a number of other acts over the weekend, with Tnee Dyer and Rebecca Kneen in the Piano Bar on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, in the basement bar, we welcomed the return of the legendary David Bentley, followed by our Saturday Late-Night Groove Session with the Breanna Maria Band.

Finally, the weekend wrapped with the Graeme Bell Hall of Fame’s 2018 inductee and Australia’s legendary piano master, Bob Sedergreen. Capping off the weekend, emerging Brisbane talent Sophie Min and her trio attracted late-night jammers until the wee hours of the morning.

The award for customer dedication goes to…

A footnote: Nothing could keep Johnathon Holohan away from this special event. He commenced the evening’s celebration with a bang whilst opening a bottle of champers. The bottle-opening included a rushed trip to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, a quick patch-up and then a rapid return to be back in time for the main show. All’s well that ends well…or as Johnathon put it:

“It’s just fantastic to be here again. We are patrons and we just love Doo-Bop. It’s just the best venue in Queensland.” Johnathon Holohan

Here’s what you said

“One of the best nights of my life!” Ben Hyland. The Music Magazine (on George Washingmachine)

“Loved the show, your venue is fabulous. It was the first time for me and there will be many more to come.” Don Cairns, 4ZZZ Radio (on Peter Cupples)

“This guy rules!!” Natalie de Jager (on Chris Poulsen)

“Absolutely fabulous. Loved every minute.” Helen Lawrance (on George Washingmachine)

From the team at Doo-Bop

Overall, it’s been an absolutely fantastic first year for us here at Doo-Bop. What’s more, we couldn’t have done it without the support of all our loyal customers, talented musicians and hard-working staff. Thanks so much to all of you, and we look forward to building on an amazing start and continuing on our quest to firmly entrench Doo-Bop as the finest jazz bar in the country.