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When you think of fiddles, mandolins and banjos, what music do you think of Folk, country, bluegrass? Anything can happen, depending on the influences the players bring to the mix. When you combine the infectious and personal side of country with the traditional sounds of Celtic and infuse them with the contemporary influence of rock and funky syncopation you will get a combination that may or may not work. Steve Passfield's Handpicked Band not only has it working a treat but also is connecting in a big way with audiences around town and on tour. Like life itself, Passfield’s original songs bear the influences of many styles and experiences, with an unpretentious delivery and lyric that says the things we all feel. And with take away melodies you can't forget. Along with a touch of forgivable idiocy and a stirring grasp of the entertainment ethic, Handpicked have their audiences dancing and foot tapping into the night. More than a decade of performance has given birth to three fine CDs and a string of awards in National Band Competitions. The band has evolved into a valid part of the Australian musical landscape with regular appearances at festivals across this big land and overseas with promise of much for the future. With the ability to deliver credible and engaging performances in both genres, Steve Passfield's Handpicked Band has an unfair advantage in winning over audiences at both Country and Folk festivals. Handpicked are a show worth leaving the TV for.
History: Steve Passfield had the brilliant idea back in 1988, following many years of performing in various different bands from Kempsey to Sydney, to try and start up a band that was versatile and fun. Handpicked was born in 1988 just at the end of the bi-centennial celebrations and, in it's infancy, worked the crowds at The Vinegar Hill woolshed most Saturday nights in a lively bush dance theatre show that involved people both willingly and unwillingly in a lot of fun. The band slowly grew and changed along with Steve's passion and vision for music until what is now a very entertaining and fun mix of many styles of music, but with a strong emphasis on all things Aussie! Steve's original songs have become an important part of the Handpicked story with references to his 6th generation first fleeter family and his farming, grazing and timber getting ancestors from his hometown Kempsey. It's his way of delivering a little fresh rural influence on anyone that happens along. His energy and efforts to bridge the gap between the city slickers and the rest of the country beyond the freeways and the great divide is infectious and captivates an audience. Humorous and good spirited interaction with the crowd in any situation, and the ability to read a crowd's mood, are characteristics that few performers possess but Steve certainly does. Dale Carnegie in his bestselling book, How to Win Friends and Influence People said that "diplomacy is the ability to tell somebody to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip", get into a Handpicked show and you'll go to beyond the great divide and the freeways and certainly enjoy the trip!
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