Crossroads Stage

Past Events

Mitch Grainger

22 April 2021

Since stepping into the light with his 2015 breakout solo acoustic release ‘The Blues’, Mitch Grainger and his high-energy stage show have burst onto the blues & roots scene, like a field holler echoing from the deep dark south through a dusty 50’s tube amplifier.

He’s packed houses in the US, Australia and Scandinavia, performed at prestigious festivals, such as the American Folk Alliance in Kansas City, and earned standing ovations while opening for Tommy Emmanuel across the North East USA

Michael Fix & Christine Collister

25 February 2020

Between them, Christine Collister and Michael Fix create a rare musical synergy,  that transcends cultures and musical traditions to enrapture audiences wherever they perform.
 

Christine Collister paid her dues on the British folk circuit before becoming part of the Richard Thompson band, with which she toured for three years. She has since graced numerous Thompson recordings and is still his “go to” vocalist for select engagements.
 

He has won three Golden Guitars and numerous other awards in Australia, and tours widely throughout the world, particularly in Europe, but also in China, Japan, Thailand, South Africa and New Zealand. Michael is also an internationally recognised composer, whose music is widely heard
in TV shows and documentaries all over the world. He was named as one of top 20 ‘Best Australian Guitarists of all time’ by readers of Australian Guitar Magazine.
 

Christine and Michael’s paths first crossed in 2014, when they tutored at the Winterbreak Music Retreat on Queensland’s Tamborine Mountain. Combining her voice with his guitar playing was a no brainer in terms of talent and temperament, and the Collister & Fix duo was born.
 

Fiona Boyes and Heather Crosse

15 January 2020

Two blues women join forces: bass, guitar, baritone, cigarboxes - and two singers with stories to share.

HEATHER CROSSE is a bass player, vocalist and songwriter who honed her craft playing alongside elder statesmen blues mentors, including Detroit/Arkansas bluesman St Thomas Jenkins. Born in Louisiana, she is now the ‘go-to’ bassist in Clarksdale, considered to be the ‘Home of the Blues’. With 21 years of professional playing under her belt, Heather teaches blues bass at the Pinetop Perkins Workshops and has recorded for European record label Ruf Records. She lays down a mean groove - and sings like an angel who’s just had a little sip of Mississippi moonshine!

FIONA BOYES is a distinctive internationally acclaimed blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. With 8 nominations in the USA Blues Music Awards for both her acoustic and electric performance, Fiona’s original music draws on a myriad of traditional blues styles – expect a show full of cigarbox slide, electric Mississippi grooves, fancy fingerpicking and songs from her #1 charting albums ‘Voodoo in the Shadows’ and ‘Box & Dice’. Fiona performed the inaugural concert at the Crossroad Stage in Dubbo – and she can’t wait to come back and play for you again.

These two blues women met at the original, legendary ‘Crossroads’ in Clarksdale, Mississippi. While they’ve played festivals and gigs together at iconic Delta juke joints like ‘Red’s Lounge’ and ‘Ground Zero’, Fiona and Heather are also respected teachers of their instruments, presenting 3-day masterclasses at the annual Pinetop Perkins’ Workshop Experience in Clarksdale. 

Fiona Boyes in Concert

30 October 2019

Don’t be fooled by the nice acoustic promo photo - I’ll be armed with my trusty Maton Mastersound electric guitar, foot percussion and a range of interesting, unique cigar box guitars for this gig! Songs from my new album ‘Voodoo in the Shadows’, and recent stories straight out of Mississippi...