A who's who of Australian music led by You Am I will gather in Sydney to raise funds for an industry stalwart.
On 21 September last year, Kate Stewart suffered a severe stroke that has left her with significant impairments both physically and financially.
Kate is a dear friend and ex manager of You Am I through their formative, early years and was a part of the teams that brought you Big Day Out and Splendour In The Grass over the last two decades.
The band have, unprompted, rounded up a few of their mates from the music world to stage a benefit show: Concert For Kate.
On the bill are Bernard Fanning, Phil Jamieson, Paul Dempsey, Sally Seltmann, Peter Fenton and Smudge, with more still to be announced.
Concert For Kate will be staged at The Factory Theatre (Sydney) 14 March, Enmore Theatre (Sydney) 15 March. For tickets, click here.
"Before we had half a clue, our band approached Kate Stewart for some advice on how to get shows, how to make a record, how to be a group.
"We asked her because she had a reputation for being a straight talker, no bluster, and someone who thrived on getting stuff done. She was also a great late-night drinker, raconteur, confidante.
"To our enormous surprise she suggested management. Rapidly we got an education in ethics and morality in a community where the edges on such behaviour were often blurred.
"As Rusty has written - she was our centre of moral authority. And our friend. When she gave us our ten bucks a day on tour for 'sustenance' it came with sage advice on how to stretch it. When that per diem bulged to twenty, the nights after a show just got longer.
"As offers and shows came our way, and no doubt our sense of our worth bloated, Kate persistently reminded us in no uncertain terms that we were of no more worth than the gals and guys lugging gear, rolling leads, stamping the wrists, no matter how much bloody velvet we were wearing.
"We shared floors, vans, longnecks, fights and a thousand sweaty hugs. She was the first person to give us a chance, and the last person out of the venue for hundreds, maybe thousands of shows.
"Though we parted ways a while back we remain dear friends, as again, she has given us chances when we maybe didn’t deserve them.
"Now she needs some help (she never asked for it. Never would.). So, we are putting on a show with some wags who also wanna give a little something back to the woman who gave us everything. More to be announced but dig in to this with us lot.
"And to the folks who will suggest calling the night 'Something For Kate' well, yes, it is. But we believe there is a music group of the same nomenclature. And we don’t wanna ruffle their plumage.
"Love Andy, Rusty, Davey, Tim and the YAI family."
"We asked her because she had a reputation for being a straight talker, no bluster, and someone who thrived on getting stuff done. She was also a great late-night drinker, raconteur, confidante.
"To our enormous surprise she suggested management. Rapidly we got an education in ethics and morality in a community where the edges on such behaviour were often blurred.
"As Rusty has written - she was our centre of moral authority. And our friend. When she gave us our ten bucks a day on tour for 'sustenance' it came with sage advice on how to stretch it. When that per diem bulged to twenty, the nights after a show just got longer.
"As offers and shows came our way, and no doubt our sense of our worth bloated, Kate persistently reminded us in no uncertain terms that we were of no more worth than the gals and guys lugging gear, rolling leads, stamping the wrists, no matter how much bloody velvet we were wearing.
"We shared floors, vans, longnecks, fights and a thousand sweaty hugs. She was the first person to give us a chance, and the last person out of the venue for hundreds, maybe thousands of shows.
"Though we parted ways a while back we remain dear friends, as again, she has given us chances when we maybe didn’t deserve them.
"Now she needs some help (she never asked for it. Never would.). So, we are putting on a show with some wags who also wanna give a little something back to the woman who gave us everything. More to be announced but dig in to this with us lot.
"And to the folks who will suggest calling the night 'Something For Kate' well, yes, it is. But we believe there is a music group of the same nomenclature. And we don’t wanna ruffle their plumage.
"Love Andy, Rusty, Davey, Tim and the YAI family."
