Brian Finch showcases 40 years of song

ONE of South Africa’s most seasoned and respected musicians, Brian Finch, will be showcasing forty years of song when he treats Durban audiences to one show only on Monday 23 December. The legendary country-rock musician, who has been performing professionally since 1968, had his first regular gigs at the old Al Fresco, the Lonsdale and Four Seasons in

Durban. After performing in these Durban venues in the late 1960s, Finch made a name for himself at the Troubadour and Nite Beat venues in Johannesburg, while also taking part in folk festivals that were enormously popular at the time.

He also developed a popular professional partnership with the late Kenny E Henson. “I met Kenny in Durban in 1970, when he was performing with Lee Men Limited, and I was still doing folk gigs. We performed as Finch & Henson from 1970 until 1981, and then got together for various concerts, right up until he passed.”

Career highs, he said, were being a support act for Richie Havens in Cape Town, meeting Cat Stevens, and having Durban’s Dave Marks believe in him enough to co-produce (with the great Mutt Lange) his first album, Bringing Back the Good Times, which was released in 1974.

Home for Brian these days is Prince Albert in the Karoo, where he has built a stone house he shares with his wife of 40 years, Marion-Ann. “When not travelling to gigs, we run our own home theatre and present ‘up close and personal’ concerts with dinner cooked by me,” he said.

Brian is currently working on his 11th solo album, and will perform his favourites and fan favourites from his 10 albums, as well as new material. He will perform at The Barnyard

Theatre at Gateway with Dan Chiorboli on percussion, Anton Cawthorn-Blazeby on violin and Wayne Coughlan on steel guitar.

He has also managed to obtain his entire CD collection, spanning 40 years of music in the industry, which will be available on the night.

Tickets are R100 per person, and seating will be as for normal shows, with no standing room. The theatre will open at 18h30 and the show will start at 8pm. For bookings and enquiries, phone The Barnyard Theatre on 031 566 3045 or visit www.barnyardtheatres.co.za/gateway