The three-hour Sunday, June 4, concert will feature music from The Smoking Figs, a group of Melbourne-based musicians who reformed seven years ago at the 50th birthday party of their bass guitarist.
While the band is providing its services free of charge, travelling from Melbourne with all the associated sound and lighting equipment, the Shamrock Hotel is also not profiting from the event.
Band manager Paul Orfanos, who became quite familiar with the plight of the Rochester community through his role with Bendigo Bank, put together the concept of appearing in the flood-affected town.
“Things rural are always of interest to the group and the entire band is of an age where we have a shared social conscience,” he said.
Mr Orfanos said the band decided that, as part of its identity, it would complete a series of “concerts for a cause” to create awareness for specific organisations or to help communities in need.
“A couple of months ago we highlighted the plight of pancreatic cancer research and then, more recently, we performed at a concert in aide of the Victorian Vietnam Veterans Association,” he said.
The band is continuing to perform regularly on the Melbourne pub circuit, with the free gigs complimentary to its existence.
Mr Orfanos said the Rochester concert would be the third The Smoking Figs had staged in its series of community focused concerts.
“When our time permits, because we all work full-time, we plan to do a few more,” he said.
The Smoking Figs has an interesting history, many of its members (including the band manager) long-time friends from as far back as university.
Con Koulouris was the band member responsible for reforming the band at his birthday celebration after the four Greek Australians and “honorary Greek” through marriage that formed the original band had gone their separate ways in the late 1980s.
Alongside Con is lead singer Nick Karamouzas, drummer Zino (who replaced original band member Nick Stratus), guitarist Simon Stratus and lead guitarist Brett Rothnie.
In 2018 the band launched its first album, Set Me Free, which featured several originals. They now perform both their own music and it is supported by a selection of AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, along with Tom Petty and everything from the 1960s to 1990s.
Con typifies the eclectic nature of the band’s make-up, being the CEO of a feminine hygiene company. Then there is a school teacher, an engineer and an ex-lawyer who now runs his own food business.
Mr Orfanos said the band understood the ability of music to assist with the wellbeing, social inclusion and unity of communities.
