CENTRE STAGE – Darren ‘Smokie’ Dawson
Darren 'Smokie' Dawson loves his footy, his cricket, his hats and his music. He came into Stereo Stories' orbit via The Footy Almanac.
THE BOYS LIGHT UP by AUSTRALIAN CRAWL. Narration by Darren ‘Smokie’ Dawson
James Reyne was unable to mask his concern, yelling into the microphone: “We are not coming back on until you have all stopped fighting!” And with that, the band hurriedly disappeared from the stage.
WEATHER WITH YOU by CROWDED HOUSE Story by Smokie Dawson
The immediacy of streaming could never quite replace the satisfaction of buying, owning, and holding music in my hands. And the streaming service’s omnipresent “Daily Mix” – chosen especially for me! – was not so much spookily playful as downright nefarious, with the accompanying emails bordering on harassment.
I’M SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON BY THE DROPKICK MURPHYS Story by Smokie Dawson
By the time of the opening strains of Shipping Up To Boston (best known in these parts as the soundtrack to an Australian Rules football advertisement), the crowd is in raptures. It is the cue for my son John to enter the mosh-pit, and at his urging, I bravely follow.
The joy of being onstage with Stereo Stories
Darren 'Smokie' Dawson Various venues, Victoria, New South Wales, 2015, 2016 Never in my wildest dreams did I envisage how my short tale of a doomed teenage relationship would give me such a great rush every time I took to the lectern to share it. At a Stereo Stories show, a writer's words are given greater depth and clarity by the excellent Stereo Stories band.
Under The Milky Way by The Church
Darren 'Smokie' Dawson Newport, Melbourne 1992 As the opening chords of Under the Milky Way softly made their way through the speakers, I asked the woman with whom I was planning to spend the rest of my life to dance with me. “I like this,” she whispered.
Before Too Long by Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls
Darren "Smokie" Dawson Sandringham, a Saturday morning, 1986 The difference in our tastes in music would be the rock our relationship perished on.
Our Sunshine by Paul Kelly and Uncle Bill
Darren 'Smokie' Dawson On the road heading north, any January, 2000 – 2010 Whether it was a longer summer sojourn to Coolangatta, or a Sunday winter's day-trip to Daylesford, it was tacitly accepted, unspoken, that when the key went into the ignition, Our Sunshine was to blast out from the speakers.