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Returning: RocKwiz

RocKwiz is back, now on Monday nights and kicking off with a tribute to Harry Vanda and George Young.

2014-03-06_2109Perennial music show RocKwiz is back for its 12th Season on SBS later this month, moving to a brand new timeslot, 9:30pm Mondays from March 24.

That will be quite a cultural shock after 11 seasons!

It begins with a special episode filmed at the Enmore Theatre in December, saluting Australian songwriters Harry Vanda and George Young.

From The Easybeats to Flash and The Pan, to producing material for The Angels and AC/DC, Vanda and Young were responsible for some incredible music. This special episode pays loud and loving tribute to an important slice of our musical history.

Joining the delightful Julia Zemiro, charismatic showman Brian Nankervis, beloved human scoreboard Dugald and the RocKwiz Orkestra, are a cavalcade of stars including Doc Neeson (The Angels), Isabella Manfredi (The Preatures), The Basics (the band featuring Wally De Backer aka Gotye), Steve Kilbey, and Gossling to name just a few.

The Vanda and Young special will be followed by twelve regular episodes recorded at the spiritual home of RocKwiz, The Gershwin Room at St Kilda’s Esplanade Hotel. Not that there is anything regular about these episodes. The big names lined up for the new series so far include Dan Sultan – fresh from supporting Bruce Springsteen, Daddy Cool himself Ross Wilson, Tina Arena, Billy Bragg, Iva Davies, and indie rock darlings Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett.

The new series will climax with an episode to be recorded at the 25th Byron Bay Bluesfest. This will be the fourth run of RocKwiz shows at Bluesfest and if the past is any guide, the Jambalaya Tent will be rocking as Julia, Brian, Dugald, the Orkestra and an exciting cast of Australian and international acts from the festival strut their stuff under the big top.

RocKwiz is still rocking, still rolling and still the one rock and roll show that music-lovers can’t afford to miss.

Monday March 24, 9.30pm SBS ONE.

9 Responses

  1. That is a strange and disappointing decision. The latest management regime shuffles the programming decks to be seen to be doing something. RocKwiz is a Saturday night institution “staying in is the new going out” for many people so I don’t really understand why they are moving it to such a competitive night. SBS continues to underwhelm, flailing about, with an ill-defined remit.

  2. Agree with the points made in the comments about the Parallel Lines nod (brilliant!) and the fact that I’m simply going to forget it’s on a Monday being so used to the Saturday slot. We’ll be using the SBS online catch up most weeks I reckon.

  3. I was going to say that SBS are “doing a Ten” but that would be putting RocKwiz up against another music quiz show that was rating its pants off. It’ll be the replay (if I’m in) or catch-up for me, too.

  4. Love the “Parallel Lines” knock off promo pic.
    Very clever.
    Agree that it is rather a strange decision to move it to Monday nights as there is so much competition on this night.

    Found the original Saturday night time slot to be more suitable – a welcome oasis in the telly wasteland that is the norm for Saturday nights.

    Will have to watch the repeats on SBS2 now..

  5. Interesting decision to move this show to a weeknight. This show has become part of our Saturday night ritual, as I am sure it is for many other music lovers.

    I really hope this programming change doesn’t spell the end for such a great show.

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