The Putbacks, Buttered Loaf & Mandeng Groove at Cross St

Legendary rhythm section, The Putbacks, will join forces with Melbourne funk scene stalwarts Buttered Loaf and the hypnotic Mandeng Groove at Cross Street Music Hall on Sunday June 2. Expect everything from pulsing West African grooves, to down and dirty dub, to tight-as-a-drum funk, and the full spectrum between. Grab yourself a ticket and tell all your friends - this installation of the Cross Street Sunday Series is not to be missed.

Here are some details about your hosts:

The Putbacks

The Putbacks are a rhythm section. Drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and percussion. Stone cold pros, grizzled veterans of all the tours and all the studios. As individuals, they’re the players behind so many bands it’s difficult to list, but let’s start with Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bombay Royale, D.D Dumbo, Swooping Duck, The Meltdown and The Black Arm Band, not to mention their 3 album collaboration with the incredible Emma Donovan. When they come together as a group, they’re one of the tightest, sharpest, most dynamic musical units ever to exist.

The Putbacks take their cues from the great house bands of the 60s and 70s soul studios – think of The MGs, The Meters and The Wrecking Crew, as well as film composers from David Axelrod to Adrian Younge and contemporary instrumental groups BADBADNOTGOOD and Khruangbin. The Putbacks play together with an understated confidence and an uncanny rapport, a symbiotic unit that moves together with near psychic intuition. Minimal, spooky, and elastic, The Putbacks slide from dance floor fire to cinematic interlude and back, from densely composed music to free improvisation, blurring all the lines in between. No one who sees them play has any doubts they are in the presence of mastery. The guys are good.

Buttered Loaf

Renegades of rock, foragers of funk, doyennes of dub, rascals of roots, and sorcerers of soul, BUTTERED LOAF deliver performances of blistering, tone-bending musical thuggery that will blow beards, tickle moustaches, and tip food trucks for miles around. Hold on to your expensive miniature tacos, people, BUTTERED LOAF is an institution not to be missed.

Featuring Sam Cope on keys (Blue King Brown, PSI PHI, The Badloves), Yuri Pavlinov on bass (The Bamboos, Renee Geyer Band), Selwyn Cozens on drums (Ruby Jones Experience), Gideon Cozens on guitar (Jane Hillson and the Brunswick Troubadours) and Joe Greenway on sax (Spinning Rooms).

Mandeng Groove

Mandeng Groove is an ensemble co-created by Guinean-Australian multi-instrumentalist, Amadou Kalissa and Macedon Ranges guitarist, Kyle Muir. Mandeng Groove's vision is to create new music with diverse artists inspired by the Manding music tradition of West-Africa.

Kalissa comes from the West-African griot tradition, a family lineage whose role is to preserve genealogies, historical narratives and music traditions. In January, Mandeng Groove spent a month in Guinea collaborating, studying and recording with local musicians.

Tickets and times

Tickets are $25 presale (b/f incl) or $30 on the door. All proceeds go to the musicians playing, after sound and promo expenses. We believe the value for money of this pricing structure is exceptional and pricing any lower would only serve to devalue the hard work and lifetime commitment of the talented musicians performing for you. That said, we also offer a $15 no-questions asked concession for students, seniors, or anyone who is hard-up right now but still wants to come to a killer gig - we want you there!

3.30pm Doors

4pm Mandeng Groove

5pm Buttered Loaf

6pm The Putbacks

(these times are not set in stone and may be subject to change)

About the venue / getting there and away:

16-22 Cross St, Brunswick East, 3057 (see Google Maps link)

PT: Catch the 1 or 6 tram on Lygon st to Victoria/Lygon St +5min walk, or the 96 on Nicholson St to Albert st/Nicholson St +10min walk

Limited parking available on site.

Cross St Music Hall is a wheelchair accessible venue.

There will be a small bar run by volunteers with $8 beer/wine and $2.50 soft drinks - roceeds go to the running of Cross St Music hall and Merri-Bek City Bands.

MCB/Cross St is a not-for-profit community music hub and only operates as a venue part time - there are no paid staff so keep that in mind as you enjoy the gig!