A fundraiser to support Bermagui father and musician Brian Boulter, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, is going to be a powerful night.
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Not only is the town's community getting behind it and sponsoring the event, there is a close connection between him and the bands scheduled to play as he has performed in almost all of them.
Mr Boulter was diagnosed with melanoma last August.
While his prognosis was initially positive, it was recently discovered he had developed leptomeningeal disease, a rare complication of cancer for which there is no cure.
Maggie McKinney first met Mr Boulter at a jam night in Bermagui, as he is her bandmate's brother-in-law.
"The first thing that pops into my mind when it comes to Brian is he's gentle and warm," she said.
"He's got a very subtle sense of humour.
"He's very mild mannered, but very strong."
Ms McKinney has a long history working as a vocalist in Australia's music industry, including touring and recording with the likes of Joe Cocker, Jimmy Barnes, Powderfinger and Billy Thorpe, and said Mr Boulter was a great musician.
"He's got that application," she said.
"If there was something to do, he would just apply himself and learn it."
For instance, while he is a guitarist he picked up the bass to perform in progressive hard rock band Laika's Howl, one of the bands that will perform at his fundraiser, and Ms McKinney said he "sat on the bass for about 24 hour hours a day to learn it".
The music night fundraiser will support Mr Boulter, his children - three of which are aged under 13 - and his partner of 19 years Jemma Wright.
He is in Pambula Hospital, and Ms Kinney sees him as often as she can, saying he is deteriorating.
"He's with us for a while, then he slips out," she said.
"Brian has done a dozen fundraisers, he's always been available for fundraisers and it's right we've all come out to help him now.
"What I've found from living in the country and being in Bermagui is when someone is in trouble, the community really comes together to lift them up."
A Variety Night for Brian will be held on Saturday, July 20 from 6.30pm at the Murrah Hall, 2989 Tathra-Bermagui Rd.
Tickets are $20.
The line-up includes Martin Fowler, Maggie McKinney and the Footloose Strangers featuring Bob Harris, Jacqui Holmes and the Scaramouche, Critical Fever, Fractured Minds and The Gulls.
Raffle tickets are being sold in Bermagui shops with $2500-worth of prizes.
Albert McKnight
Journalist at Bega District News.
Journalist at Bega District News.
