Jan 5: Bernie Griffen and the Thin Men

Friday 5th January. Doors open 7.30pm for 8pm start. $15 on the door.
At the Raglan Old School Arts Centre.

Licensed bar and yummy eats.

Bernie Griffen’s own distinctive brand of scorching Southern Gothic crosses the border of folk into country blues. His songs are melodic, soulful tales of a life well and truly lived on the fringes, songs which play like anthems and tap into a vein of testimony.

Bernie commands an audience and spans the generations with his big presence and originality. He’s got a guitar style all his own, although you can hear the influences from Neil Young to Tom Waites and Hank Williams.  While Bernie’s sometimes compared to Johnny Cash, his musical partner Kirsten Warner singing solo or in close harmony has vulnerability and distinctiveness that is more Iris Dement or Nanci Griffith than June Carter.

Auckland’s Bernie Griffen stepped out into new territory with his second album Salvation, recorded at Auckland’s The Lab studio in May 2014 with The Thin Men. (Cole Goodley (drums, vocals), Brendan Turner (bass, vocals) , Kirsten Warner (guitar and vocals), Bernie Griffen (guitar, banjo , vocals).

The new record sung out like a scream in a quiet night — Bernie’s characters are hard-living and hard-loving, outlaw and savior, the lover and the man in trouble — Bernie Griffen tells tales of adventure, loss and a life hard lived.

Bernie Griffen and The Thin Men have a new album coming out in March 2018. Founding member of The Grifters, Bernie has been front and centre of New Zealand’s music scene for nearly two decades, as long-time and well-loved host of 95 bFM’s Border Radio show as well as performer and champion of independent Kiwi music.

In Raglan, Bernie will be performing with guest Tony Daunt on bass (Tony Daunt and the Dauntless, Swampland, Bernie Griffen and The Grifters)