The Gang of Three has been a central part of the Perth Folk scene for the past ten years. Their music spans traditional Irish/Celtic/Australian ballads and reels to U2, Van Morrison and The Whitlams.
They also feature a number of original songs in the traditional style at most performances and have a strong local following.
They are singularly unpretentious.
Front man Joff Davies (vocals, citurn, bodran, mandolin and whistles) is ex Press Gang and Fling. He is also a prominent Perth barrister.
Tom Percy (guitar and vocals) and writes most of the Band’s original material. By day he is a prominent Perth Queen’s Counsel.
Alan Ferguson (bass, whistles, guitar and vocals) is arguably Perth’s best known folk musician and a veteran of numerous top bands over the past two decades, including Quarefellas, Settlers and Colonials.
Matt Stapleton is a lively and talented fiddler and has been with various Perth traditional bands over the past few years. By occupation he is a music teacher.
The Gang have played together and separately at various venues in Ireland, New York, Asia and Paris; as well as interstate and in many parts of country West Australia.
They featured live in 2003 in the ABC’s TV series “Australian Story”. In the past four years they have backed, inter alia, top ranking artists such as Eric Bogle, Cold Chisel, Violent Femmes and The Proclaimers.
The Band was a support act at the Bob Dylan Concert at the Claremont Showgrounds in 2003, and for Brian Ferry in 2004. This year they were a support act to the Violent Femmes.
The Band held down Friday nights at the Irish Club (Subiaco) for over two years and have also been regulars at Fibber McGee’s (Leederville), The Rosemount (N. Perth) and at Burswood Casino (Paddy Hannan’s Bar) which is Perth’s premier Irish Music venue.
They have also had extended and successful stints at venues such as J B O’Reilly’s Rosie O’Grady’s and the Oxford Hotel and for the past 2 years have been the resident Monday night band at the Paddington Alehouse.
Their first CD “Round” was critically acclaimed for its original and traditional work and received a good deal of airplay which is unusual for music in this genre.
Their subsequent single “Another Look at Eric Cooke” sparked a lot of interest in the media as it deals with the case of John Button who was in 2002 cleared of the 1963 killing of Rosemary Anderson. Tom and Joff played significant parts in that case as well as the 2005 acquittal of Darryl Beamish who had been sentenced to death for a 1961 murder he did not commit. He served 15 years for this conviction after the death sentence was commuted.
It is often said that what the Band may lack in musical ability is made up for by the sheer entertainment value of their performances. Ask any of their regulars...
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