The Sweet Betrayals bring soul and funk to Wangaratta

Beechworth live music act 'The Sweet Betrayals' will bring the sounds of 1960s and 1970s soul, funk and rhythm and blues to Wangaratta during the jazz festival weekend. The eight-piece revue will perform at Railyard Garden Bar on Saturday 31 October, from 7pm, sharing the authentic sounds of an era of music that defined a generation and sparked global influences that are still adored today. Formed through Beechworth’s live music scene and rehearsing in Stanley, the band draws on celebrated classics and lesser-known songs from the era. Keyboard player Bill Skermer said the musicians came together through the open mic nights at Tanswells Commercial Hotel, with members travelling from across the North East to play together. Some had crossed paths in bands and other projects for about 20 years, while the informal sessions helped forge new musical connections. The group now rehearses in a cellar door space in Stanley, complete with a fireplace and pool room, where Bill said the lack of nearby neighbours allowed them to turn up and concentrate on the music. The group’s sound brings together bass and drums, guitars, horns and vocals, with songs centred on love, desire and heartbreak. Bill said the musicians listened closely to the original recordings, working on instrumental tones, individual parts and five-part vocal harmonies to capture the character of the songs while leaving room for their own expression. “It’s really focussed on the music and letting that speak,” he said. "We stay true to the vibe of the songs, obviously we're doing our own versions but we're listening deeply to how the music is formed. "For us it's all about letting the music speak, as musicians we are conduits for the music that is already in the ether." Bill said the name 'The Sweet Betrayals' is in the spirit of the bittersweet young love paradox of soul heartbreak, and captures the passionate contradictions at the heart of timeless rhythm and blues and soul. "We wanted something edgy that also describes the essence of the music we pay tribute to," he said. "Compelled by the funk and drawing on the extraordinary depth and diversity of their collective musical talent, 'The Sweet Betrayals' strive to capture the essence of soul, giving expression to matters of the heart and the human condition that defy language. "We are, ultimately, humble servants of the ethereal - beyond words, yet profoundly expressed through the music of this truly golden era." The repertoire includes music by James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green and Otis Redding, with Bill naming Express Yourself, Knock on Wood and Take Me to the River among the songs the band plays. With about 40 to 50 songs to choose from, he said the group aimed to move beyond the most obvious selections, mixing familiar favourites with tracks audiences might recognise without knowing the artist. “We also move away from all the most really obvious ones as well,” he said. The performance coincides with the Wangaratta jazz festival weekend but is not part of the festival program. Bill said the band wanted to offer locals an alternative to the jazz lineup, with an old-school rhythm and blues sound and a night built around dancing. The show will include faster numbers and slower songs, with the musicians planning to dress sharply and decorate the garden performance area with stage dressing. “We’re gonna make it a show,” Bill said. “It’s all dance music, some of it’s fast and we’ve got a few really beautiful old slow ones as well.” He encouraged audience members to dress up too and embrace the spirit of an old-school dance party, with about three hours of music planned. Tickets cost $15 and are available at www.railyardwangaratta.com.

The Sweet Betrayals bring soul and funk to Wangaratta

Wangaratta Chronicle, Wednesday, 28 October, 2026

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