Gus Noakes

Gus Noakes can run a night two quite different ways. With a guitar and loop pedal it's an upbeat pub set, built up layer by layer on the spot. Sit him at the piano and it turns into relaxed jazz and blues, the kind that settles nicely under dinner. He sings through both, and he has made his living from music, singing and playing several instruments, for over a decade. The songs range from Billy Joel and The Beatles to Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra. At a Melbourne party that opens quietly and finishes on its feet, one musician covers both halves.