Today Show Australia

This morning Inka Marka appeared on the Chanel 9 Today breakfast show. with famous media personality Red Symmonds . With all the kerfuffle about Street musicans and buskers still ongoing in the City Of Melbourne, this was an ooportunity to show the talents and skills of the group onlive National television

Guerrilla perfromances @ Southbank

Wednesday 15th of March was the official opening of the Commonwealth games and the Southbank /Yarra river precinct was full of tourists and Melbournians alike, all coming down to see the spectacular show touted by the media, as the show of the century. Inka Marka deceided that a little free show was a good way to gain some publicity, so we arrived down by the Yarra River early in the afternoon to get ourselves a good spot, and set up the equipment. The crowds were huge and as the afternoon wore on, they became thicker and thicker. We found a spot under the bridge that spanned from Flinders street across to the Art centre precint. As the afternoon wore into night the band decided to pack up and join in the festivities. After all, its not likely that Melbourne will host the Commonwealth games again in our lifetime.

Port Fairy Folk Festival 2006

This years festival had the benefits of beautiful warm and sunny weather and warm and friendly crowds to match. Each years festival trip is an epic adventure of gigantic logistical proportions. Getting it together to spend the long weekend at the festival and performing all day over the three day event takes a lot of pre planning and organisation which most people dont realise. Many of the people we've chatted to think we just jump into the car, and drive the four hours to Port Fairy and play. First of all the most important thing is securing an advantagous spot to perform in: one with maximum exposure and minimum fall out from the elements. The competition is always keen, but Jose always rises to the occasion literally, by arriving at 6 am to stake the bands claim on some prime perfromance territory. This year he left Melbourne at 2am, to secure the place. The rest of us, drove down the night before and spent the night in a pleasant and comfortable bed, in Warnambool, a close 30 minute drive to Port Fairy. There were some disputes over whose snoring was louder in the dorm room we all shared, but that didnt stop us from getting a good nights sleep. Arriving at 8am, we found Jose with all the equipment set up, the sound check done, and the costumes laid out, ready for the band to start work. A quick Cafe latte, and a bacon and egg roll all around, provided the physical sustanence for the day ahead. With our regualr violinist and co wind player Jaime, on vacation, the group invited our dear freind John Kendall to play with us throughout the day. In between sets with other groups, and rapid costume changes, Mr Kendall provided some awesome licks, and some toe tapping solos to complement the Inka tunes. A regualr guest artist with the band, John has mastered the andean rythms of the group and added some of his own Irish and rockabilly style to his solos to provide a distinct sound to the groove. By the end of the first day, everyone was sunburnt and tired, but that didnt stop the entusiasm bubbling away for the next days play. After a quick clean up at the hostel, and a meal at one of Warnambools finest Italian restuarants, and a few glasses of red, we all headed back to the backpackers for an early nights sleep, and to catch up on the Z'zzzzzzzz. Hard to beleive really, life on the road has taken on the timbre of normailty. ..most people expect that musicians like to stay up all night and party......

Commonwealth Games Village 2006

Monday 6th of March found Inka Marka performing at the Commonwealth Games Village in Melbourne Australia. It was a very quiet event, as the Athletes from all over the world, were still settling into the village.
Our audience was made up of a fan from Singapore, who had previously attended one of our concerts in his country several years ago, some noisy men who were athletes from somewhere other than Australia, and Village attandants who quietly appreciated the music as they went about their tasks of making the Village presentable and safe for the people staying there.