Campari-drinking Barry Morgan is the proprietor of Barry Morgan’s World of Organs, a fictional, kitsch organ emporium in Adelaide’s Sunnyside Mall.
Played by musician Stephen Teakle, Barry Morgan, organ salesperson extraordinaire, currently tours with a 1981 Hammond Urora Classic organ with external twin Leslie speakers and skilfully demonstrates the organ’s abilities as a synthesizer, the Auto Vari 64 (for adding variation to the accompaniment) and the Zither arpeggiator. Barry plays organ classics and tells stories about travelling with his organ in the tradition of Slim Dusty and Joy McKean. Always elegantly dressed with blow waved hair, Barry is the patron saint of safari suits, short shorts and long walking socks. He has been described as “Bob Downe and Liberace’s love child”.
Barry Morgan’s World of Organs has sold out shows at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth Fringe and the famous Spiegeltent and performed to adoring young crowds at Homebake and Falls Festival. He has appeared at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has been a guest on ABC1’s Spicks and Specks, ABC2’s The Marngrook Footy Show and Adelaide’s 5AA radio station.
Barry’s show combines 70 & 80’s nostalgia and showcases a big, warm sound using retro equipment, with stories, music, colour and, as Barry says, ‘fun before fancy’! Barry also gives fashion tips, advice on catering for home organ parties (with traditional nibbles like cheese and cabana) and music selection. There is also audience participation as he demonstrates his famous one-finger method that allows anyone to play the organ and a classic Barryoke singalong. Barry also refers to his roadie and part-time manager, Stretch.
In reality, musician Stretch has his own band, Stretch & The Truth and is the front man playing keyboard, piano accordion and zydeco rub board and is joined by some of Melbourne’s best musicians, with drummer John Watson, Chris Becker on bass, Ben Edgar on guitar, banjo and steel, as well as James Harrison on guitar and bv’s. Stretch & The Truth will play at the Brunswick Ballroom on Tuesday, 6/12/22, to officially launch their new EP ‘Piano Horse Diaries’, and for the first time ever following the set, Barry Morgan will perform.
Barry adores touring and entertaining people in cities and regional areas. He especially likes playing country hall matinees where families and their children can come along, have fun, and still be home for tea! He has performed in Terang, Hamilton and, one Sunday afternoon, in Yambuk, a little town in south-western Victoria near the slightly larger Port Fairy. The show included Barry’s favourite retro finger food, Campari, and scones with jam and cream! The Yambuk Hall Committee provided a free community BBQ, and it was the biggest gathering in the local hall since it opened in 1956.
Closer to home, Barry will play at the Newport Comedy Room, 4 Market St, on Friday, 2/12/22, at 8pm – with plenty of cheese to match his wonderful style. Don’t miss it! You can also catch Barry’s ‘Have yourself a Barry Little Christmas Show’ at West Footscray’s Hotel Westwood on Friday, 9/12/22. And don’t forget when Barry says ‘Morgan’ – you shout ‘Organ’ and Barry will pop something special in Santa’s sack for you this Christmas!
Tickets at mrbarrymorgan.com.au
