High Country Hop offers stellar musical line-up at Beechworth

Mighty Duke and The Lords will play the last set on Saturday night for the annual High Country Hop.

"Trop-pop" morphed from an Australian interpretation of 1950s Trinidadian Calypso into a brew of afrobeat, cumbia, Miami disco and stringband beach jams.

Mighty Duke and The Lords frontman Wally Maloney said their interpretation of Calypso came into its own over time.

"We started as a band that was fully into Calypso music, known for its cheeky lyrics and double entendres, not to mention the beautiful melodies," he said.

"Then we added afrobeats, Hawaiian guitars, Miami disco and it became our own style of trop-pop.

"It's very fun, it's very danceable; we dress up, we've got all of the good props, and we give it 110 per cent!"

Comprising members of Melbourne Ska Orchestra, The Lucksmiths, Suitcase Royale and NO ZU, Mighty Duke released their debut self-titled album early in 2016 and Caribbean Rollerama early last year just ahead of the national lockdown owing to the global pandemic.

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Now in its sixth year, Beechworth's High Country Hop will move to a new site this year with its biggest musical line-up yet.

Together with Mighty Duke, the bill features Karate Boogaloo, Leah Senior, Ausecuma Beats, DRMNGNOW, The Burnt Sausages, Adriana, James Ellis and the Jealous Guys, College of Knowledge DJs, Uptown Brown and Liv Cartledge.

Founded by Bridge Road Brewers in 2015, the festival will run for the first time in Beechworth's Historic Precinct Reserve.

Bridge Road founder Ben Kraus welcomed the return of the festival this year.

"Last year was such a downer for everyone given a summer of bushfires and smoke, followed by the lockdowns," he said.

"Beer festivals globally haven't really happened at all for the past 12 months, so it really is significant to be in a position to commit to our own this year."

Punters can match bands with High Country brewers such as Bridge Road Brewers, Billson's Brewery, Bright Brewery, Mitta Mitta Brewing, Crankhandle Brewery, King River Brewing and Black Dog Brewery. Range Brewing from Brisbane and East Gippsland's Sailor's Grave will be on hand.

Mighty Duke will also perform at Tanswell's at Beechworth on Saturday, April 24.

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