Glenn Starr is returning to the Riverina for a concert this weekend. Photo: Supplied.
Former Griffith radio personality Glenn Starr is returning to the Riverina this weekend, bringing a celebration of classic British music to Leeton’s Roxy Theatre.
Britishmania is a two-hour live show covering the British Invasion of the 1960s and the British rock and pop hits that followed into the 1970s.
The show features songs associated with artists including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, The Bee Gees, The Animals, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman’s Hermits and The Searchers.
“We’re a five-piece band including myself with visuals telling the stories of the songs and the artists,” Mr Starr said.
“We start with The Beatles and their emergence from Liverpool and rivalry with Gerry and the Pacemakers and move on to the other legends.”
Mr Starr has been performing classic rock on stage for more than two decades and said he had always had a particular love for British music.
“My favourite song is The Last Farewell by Roger Whittaker – he passed away three to four years ago; this might be one of the only times you can hear the song performed live on stage. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John would be my other favourite,” he said.
“You’ll also hear some of the most popular songs of all time, like Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones which is one of their first number one singles, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.”
The 47-year-old said the show was designed to be as much about audience participation as the music itself.
“There’s plenty of great singalong moments, and we’ll get the crowd out of their seats and dancing.”
Born and bred in Albury, Mr Starr moved to Griffith in the early 2000s, initially working in sales at a radio station before later becoming the host of the Triple M breakfast show.
He said one of his proudest achievements from his time in Griffith was helping create Something in the Water – The Song That Built Griffith, a song made in collaboration with local musicians.
Glenn Starr with Sussan ‘Tina Turner’ Ley, raising money for cancer when he lived in Griffith. Photo: Sussan Ley Facebook.
Mr Starr moved to Beveridge, north of Melbourne, in 2024 to further his music career.
“I miss the food and the people of Griffith, the community there is so different to anywhere else,” he said.
“We have to drive into the city to get the same quality of restaurants. But I don’t miss the 4 am starts; I’m now sometimes out performing until 4 am.”
Britishmania will be performed at the Roxy Theatre in Leeton at 2 pm on Saturday 1 August. Tickets are available online, with adult tickets priced at $69.90, concession tickets at $64.90 and tickets for under-18s at $39.90.
