Ben Catley came to town
Image supplied by Ben Catley
Artist Development is a central pillar of Regional Sounds strategic plan and drives our advocacy for support to bring to Geraldton professional performing artists who share their knowledge and experience with local musicians through workshops, Q&A’s and stagecraft support.
The first visiting artist for 2025 is Perth based guitarist Ben Catley. Ben ran two workshops titled Guitar & Creativity, with one workshop specifically for young people to give them the opportunity to learn new skills in a supported environment.
On the Friday night Ben was the headline act for the first ‘Tunes on the Tree Deck’ live music event for 2025. Held on the tree deck adjacent to Regional Sounds, the event was promoted as strictly alcohol free with all attendees enjoying refreshing fruit beverages mixed up by the Geraldton Local Drug Action (LDAG) team.
Opening for Ben was Geraldton based musician Nic Austin, and the crowd were treated to an open mic set by veteran performer ‘Rusty Parts’ and his sidekick ‘Rustina’.
Summer is the ideal time for performances on the tree deck and the Regional Sounds crew are currently preparing for another event soon. If you’d like to be notified of ticketed events please subscribe for notifications via our
Tunes on the Tree Deck is subsidised by a Strengthening Communites grant from the Mid West Development Commission.
About Ben Catley:
With mesmerising acoustic guitar playing and an ecstatic stage presence, Ben Catley pours every ounce of his soul into his live show.
Having toured all across Australia, New Zealand and the UK many times over, he captivates audiences like few other solo artists. Ben has played huge international festivals with the likes of The Doobie Brothers, John Butler, Xavier Rudd, Jessie J, Groove Armada and many more, and in WA is also often found performing shows with Si Mullumby, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s best didge players. Having released tracks featuring the voice of the legendary WIM HOF, as well as Ash Grunwald and Tijuana Cartel, Ben’s music catalogue is as diverse as his live show.
While mostly known for his high energy acoustic roots/blues/folk/rock style, he has recently been releasing collections of chilled, finger-style guitar instrumentals ‘Cloudcabins’, that he has weaved into his live set, creating a dynamic show of guitar craftsmanship.