(John O’Callaghan with his brother Bob on saxophone, and his dad on reading materials)
This is the first episode of Hall Stories to step outside the format of featuring a specific hall. As Mark Twain once said ‘It’s my podcast and I’ll do what I want!’
The inspiration for this break out episode came when I was interviewing John O’Callaghan for the Port Albert Mechanics Institute Hall Stories project. John had many stories about Port Albert, which you can listen to in Episode 8. However, he had so many recollections about halls & dances across South Gippsland, that it seemed a shame to leave them out just because they didn’t pertain to Port Albert.
At the time of the interview John was 91, and while he may have slowed down and had had to retire the drum sticks, his stories are completely intact and exquisitely detail the golden era of country hall dances from the perspective of the musicians. Over his many decades on the drum stool, he witnessed changes in society brought on by the advent of television, changes to drinking laws and the shift in modern music trends, led by the rise of Rock ‘n Roll.
I loved speaking with John & Gwen at their home in Yarram. Since the interview in May 2025, John has recently had a bad fall and has had to move into an assisted living home. However, he remains positive and tells me he has more stories to share. I’m not ruling out another John O’C episode.
(John, Bob, Janet & Noel at the height of the popularity in the early 1960’s)
(John & the band at the Switch On Electricity Ball at the Binginwarri Hall. Most country halls had similar events when electricity finally came to town. At a certain point of the night, they would ceremonially switch from gas to electricity … in this instance, it was when the young lad holding the tilly lantern’s, arm’s gave out )
(John, Bob Noel & (maybe) Janet in later years)
(John with the surviving part of the drum kit made by his dad.)
(The snare was cut from an old mallee heater)
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New Zealand