The Casuarinas play Shucked Lane, 9 Creswell Street, Newstead, on September 8, from 1.30pm

“The Casuarinas was something that none of us saw coming,’’ says Andrew Palmer, the band’s guitar/dobro/banjo/anything-with-strings-on whiz. “No one said, ‘Let’s make a band that draws on the best of country and folk but comes out sounding just like ourselves’ but that’s what happened.’’

“Four of the five of us have played in bands, lots of them, experienced all those highs and lows. This was different. We would get together around a table on Thursday nights for no other reason than the sheer pleasure of  singing and playing and writing.’’

The band knew they were onto something special when they wrote a song called Stranger In My Own Town, a collaborative effort where every member pitched in ideas. When they heard how audiences responded to it, they realised others would love their songs just as much as they do.

The band features three songwriters with long pedigrees in Queensland’s music scene. Palmer played in ‘80s power-pop legends The Colours (their Blue Shirt is an Australian classic) and Eleven Eleven (ditto for Devastate Me).  Bassist Tim Kelly played with Palmer in The Nasties and also doubles as a member of razor-sharp rock band Gift Horse. Guitarist Noel Mengel played in ‘80s pop classicists The Version and Curiosity Shop.

They are joined by vocalists Maureen Hansen, the acclaimed visual artist, a former member of Brisbane country-punk heroes COW, and Ric Trevaskis, who by day caters to vinyl junkies in his Brisbane store Egg Records.

Hear The Casuarinas play The Old Highway on YouTube.

www.facebook.com/thecasuarinas