Celebrating the Day Street Band
The Day Street Band was a local community music project set up by a tight-knit bunch of neighbours living on Day Street in Leichhardt. Formed originally at our annual street Christmas party in late 2015, we set out with a simple goal: play some great music, connect with our local community, and raise vital funds for local causes.
We originally came together purely for the fun of playing, but quickly realized we could channel that creative energy into helping our neighborhood through the power of music! Our live setlists were wonderfully eclectic—spanning everything from the melodic pop of The Beatles, Katy Perry, Neil Diamond, and ABBA all the way to the raw energy of The Ramones, Screaming Jets, and Radio Birdman.
🎉 Total Impact: From 2016 through our final active runs, the Day Street Band proudly raised over $25,000 for local community support.
Supporting Detour House
Every dollar raised by our neighborhood concerts was donated directly to Detour House Inc, an exceptional non-profit organization based in Leichhardt. Detour House does crucial work servicing women and at-risk girls in the community, providing vital drug and alcohol dependency rehabilitation alongside crisis accommodation support via The Girls Refuge.
While our public concert schedule was ultimately cut short by the compounding lockdowns of COVID-19 across 2020 and 2021, we are incredibly proud of the amazing Bowlo-busting turnouts, the community connections built, and the meaningful financial support we generated for women's services in Sydney’s Inner West.
Video Highlights & Archive
Take a look back at the incredible energy from our packed community shows at the Leichhardt Bowling Club:
Performance Gallery & Event Media
Contact & Retrospective Inquiries
To get in touch with Simon regarding the history of the project or community fundraising archives, drop an email to simon@simonmorel.com.
Historical Media Archive: 2019 Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MAY 16, 2019
Laughs, music and community vibes for 4th annual fundraiser for Women's Refuge
For the fourth year in a row, a group of neighbours from Day Street in Leichhardt are taking to the stage to raise much needed money for an inner west women's refuge. In a benefit that promises to be the biggest to date, the Day Street Band family friendly event will be held at 1pm at Leichhardt Bowling Club on Queen's Birthday holiday Monday, June 10.
ABC regular and local Comedian Tommy Dean will join the event as MC. In a true community effort, local business Hudson McHugh have also jumped on board, sponsoring the event with a generous contribution towards staging costs. All proceeds from the event will go to Leichhardt and Glebe-based women's shelter Detour House Inc.
The Day Street Band was formed at the street’s annual Christmas party in December 2015. Monthly BBQs and a FaceBook group keep this bunch of neighbours well connected with each other. The group boasts two professional musicians, but in keeping with the ethos of the Day Street Band, neither session singer Amanda Easton nor guitarist Simon Morel will be taking their usual places on stage. The band also features Day Streeters who played semi-professionally ‘back in the day’ - from 90s alt-rock bands to 70s punk bands - playing a range of party tunes from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Over the last three years, the Day Street Band benefits have raised over $19,000 for Detour House. Last year's show had a bowlo-busting 800 plus crowd. The event is all ages and free to attend. Donations have come from the crowd on the afternoon, internet campaigns, Leichhardt Bowling Club and Restaurant and of course sales from the must have inner westie fashion item, the Day Street Band baseball cap.
Olivia Nguy, General Manager Detour House: “We are so grateful for the immense support of the Day Street Band and the generous donations raised by the community. To date, the funds raised have helped us support young women in circumstances where they’re unable to contribute to rent, or require immediate practical assistance in crisis, and to maintain a safe and homely environment for the women we support.”
Daniel Hitchcock, Secretary Manager of the Leichhardt Bowling Club, added: “We are a community bowling club and want to support others who are in turn supporting the needy in our community. When Simon Morel approached us we were delighted to help again. It is going to be a fantastic afternoon.”
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