Minnie and The Moonrakers is a four-piece rock n roll/rhythm and blues band playing music inspired by the raw, powerful recordings of the 40s and 50s. Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, Gene Vincent et al. The vocalist, Siobhan O’Brien aka Minnie, is a soulful singer whose voice has been described as gritty, powerful and untamed. She is backed by her husband, Greg Duncan Powell whose chunky rhythms and edge of the seat guitar riffing sets the groundwork for an original musical gumbo.
In 2021 the couple had a vision to form a quartet that harnessed their musical aspirations. Shortly thereafter they met veteran performer and former army band master, the upright bassist Stephen Hladio. Minnie and The Moonrakers was born. The band has now brought their brand of rock n roll to a host of festivals, events and venues across the country. In 2024 they were invited by the Canberra Blues Society to open at the International Blues Festival and a memorable gig was supporting 19-Twenty.
They recorded their first EP Volume One in early 2024 and they have more recordings in the pipeline.
In a few short years Minnie and The Moonrakers have made a distinct impression on the Australian music scene with a host of festivals, events and dates booked for 2025. The future is up – to quote Les Paul’s famous song, ‘how high the moon?’
