The late Judith Durham was the unmistakable voice of The Seekers and she is still very much with us in the music and in Keith Potger’s loving tribute show.
Keith Potger: Celebrating The Seekers – 60 Years is the story of founding member Keith Potger’s musical life as a member of, arguably, our most famous pop group. And the show comes to The Events Centre, Caloundra, for a special performance on October 29,
Australia’s beloved Judith Durham, who died in 2022 at the age of 79, is paid tribute to throughout.
It’s been more than 60 years since The Seekers first came together in a Melbourne coffee shop, launching a musical journey that saw them become Australia’s first pop group to achieve a No. 1 hit in the US with Georgy Girl and sell out record-breaking concerts around the world.
This uplifting daytime concert is an audio-visual treat, featuring rare footage and still photos of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley, alongside timeless favourites from The Seekers, original ballads from Potger’s three solo albums and hits from the 1960s to the 1980s that inspired the group.
Potger’s signature 12-string guitar and unique vocal harmonies, which helped shape The Seekers’ iconic sound, are at the heart of the concert. Throughout the performance, he shares stories and anecdotes from almost six decades in music, reflecting on the group’s extraordinary career and paying a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend, the late Judith Durham.
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“That’s a special moment in the show, an audio-visual presentation, a way of acknowledging the friendship we had over many decades,” he says.
While Potger tells his own story, the concert is very much a tribute to Durham
At age 84, Potger finds himself the keeper of the flame with a little help from his partner Elizabeth. The couple live in the small town of Braidwood on the Southern Tablelands of NSW. (The ABC program Backroads visited Braidwood in one episode and Potger had a bit of a cameo.)
Among other things, Elisabeth happens to be a photographer and is handy with technology, so she is in charge of the audio-visual aspects of the show and travels with him, along with their poodle-cross Poppy. While Potger tells his own story, the concert is very much a tribute to Durham.
“That’s a very significant component of the show,” he says. “We have a lot of images of her, including things no-one has seen before. I sing some songs she sang and the audiences who come to see the show seem quite happy with my renditions.
“It’s because the songs are so strong and what happens is that the audiences get transported back to the time when they first heard those songs. After the show I go out and sign CDs and hear people’s stories of how the group impacted their lives.”
Admittedly, there is an older demographic at concerts as there would be for a group that became famous in the 1960s. The Caloundra concert is an 11am affair to cater, one imagines, for those who like a nap in the afternoon.
Ah, but there is a new generation of fans for the music too. The Seekers weren’t just a 1960s fad. In fact, although they broke up in 1968 they reformed several times from 1993 and toured continually, ultimately without Durham. Local singer Mirusia filled in with them for a while, to much acclaim.
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‘My goal is always to leave people happier than when they arrived’
Now it’s just Potger on the road, with Elizabeth and Poppy the pup as his roadies. He’s a travelling troubadour spinning his yarns and playing his music.
“There are plenty of stories from the group’s time and my own personal journey that I love sharing on stage,” Potger says. “That’s really what makes me not just a singer and a guitarist but an entertainer. My goal is always to leave people happier than when they arrived.”
During the concert, audiences will be treated to hits such as Georgy Girl, I’ll Never Find Another You, Morningtown Ride, The Carnival is Over and A World of Our Own.
“I think people really enjoy hearing the songs and they bring back recollections of where they were when they first heard them,” Potger says.
His enduring popularity is evident in the warmth of audiences who flock to his shows across Australia, reliving their fondest memories and discovering new ones through his upbeat and heart-warming performances.
“I’m the only one performing still,” he says. “Athol and Bruce are well and we get together as often as we can.”
Meanwhile, he’ll soon be packing the car for the trip north with Elisabeth and Poppy as he carries the torch bearing The Seekers flame for as long as he can. Catch him while you can.
Keith Potger: Celebrating The Seekers – 60 Years plays The Events Centre, Caloundra, October 29, 11am.
theeventscentre.com.au/event/keith-potger-celebrating-the-seekers-60-years