About
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum is a powerhouse of instrumental rock wrapped up in a twanging surf-style package.
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They deliver reverb-drenched, early sixties surf instrumentals together with original compositions in a similar vein. The band has even been known to give a few jazz standards the surf treatment.
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Ben Rogers (guitar), Nikki Scarlett (bass) and Denis Close (drums).
Video
Snippets of Ben Rogers' Blues Asylum (featuring Secret Weapon Cora Browne) from Saturday night (4 Mar 2023) at the Blessington St Precinct as part of the St Kilda Blues Festival. Thanks to Julian Druce for the video. Soundtrack is "Sandy Feet", an original composition from the album "Welcome to the Instrumental Asylum" (available on Bandcamp: https://benrogersinstrumentalasylum.bandcamp.com/)
Surf rock instrumental featuring Ben Rogers (guitar), Nikki Scarlett (bass) and some classic surf drumming by Denis Close. Available on Bandcamp at https://benrogersinstrumentalasylum.bandcamp.com/
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum play a surf/rock tune inspired by Dick Dale's life story - keep bouncing back! Recorded during the 2020 COVID 19 isolation. Available on Bandcamp at https://benrogersinstrumentalasylum.bandcamp.com/
Guitar surf/rock instrumental. Bass player Nikki gets behind the kit on the mambo-meets-wipeout tune. Percussion tracks by Denis are the icing on the cake. Recorded during the 2020 COVID 19 isolation. Available on Bandcamp at https://benrogersinstrumentalasylum.bandcamp.com/
Videos published by Vintage Guitar Magazine (US)
"Ben Rogers used his Reverend Descent baritone and Fender Custom Shop reissue Strat (running through a Mesa Boogie Series 3 and Fender Vibrolux) to play “Heroes” and “Incident at Docklands,” backed by his band, Instrumental Asylum." VG
"Ben Rogers shows a few of his favorite instruments including a ’67 Maton Sapphire bass, then plugs his ’63 Guild S-200 into a Swart Atomic Space Tone and uses its line out to run signal to a Roland RE201 Space Echo then into his ’61 Fender Vibrolux. With bassist Nikki Scarlett and drummer Denis Close, he plays "Dingo Scat" before grabbing his ’64 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 to play “Alamania," both from their album, "In Search of Lasseter’s Riff.”" VG
"Last Wave" at Pure Pop. One week before the beloved St Kilda venue closed its doors for the last time. Thanks Dave Stevens (Record Cat) for providing the opportunity for the band to perform at Pure Pop over the years, and also for providing the audio track for this clip. The tune is called "KangaRoux" (B Rogers/N Scarlett/D Close), from the album "Welcome to the Instrumental Asylum" (BL0510).
Gigs
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
Friday 4 Aug 2023
7:30 - 10:30 pm
Johnny's, 47 Blessington St, St Kilda
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
Sunday 30 July 2023
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol St, North Melbourne
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
Friday 28 July 2023
7:30 - 10:30 pm
Johnny's, 47 Blessington St, St Kilda
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
Sunday 30 April 2023
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol St, North Melbourne
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
Sunday 12 March 2023
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Voodoo Love Child Speakeasy Bar, 143 Chapel St, St Kilda
Friday 24 Feb 2023
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
7:00 - 10:00 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Friday 20 Jan 2023
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
7:00 - 10:00 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Saturday 19 Nov 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
9:00 - 11:00 pm
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Friday 7 Oct 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
7:00 - 10:00 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Friday 9 Sept 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
7:00 - 10:00 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Friday 1 July 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
7:00 - 10:00 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Friday 17 June 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
9:00 - 11:00 pm
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Saturday 20 February 2022
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
11:00 - 2:00 pm
Bourne Local Market, Elwood Park, Beach Rd, Elwood
Saturday 28 August, 2021 Still nooooo! Still curse CoVid!
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
8:30 - 11:30 pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Saturday 24 April, 2020 Still nooooo! Still curse CoVid!
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
8 - 11pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Saturday 27 March, 2020 Nooooo! Curse CoVid!
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
8 - 11pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Saturday 14 February, 2020
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
8 - 11pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Saturday 26 October, 2019
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
8 - 11pm
Inkerman Hotel, 375 Inkerman St, St Kilda East
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Jasmine Mahon
Friday 20 September, 2019
9 - 11pm
Post Hotel, 304 - 306 St Kilda Road, St Kilda
Sunday 23 August, 2019
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum, with special guest Cora Browne
9 - 11pm
Post Hotel, 304-306 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda
Sunday 5 May, 2019
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
6pm
Lyrebird Lounge, 61 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea, Victoria, Australia
Saturday 5 January, 2019
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
8pm
with The Gamma Rays
The Vineyard, 71a Acland St, St Kilda,Victoria, Australia
Saturday 8 December, 2018
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
8:30pm
with Los Tremeleros
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Saturday 3 November, 2018
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
8pm
with The Gamma Rays
The Vineyard, 71a Acland St, St Kilda,Victoria, Australia
Saturday 22 September, 2018
Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum
8pm
with Los Tremeleros
Lyrebird Lounge, 61 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea, Victoria, Australia
Saturday 1 September, 2018
8pm
with The Tarantinos (in conjunction with the St Kilda Live 'n Local Festival)
Dogs Bar, 54 Acland St, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia 3182
Friday 31 August, 2018
9 - 11pm
with The Vibrajets
The Gem Bar, 289 Wellington Street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3066
Wednesday 30 May, 2018
7:30 - 11:30pm
with Dan Hall, Shannon Bourne, Kelly Auty and Boris Conley, Mike Rudd, Nick Charles, Geoff Achison and Jimi Hocking
The Lomond Hotel, 225 Nicholson St, Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia 3057
Sunday 25 March, 2018
7:30 - 11:30pm
with Interlocker
Bar 303, 303 High St, Northcote, Victoria, Australia 3070
Friday 23 March, 2018
9 - 11pm
with The Vibrajets
The Gem Bar, 289 Wellington Street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3066
Saturday10 February, 2018
8:30 - 11pm
with The Vibrajets
Town Hall Hotel, 33 Errol St, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3051