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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

Saturday Nights At Johnny's 2024

Various dates

8:00 - 10:30 pm

Johnny's, 47 Blessington St, St Kilda

Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum

Sunday 20th October, 2024

4:00 - 7:00 pm

The Limerick Arms, 364 Clarendon St, Sth Melbourne

Ben Rogers' Instrumental Asylum

Saturday 30 Mar, 27 Apr, 25 May, 29 June, 20 July, 17 Aug, 31Aug 2024

8:00 - 10:30 pm

Johnny's, 47 Blessington St, St Kilda

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

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