About Hawker Heights

2024-26: Hawker Heights is a Melbourne-based band that has brought vintage late 60s-early 70s (and beyond) R&B grooves by the likes of Dr John, Earl King, Lee Dorsey, The Meters and Jon Cleary to venues around the inner north.

AND IN 2026: a debut original album of NOLA-inspired grooves due around April! Subscribe here for updates and release dates.

The main HH unit:

• Neil Boland – vocals, guitar

• Anthony Stanislavski – drums

• Joel Smithard – Hammond/keys

• Craig Strain – bass

2017-24: Hawker Heights was a blues outfit playing classic and modern tunes by the likes of Robben Ford, Keb Mo and the like, before the big funk-pivot of the post-lockdown era.

Bandleader Neil Boland now plays this material as a solo artist/himself in a parallel musical universe. Follow Neil’s Instagram to keep up with the blues side, as well as any other random genre that he’ll pick up for gigs.