Man Behind the Scenes : John D'Alessandro
I guess because I’ve known Maria D'Alessandro, the owner of the Evelyn, matriarch of Brunswick Street, and the sitter of my portrait in 2011, for around 40 years, I also know her son John. He runs the Evelyn, and has from his early years, and he also runs the Workers Club a few blocks down the road, the place that used to be the Rob Roy. The Evelyn is one of Australia’s longest-running seven nights a week original live music venue, and has been for around 35 years, give or take a couple after lockdown screwed things up a bit for everyone. John is a great friend, and really modest guy, considering how much he’s championed Melbourne’s live music scene for three decades — some people who’ve had regular gigs because of John’s support are Jack Jones, Eddie Perfect, Dan Sultan, Jet, Ezekiel Ox and his band Mammal, Nai Palm, Hiatus Kaiyote, 30/70 and countless dozens more, not to mention the dozens in the coming years. I’m pretty sure Tash Sultana did a gig or two at the Evelyn too, around the same time as she was busking on Bourke Street. It was a really satisfying experience painting John’s portrait, helping to acknowledge the pivotal cog that makes gigs happen, the “Man Behind the Scenes”.