After attending Ska Nation Music Festival at Melbourne’s Esplanade Hotel in 2012, Helen Blackley and Lisa Murray, who first met as teenage Rude girls in the 1980’s became inspired to put on a similar summer show in Sydney.

The first show was an Australia Day weekend SkaBQ in January 2013 at the iconic Town & Country Hotel in St. Peters in Sydney.

Lisa’s sister, Shayne Murray designed the flyers, banner and merch for the sellout show which featured Brisbane’s Kingston Stompers with local bands The OzSkas, Cap A Capo with DJs in support, playing to a full house.

 

2015 saw Helen and Lisa Join forces with fellow 80’s Rudie, Andrew Downey, to organise another SkaBQ that took place at Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney with the dream line-up of Strange Tenants, Allniters, Club Ska, The OzSkas, The Hangovers and Ska’d 4 Life. This was a huge undertaking (“like herding kittens”) and a major learning curve for the team, which included hiring a stage-extender to accommodate the large number of musicians typical to ska bands.

 

After the success of the 2015 SkaBQ, Lisa and Helen attempted to come up with a suitable name for their business. Lisa came up with (and immediately regretted) “Rude As”. It was too late, however - Helen loved it and insisted on the name: “Rude As Entertainment”! The business name was then registered.

 

Another SkaBQ in 2016 showcased Melbourne’s Bluebeat Allstars, No Nonsense and Loonee Tunes along with Brisbane’s Funaddicts.

 

In 2018, Rude As Entertainment worked with The OzSkas and promoted two successful 2Tone tribute shows packing out the Annandale Hotel in Sydney.

 

The biggest event to date for Rude As Entertainment has been the 2020 SkaBQ. 2020 saw Rude As Entertainment bring out to Australia for the first time, 2-Tone legend Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers and The Special AKA for an East Coast Tour that took in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Backing for Rhoda was provided by Sydney’s Ozskas.

 

With all the SkaBQ’s that have been organised, charities have been at the heart of Rude As Entertainment with much-needed funds being raised for WIRES (a native wildlife rescue organisation very close to Lisa’s heart) in 2015 and 2020, and in 2016, Cancer Research was the charity of choice, in memoriam of Helen’s dear friend Renae Goldsmith who’d passed away the previous year.

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By April of 2020, Covid had ruled out any further shows.

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It wasn't until October 2022 that Rude As Entertainment would promote The OzSkas performed the Selecter’s Too Much Pressure album at Leichhardt Bowling Club, preceded by a set of originals and other covers.

 

Since the end 2022, and due to other commitments things have been quiet on the Rude As Entertainment front, but the team is (probably) planning something soon – watch this space!