ABOUT THE YEARS
The Years are a six-piece rock band that have become one of Newcastle’s most popular cover bands to watch
and dance to on the pub and club circuit, around Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast.
With the band members’ musical origins mostly stemming from the ‘70s and ‘80s, The Years have successfully brought to the present all the elements crowds loved from the Newcastle rock scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s – that quality PA sound and light show, included! – and combined them with their professionalism and an unrivalled repertoire of the most popular hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s, this is a rock through-the-decades extravaganza!
The band are a sought-after draw card for local venues, with more and more new venues asking for The Years. Because of their popularity they have also landed support gigs for many national acts who visit the Hunter Region and can masterfully adapt their show for Weddings, Corporate Shows, Parties and the like.
The band has an extensive repertoire that crosses multiple genres of music, and they’re constantly adding new material to keep the crowds dancing and entertained. If you enjoy the music of Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Divinyls, Dragon, INXS, Queen, Australian Crawl, Paul Kelly, JPY, Cold Chisel, The Angels, The Church, Icehouse and AC/DC, and you also like Shania Twain, Pretenders, ABBA, Eurythmics, Crowded House, Elton John and Tina Turner, you’ll love The Years.
In the words of the great Molly Meldrum , “Do yourself a favour and catch this band live”, they never disappoint.
THE MEMBERS
Carrie
Holstein
(Vocals)
Carrie's father was a working musician and she grew up surrounded by music. Her first gig was at the age of 17 in a rock covers band called Calibre, she was then picked to audition for the very busy 70’s cover band called Ultimate Freakout (UFO). In 1996 Carrie joined the heavy rock/grunge band called Zipper, they toured up and down the coast where they played some large outdoor venues. In 2005 Carrie worked with a trio/band called The Big Bang they played at many corporate events, weddings, and conferences. Carrie has a strong powerful voice and can adapt to any style of music.
Tony began playing the Newcastle club and pub circuit in the early ‘70s. He has played in different bands and dabbled in different genres - even played the violin.
But up front alongside Carrie is where you’ll find him on stage with The Years and there‘s nowhere else he’d rather be. Tony is one of the founding members of Newcastle’s iconic rock band from the ‘80s, Baron.
Tony
Rossi
(Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
Rick
Di Mecola
(Lead Guitar/Vocals)
Since High School, Rick was never far from his guitar, playing in various bands in Newcastle, even adding Baron’s original lead guitarist to the list. After a brief hiatus from the stage, Rick continues to prove he knows his way around a guitar and, boy, can he sing.
Another Baron founding member, Leo started playing guitar in his younger years before quickly making the switch to bass in the late ‘70s – he has never looked back. Leo is part of The Years’ tight rhythm section alongside Lelio, who together on bass and drums boast a long-playing history together. Not only is Leo the bass guitarist and back-up vocalist, he also manages to bring the laughs.
Leo
Della-Grotta
(Bass/Vocals)
Lelio
Rossi
(Drums)
Lelio hasn’t been far from a drum kit since he was 12. Known as the driving force behind the band, he is one of the most energetic, hard-hitting drummers you’re likely to find. His energy and passion for powerful drum solos is infectious. Lelio is also a founding member of Baron.
Ben is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who has played piano since the age of six and guitar from the age of 10. His musical talents in high school saw him tour Australia, England and Paris, and in his post-school years he played with several bands within the Newcastle area.
Ben Pettett
(Keyboards, Vocals)