Fresh from my Glen Hansard show, I found myself concert bound again and on the road to the Hunter Valley. It seemed impossible to believe that we were heading out to celebrate the 100th Day on the Green show. It didn’t seem like that long ago that I was sitting with my parents at Bimbadgen Estate during the first run of the winery festival shows. Day on the Green has grown since those humble beginnings. It regularly attracts top notch international acts. But for the anniversary celebrations organisers went back to their roots and assembled one of the best line-ups of Aussie talent I’ve seen in some time.
What a shame that my parents were predictably running late. I found myself looking at my watch repeatedly, calculating just how much of Boom Crash Opera I’d get to see. The answer was, just one and a half songs as I was finding my seat. I was lucky to see that really; my dad let me out of the car early, despite the protests of security, and I ran up to the gates while he was parking. They sounded superb playing two of the big hits – “The Best Thing” and “Onion Skin – and I am kicking myself that I didn’t get to see more. They’ve lost nothing over the years, except for Dale Ryder’s hair.
Thankfully there was plenty more talent on the bill. While my formative years were spent perving on Mr Ryder, my mum’s were spent drooling over Daryl Braithwaite. She was transformed back into a 16-year-old as he took the stage and delivered hit after hit. Dazza’s another of those blokes who seems to lose nothing over the years. He hits those high notes with ease and always puts on such an amazing show. Singing out “The Horses” and “Higher than Hope” with the crowd was magic.
Next up was one of our favourites, Mr Richard Clapton. Oh how we love Richard. Having said that though, after such an incredible set from Daryl, Richard’s seemed to lack a little sparkle. I knew the majority of the songs from seeing him countless times in the past, but they seemed to leave a lot of people scratching their heads. “Girls on the Avenue” went down a treat though. Even when he’s not incredible, Richard’s still bloody good.
Incredible was what we got with another my of mum’s crushes, Ian Moss. The consummate professional, adored by the masses, he delivered a stellar set packed with the hits and a few surprised. As someone who remembers buying Matchbook on cassette (my first album bought with my own money if I’m ever on RocKWiz!), I was thrilled to hear him perform “Mr Rain.” The only thing better than Mossy solo is Mossy with Jimmy. We got a little Cold Chisel reunion during “When the War is Over” which was something I’ll never forget.
Next up were The Angels, the band with the biggest question mark for me. I was well aware of the split, and had wondered just how this incarnation would feel without Doc Neeson up front. I shouldn’t have worried. Rather than feeling like a pale imitation of the original, this Dave Gleeson-fronted outfit has a new lease on life. I might be a bit biased here. I’m Newcastle-bred, and many of the first pub gigs I ever attended were Screaming Jets shows. But he is the perfect frontman for this band he clearly loves so much. He brought real energy to the hits and won over the crowd from the get go. I’ve got to tell you though, the only thing weirder than seeing your parents chanting “that bit” in “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?” is watching your American husband’s reaction to it all. The poor boy was caught completely unawares. I love that despite eight years here, every now and again Aussie culture can throw him a curveball.
Jimmy Barnes teased us with his appearance during Mossy’s set. We were so ready for him, and he delivered. Jimmy was actually the first musician I ever saw live, way back in the Soul Deeper days, and I’ve been a massive fan ever since. It was a wonderful set which spanned his entire career. He rocked hard and we loved it. I found myself on my feet more often than not, and I screamed myself hoarse. God knows how he keeps up those vocals. Mossy came back to play a few Chisel numbers and it was every bit as special as that first appearance. This time I put my camera down and just soaked it in though. Wow. Being amongst that crowd singing out “Working Class Man” and “Khe Sahn” was out of this world.
All that amazing Australian music in one day is something I’ll never forget. This is the sort of show we’ll still be talking about years later.
Image source: Stephen Katulka
There was a similar hush once Glen emerged with just his beat-up acoustic guitar. He stood on the very edge of the stage, as close as he could to his adoring crowd, as he sang “Say it To Me Now.” It was such a fitting choice, a song with a history that goes back to his time in The Frames, despite it reaching the masses in his breakthrough musical Once. His set drew heavily from these two chapters of his life, while also featuring some of his solo numbers.
He wasn’t announced on any of the posters, but the evening actually kicked off with an unassuming singer-songwriter by the name of Joe Moore. Some Googling tell me this Brit-turned-Aussie actually made it to the Australia’s Got Talent finals a few years back, but these days he spends most of his time busking in Pitt Street Mall. Tempus Two provided a much bigger stage than the Sydney shopping strip, and probably more than a guy with an acoustic guitar needs. However, somehow he held those of who showed up early transfixed. So many people around me were buzzing about his talent, wondering why they’d never heard of him before. Personally I preferred to sit silently, taking in the romantic, poetic words he sang in stunning voice which had just the right amount of edge. He reminded me a lot of Howie Day, one of my favourite American singer-songwriters, quiet but assured and capable of really soaring when the songs call for it. He performed two short sets as the seats filled up, and while he wasn’t the reason I came to this gig, I was definitely sorry to see him leave the stage. I’ll be keeping an eye out for his gigs in future.
I adored Joe, but the show definitely kicked up a few notches when John Farnham took to the stage. He’s the consummate professional who just seems to get better with age. His voice continues to be one of the best in the business, and even in his advanced years there’s such energy about the way he performs. The band contains so many familiar faces who I remember seeing as a kid on Hey Hey It’s Saturday. By surrounding himself with these people so familiar with the songs, John ensures his show is one of the tightest around. And those songs, my goodness. I’ve never considered myself a big John Farnham fan. I own a greatest hits album, but that’s about it. Yet his music just seems to seep into the consciousness of every Australian. I found myself singing along to each and every tune. Belting out “You’re The Voice” with the Hunter Valley crowd in full voice was one of the most powerful concert experiences of my life. There’s just something about that song that makes you so proud to be an Aussie.
Since I don’t consider myself a massive John Farnham fan, I guess I’ve outed myself as a Lionel Richie devotee. Yet funnily enough, when he stepped on the stage I was feeling a little deflated. He started with “Just For You,” an upbeat number delivered with plenty of gusto that didn’t really match how any of us felt about the 2004 release. Let’s face it, the noughties were hardly Lionel’s best years. Thankfully he slipped back into the classics quickly with “Easy.” Sitting down at the piano Lionel seemed to have a lot more control over his vocals, however they were hardly on a par with Farnsy’s. I’m not sure Lionel was ever the best vocalist, but hearing him perform so soon after John made him seem a little subpar.
That voice that was so powerful on television gave me goosebumps in an intimate venue like Lizotte’s. The bio on the menu claimed that Mitchell is one of the best white soul singers, but I don’t think we need that qualifier. Few voices anywhere drip soul as much as his.
The result was honestly mixed. If it was simply Tony and the Sydney Symphonia musicians, I think the sound might have been more coherent. However, with those trademark electric guitars and keys still present, sometimes the sound got confused. Sometimes it seemed like the musicians were competing against one another, but in other places the marriage was perfect. It was certainly an interesting experiment, but not one that always worked.
What a shame we had to suffer through Hats Bennett before we did. I rarely make comments so harsh, but there really wasn’t a lot to like about Hats. His hat was cool, and he was a really solid guitarist. It’s just a shame that he didn’t stop there. His songwriting was really underdeveloped (a song about introducing a new cat to another? Really?) and his voice had serious limitations. I don’t need a perfect voice, but if yours isn’t strong you probably shouldn’t aim for a falsetto. It seems I wasn’t the only one, as the crowd’s reactions ranged from bored to bemused.
All was forgiven once Richard stepped on stage though. What a talent he is. It might seem clichéd to insist that he only gets better with age, but the addition of Jak Housden to his band ensures his music is certainly sounding better than ever. Hit after hit washed over us, punctuated by Richard’s witty banter and insights into that brilliant back catalogue. Richard doesn’t seem to mind staying with those time-honoured songs. He knows why people see him play, and he’s only too happy to oblige. He treated us to just one song from his new album Harlequin Nights, ensuring he didn’t push the patience of a crowd that clearly wanted to just sing along.
I remember being in awe of Molly as I grew up. I admired her strength as I watched her on screen railing against stereotypes and social classes. I desperately wanted to kiss Andrew McCarthy and Judd Nelson too. All those feelings I had about Molly never went away, so there was no question in my mind that I had to be there when she closed the Sydney Writers Festival with her jazz music.