With the rain well and truly setting in this week, it’s hard to believe that just a few days ago I was kicking back at James Taylor’s Bimbadgen Estate show. The last time I attended a Day on the Green show we were evacuated, so I felt blessed that Saturday’s conditions were perfect. The cool but not cold weather was such a welcome change from the 40-degree day I experienced last time. Maybe we need more Day on the Green seasons stretching into autumn. At any rate, I couldn’t have asked for better weather for an outdoor show.
I had just enough time to grab a couple of bottles of bubbles before settling in for Ella Hooper’s set. The frontwoman of an early naughties rock act might seem a little out of place on this bill, but like so many of us Ella’s mellowed over the years. The folky tracks from her latest album Small Town Temple were the perfect soundtrack for a cruisy Saturday afternoon. The stories she shared encouraged us to tap into the lyrics. After a friend told me Killing Heidi tracks didn’t make the cut at her recent Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach, I was pretty excited to hear a stripped-back take on “Weir.” Believe it or not, adding a fiddle works!
It’s also a pleasure watching Josh Pyke perform. He’s been a force in the Australian music scene for so long that every song feels familiar, at least for me. My mum leaned over and told me she thought he was very good … it was then that I realised that while I know Josh’s music well, this was her introduction. In fact, looking around I’d wager that many of the James Taylor lovers in the audience were hearing Josh for the first time. His gentle folk and poetic lyrics aren’t a world away from the music James makes though, so like Mum I’m sure plenty left impressed. Even if he didn’t end getting as many new Instagram followers as he aimed for. My Mum, bless her, was keen to help Josh beat Phil Jamieson’s tally, but alas she discovered she doesn’t have Instagram. Perhaps sensing that his music was new to so many in the audience, Josh also treated us to a few choice covers. His take on “New Slang” was spectacular, even if it wasn’t quite as crowd-pleasing as his version of “Blackbird.”
James Taylor is a music legend, but he doesn’t make a lot of fuss about it. Most bands take the stage first, encouraging the crowd to get hyped up before the artist graces us with their presence. Not James. He just strolls out, waves shyly to the crowd, and gets on with it. And get on with it he did, serving up a beautiful version of my favourite James Taylor song “Something in the Way She Moves” straight out of the gate. Where do you go from there? Of course, there are plenty more incredible songs where that came from.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that James’ voice is showing signs of age. It’s a little shaky, without the ease heard on previous tours. The stripped-back acoustic songs that made James a household name leave nowhere to hide. But I’ll take a performance with heart over one with perfect vocals any day. I’ve seen shows where I felt like older performers were phoning it in, clearly tired of the material they’d performed for decades. Not James. He seemed so connected, so present, so happy to bring us this music. He praised the beautiful venue, gushed about the moon, and let us know he was so happy to play for us all. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen a veteran performer so in the moment.
He wasn’t alone though. The marketing promised an all-star band and boy did it deliver. Backing vocalists who’ve sung with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Billy Joel, k.d lang, Warren Zevon. A drummer who’s played with Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Chick Corea, and Eric Clapton. A guitarist who also played with Steely Dan, along with Bread, David Crosby, and Graham Nash. Reading the resumes of these top-tier session musicians is mindblowing.
The set was incredible. When artists have such a rich back catalogue, you usually leave wishing they’d played something or other, but there was nothing I was left wanting for. I loved seeing my Dad’s face light up as he sang along to songs we didn’t expect like “Yellow and Rose” and “Steamroller Blues.” In fact, James’ catalogue is so vast that he faked us out a few times. He introduced a song about his home in Carolina, and upon hearing our applause he told us it wasn’t the one we were thinking about. Oh not “Carolina on Mind”, or at least not yet … “Copperline.” And the song his dear friend Carole wrote … well that wasn’t “You’ve Got a Friend,” or again not yet, but “Up On the Roof.
James’ music has been the soundtrack to many road trips, board game nights, and lazy days at home for my family. Just as I’m conscious of James’ advancing years, I know my parents aren’t getting any younger. I relished the opportunity to see James performing these songs for us all, one last time. I linked arms with my mum as we sang “Shower the People” at top note. She put her hand reassuringly on my knee as I wiped away tears during “You’ve Got a Friend.” You rarely know when you’ll see a performer for the last time, and thinking about that brought me undone. Thankfully James was there to pick me right back up and encourage me to get on my feet with “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).” He might be getting older, but James has still got some moves! It seemed like a fitting finale, but none of us were quite ready for that, so he asked whether he could play one more. Of course. The most exquisite version of “You Can Close Your Eyes.”
It’s bittersweet watching a performer, knowing it’ll be the last time. He could have called it a day without taking this final lap of the country, but I’m so thrilled he gave us a chance to say goodbye. I did my best to take in every moment, to soak it all in knowing I won’t be able to share his live music with the special people who introduced it to me again. Thank you James, for returning to our shores one last time and leaving us all with such special memories.
Photo credit: Stephen Katulka
