It was the last A Day On The Green of the season. On the bill were Aussie acts, Thirsty Merc, Richard Clapton and James Reyne with American headliner, Chris Isaak. We sent our very own Dan Beazley and Craig Wilson from Swamp House Photography along to capture all the action.
There’s a lot I didn’t like about my first A Day On The Green Experience. There was too long between sets (30 Minutes), the PA wasn’t loud enough, and the only beer on sale was XXXX and Harn Light. But I soon realised that these things were what most of the people around me were enjoying about the festival.
Having 30 minutes between acts made it easy to get to the bar and pick up a snack. Unlike me, a lot of people don’t want to feel the kick drum in their guts, and the PA’s volume level allowed them to chat with their friends if they wanted to. As for the beer, while I think it would have been nice to have a local mid strength on offer, (Murray’s Punch & Judy Ale comes to mind), it was nice to be at a festival without hoards of drunk blokes working on their VB can snake.
Thirsty Merc
For me, I’ve always seen Thirsty Merc as a bit of a boy band that write their own songs. But you know what? Boy bands are fun, everyone knows the words, and singing along to boy band songs is a fun way to get pumped up with your mates for a big night. So in that respect, Thirsty Merc were the perfect band to open the show.
Richard Clapton
Yes, Richard Clapton walked on stage looking like he was just ducking down the road to get some milk, but it’s Richard “freaking” Clapton! This guy is AusMusic royalty! Performing a mix of hits, like Deep Water and Capricorn Dancer with a small selection of cuts from his new release THE HOUSE OF ORANGE Richard Clapton’s set proved why his songs have become part of the Australian psyche. I have to admit to being a massive fan here, and was stoked to hear an extended version of the 1982 classic I Am An Island, even if it was at the expense of hearing The Best Years Of Our Lives.
James Reyne
Mr Reyne proved again why he’s one of Australia’s most loved performers. Every song was a selection from the sound track of Australia. In the crowd there was lots of first pumping, arms raised, bottoms grooving and sining at the top of lungs. With the sun setting to the left of stage, the massive rig of lights started to work their magic and you could feel an air of anticipation of what was to come.
Chris Isaak
The main event, the man we’d all come to see! In a powder blue bedazzled suit, the American musician and occasional actor owned the stage with a mix of Isaak Hits and covers including a sing-a-long inducing version of Elvis’ 1961 pop ballad, Can’t Help Falling in Love. For me it was the space between the songs where Chris Isaak really shone. Joking with the crowd about how he looked like a figure skater, insinuating that a lady in the crowd had “touched him like he hadn’t been touched” since leaving school, and the much loved banter between him and long time drummer Kenney Dale Johnson. Chris Isaak is a true entertainer and the perfect headliner for the last A Day On The Green for this season.
WORDS: Dan Beazley
PHOTOS: Craig Wilson (Swamp House Photography)
Find out more about A Day On The Green by visiting their website.
