On the final night of the Melbourne Festival, Songs From The Hard Road And Beyond was presented at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Continuing a tradition of themed, all-star concerts started a few years ago during the Melbourne Festival with the Seven Songs To Leave Behind concert, these events have a running thematic concept that runs through the choices of songs presented. Tonight’s theme was about proteset songs.
With a wonderful narration and introductions throughout the evening by actress and singer Rachel Maza, Songs From The Hard Road And Beyond shone a spotlight on songs born out of anger and frustration throughout history. The evening featured a rotating, all star cast, with the likes of UK soul singer Joss Stone, American songstress Ricki Lee Jones, Archie Roach, Paul Dempesy from Something For Kate, Goanna’s Shane Howard and US soul legend Mavis Staples.
The night kicked off with a wonderful tribute to activist/poet Gil Scott-Heron, with “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” blasting through the speakers, accompanied by striking and appropriate footage on the two screens on stage. What was heartening this evening was to see familes attending this event; songs being passed from generation to generation.
Tonight featured a wonderfully currated and selected choice of songs that highlighted in a very strong fashion the power of words and song. Although songs like Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”, performed by Paul Dempsey and Shane Howard and opening the show, was born from anger, it was a great example of release and cartharsis through song, and how a non-violent action can have a lasting effect. Considering the events of the past few days in Melbourne, this concert couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time.
The visual component of the evening was well chosen and, at times, quite cutting and accurate, such as when Paul Dempsey ripped through a storming version of Green Day’s “American Idiot”, highlighted by quotes on screen of George W. Bush murdering the English language.
The songs selected addressed both anger on a world social/political level and a deeply personal one. Some of the musical high points this evening included Joss Stone’s sprightly, energetic reading of Helen Reddy’s femminist anthem, “I Am Woman”, and “I Was Only Nineteen”, as performed by Redgum singer John Shumann, a song that has lost none of its power and passion over the years in its first person depiction of a young man going to war. As relevent now as it ever was.
One of the absolute highlights of the evening for this scribe was Emma Donnovan’s stunning and extraordinary reading of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”, one of the first well known anti-racism songs ever written. The accompanying footage on screens of lynchings and hangings of black people in America has never seemed more shocking or confronting as it did this evening when conbined with this extraordinary song. Superlative performance from Donnovan vocally on this track.
Ricki Lee Jones and The Black Arm Band’s Lou Bennet performed a beautiful reading of the Laura Nylo track “Christmas In My Soul”. Unfortunately, the performance was marred slightly by fireworks off in the distance. However, it illustrated the power of song perfectly; when a great song takes hold of a listener, the words and music inspire to the point where all else ceases to exist. Wonderful to hear this track this evening.
Archie Roach stunned and moved the crowd with his Stolen Generation lament, “They Took The Childen Away”, one of the most raw and moving songs ever written, with its simplicity and brutal honesty. The crowd was so respectful, quiet and attentive during this beautiful moment.
The real find of this evening was singer Emmanuel Jal. A Sudaneese refugee now living in Australia, he was a child gun runner saved and brought to Australia to start a new life. He performed the track “War Child” this evening to a heartfelt response and applause from the audience. He is very talented and definitely someone to watch in the future.
Mavis Staples was an absolute joy to see and hear. A soul singer of the old school, this evening she showed the assembled crowd that she has still got it in absolute abundance, ripping into Woody Guthie’s “This Land Is Your Land”, back by the cracking and incredibly versatile house band this evening. Joss Stone accompanied her on this track. As good a singer as Joss Stone is, at times she came off sounding a little bit like a church mouse when matched up with the vocal powerhouse that is Mavis Staples.
The first half of the evening closed with Ricki Lee Jones performing a haunting reading of the Tom Waits take on our own “Waltzing Matilda”. Jones has this beautiful, torch-like quality to her voice, fragile and tough at the same time. Again, another voice it is an absolute joy to hear in a live setting.
If the first half of this evening concentrated on songs born from anger, the second half of the evening concentrated on songs about the power of love and its ability to heal and redeem. The second half of the evening kicked off with Joss Stone really letting rip and doing a powerhouse version of “Feelin’ Good”, made famous by the likes of both Nina Simone and, more recently, Muse.
Other highligts of the second half included Archie Roach performing a stripped back version of the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds track “Into My Arms”, a version as good if not better than the original. Paul Dempsey and Joss Stone did a wonderful duet of the Hunters & Collectors classic, “Throw Your Arms Around Me”, which brought a wonderfully femmenine quality to what was always a very masculine song.
It was wonderful this evening to see the rich history and tradition of Australian songs about protest and change honoured and performed. Also pleasing was the way in which local issues and themes, such as being Aboriginal in this country, had a spotlight shone on them, but never in a preachy, didactic way.
The finale of the evening illustrated perfectly the way that a song can be adapted due to one thing or another and become an anthem. Everyone involved with performing this evening did a rocking version of AC/DC’s “It’s A Long Way To The Top”, which has a deep connection to Melbourne, being used as part of the Save Live Australian Music rally a few years ago, a rally attended by twenty thousand people. A wonderful illustration of the power of song to unite and band people together.
The night ended on a joyous and life affirming note, with Joss Stone performing the Curtis Mayfield classic, “People Get Ready”.
A powerful and highly entertaining night that reminded the many people attending about the power of song and word and the way that they can transform,heal and, at times, help keep you sane. A lesson that one can never be reminded of too many times.
-Neil Evans
