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10th Annual Kelly Country Pick - Beechworth, Victoria
Well folks, here it is, my Kelly Country Pick review…….it seems there was so much going on in the final lead up to Beechworth, then in the blink of an eye it was all over for another year. Having changed jobs this year and seeing myself with a bit more of a flexible time table I tentatively put my hand up to help out a little, so I’ve got a bit more of an insider’s perspective this year.
Pete Hiso built on the solid work done by Will Manovel in the last few years who seemingly saved the pick from its demise. Getting more support from the town and raising the profile of the pick amongst the locals seemed an important part of ‘growing the festival’. Many locals in the last few years have told of being unaware of its existence even though this is its 10th year. You certainly wouldn’t have been able to miss the bright yellow ‘Kelly Country Pick’ t-shirts worn by the entire bar staff at sponsoring hotels all weekend.
So there is no doubt it was bigger this year, more bands and opportunities for bands to play more than once (just like at any other ‘normal’ festival); more choice for patrons to go to different gigs or stay and pick at the Priory. Friday night kicked off at the Priory with Kevin and Ken – the O’Brothers, followed by Mick Moffett and Kate McCarthy and Bluestone Junction…before many headed down to Tanswell’s for an inaugural Friday night gig in town – with 4 more bands performing to a packed pub. Late night revelling then went on back at the Priory with many picking until the wee hours.
Sat morning and the place was a buzz with workshops and the lunchtime open stage at the Priory before another new concert in the afternoon at Bridge Rd Brewery. An intimate venue as it turns out but a lot of atmosphere with the bands playing among the big brewing vats inside and lovely sheltered tables and chairs outside to catch the winter sun. Of course it was standing room only for the boys of the Davidson Bros band and for much of the afternoon. An afternoon highlight was the performance by those lovable rascals of the Bluegrass Souls with cheeky Tex on percussion and sound effects – a performance sure to always make you smile, laugh and sing.
I thought it was good to have time to relax in the late afternoon and eat dinner before the evening concerts this year. It has been difficult in years gone by with performances taking place while dinner was being served. Two stages meant people could move between the 2 venues if they liked. It seems there were generally great performances from all the bands – Southland from SA seem to have made a particularly strong impression on lots of people and the Senile Delinquents were positively glowing. Bluestone Junction was in fine form of course with all the boys from Canberra back together again. I wasn’t there but I heard that Pete Cooper and Andy Toombs were whooping it up with the locals in the front bar at Tanswells while they waited for their midnight spot. It sounded like the joint was jumping from front to back with the little middle room full of jammers too! And Maurie Bull, it seems had a little too much fun!
I was at the Hibernian, being treated to the fabulous sound reinforcement skills of Bruce Packard who had the venue so well attuned. He is a maestro on stage and off. Gerry Hale’s return to the Bluegrass stage was a treat for many with his amazing mandolin playing holding together the little trio from the Guitar Gallery. Needless to say Gerry’s mandolin workshop the next day was very well attended!!
I was also very fortunate to have Gerry fill in on the fiddle for the Stringbeans over the weekend (with the absence of Leo) and it was heaps of fun to have him on board. I love the way he can just fly by the seat of his pants with no rehearsal, just keen ears and enthusiasm.
Sunday morning’s sing in the garden got off to a slow start but then went ahead in leaps and bounds with the able guidance of Southland’s lovely harmonies; and tunes from Greg Field and Julie Barnes.
I could go on and on…… the Dear family played live Cajun music for the Cajun dance workshop – what an absolute treat, I’m sure Margot and Julie must have been in heaven. Brian Fitzgerald, Melbourne gourmet finger picker extraordinaire and ex-Sunshine Harvester guitarist treated people in every kind of session possible to his divine guitar playing – even on the street outside the Bakery on Monday morning. Mike Kear made it down at the last minute and led his ‘Safety in Numbers’ Band workshops again which are becoming legendary.
I think one of the most generous people of the whole weekend and someone who needs so much recognition and thanks has to be Ian Alexander – the frailing banjo guru from Shepparton. Ian donated his incredible new Bose PA for use over the weekend, but we used it in both Tanswell’s and the Brewery. Lots of people came to the fore and helped with the 4 different set-ups and pack downs over the weekend. As well as perform in Appalachian Heaven and run a frailing workshop, Ian also operated the PA and saw to the needs of every different band. A phenomenal job for which I can’t even begin to know how to thank him. If you see him, be sure to give him a big pat on the back for being such an enormous contributor to the success of the festival.
I suppose one of the most special moments for me came on the Sunday evening – at the Kelly Corpse Club. I hadn’t stayed before on a Sunday night so I didn’t really know how the evening would pan out. After the lovely open stage session at the Brewery in the afternoon, it seemed most people stayed around at Tanswell’s to have dinner and see what the final session would bring. There was a little jamming going on and a generally relaxed atmosphere as people had dinner and stood around the fire and wound down from the weekend. I was sitting at a table talking after dinner, when all of a sudden, two gorgeous little girls (maybe around 4 and 8 years old) appeared at my side. They asked me when I was going to sing again and the little one looked up at me with her big brown eyes and put her head on my shoulder. Talk about melt your heart instantly!!
When the time came a little while later, the room was already starting to fire up, with a few small sessions going simultaneously and it was getting hard to hear. I pulled up my chair real close to the girls and suggested I could teach them ‘Keep on the Sunnyside’. I was met with the reply, ‘Oh, we already know that one’…So began the most amazing session….. the girls started singing and when the people in the room realized what was happening, everyone moved in and made one great big inclusive circle and joined in. J.J Cuthbert came and sat at the girl’s table and had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. There were players of every ability in that circle and less experienced people taking breaks and taking the lead. There was a wonderful sense of sharing a common joy, our love for music and the ever important sense of belonging to a community – or at least that is what I was feeling. Everyone was trying to come up with songs to suit the children, who by the way, told me they knew all the songs from ‘Oh Sister’ – so they had a pretty good bluegrass grounding. It ends up they were in Beechworth from Adelaide by chance that weekend. I can’t remember their names but I don’t think they will forget that evening for a long time. I certainly won’t.
I’m looking forward to the next one already. But maybe I’ll see you at Guildford or Harrietville in the meantime…….Take care, happy picking.
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