| After a triumphant tour of Melbourne and another nice little slice of 'ink' hitting the wires here, the new Buried Country was given a Sydney launch over the Anzac Day non-long weekend of Sun/Mon April 26/27, with a couple of top events in the inner west: |
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| 1) FREE SCREENING of the documentary film + book signing at the enigmatic People's Republic in Camperdown, on the Sunday, which was chuffed to play host to such illustrious guests as John Pilger, Andy Nehl, Katharine Brisbane, Anthony O'Grady and Lindy Morrison. 2) CELEBRATION PARTY at the best bar in Sydney, the Midnight Special in Enmore, on the Monday, and though ROGER KNOX was unable to appear as advertised due to a medical emergency, the night was still a top one thanks to the efforts-beyond-the-call-of-duty of what I'm calling the Buried Country All-Stars: VIC SIMMS, LEAH FLANAGAN, TOBY MARTIN, JASON WALKER and LUKE PEACOCK. I was overwhelmed by the way everyone rallied around to put on a set of some of the classics from the Buried Country songbook. LEAH FLANAGAN, who will be appearing on the forthcoming rebooted edition of the Buried Country CD, and who was always going to be guesting on some harmonies anyway, sang "Brown Skin Baby" and her hometown anthem "Arafura Pearl". TOBY MARTIN and JASON WALKER drew on not only their on-going collaboration with Roger Knox but also the Rug Cutters, their sort-of Dougie Young tribute who'll have a track on the new BC CD too, with Jason singing a great version of "Koorie Rose" and Toby a tweaked "Streets of Old Fitzroy/Tamworth/Enmore." LUKE PEACOCK flew down from Brisbane, gathered up the legendary VIC SIMMS, one of the surviving stars of the original Buried Country, and they did a few songs from Luke's Painted Ladies tribute to Vic, including "Stranger in My Country" and "Get Back in the Shadows." Luke sang a great solo version of Lionel Rose's "Jackson's Track," and Vic did Harry Williams' "Blue Gums Calling Me Back Home." As if that wasn't enough, DARREN HANLON got up and sang "Brisbane Blacks," and BRENDAN GALLAGHER paid tribute to the man whose last great records he produced, JIMMY LITTLE, Buried Country cover star, with a rousing version of "Royal Telephone." Not even the roof falling in due to the rain dampened spirits! I was a blathering mess. Thanks to everyone!! |
 The One-Night-Only Buried Country All-Stars: Toby Martin, Vic Simms, Darren Hanlon (adjunct member - dunno why fellow adjunct member Brendan Gallagher missed the photo either), Jason Walker, Leah Flanagan, Luke Peacock |
