“Australia at War”
JOHN SCHUMANN
and the VAGABOND CREW’s
Facebook Live streamed concert
Anzac Eve
8pm CST/8.30pm EST
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John Schumaan and The Vagabond Crew // Photo – Tony Vass
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“Australians of all ages and from all walks of life are familiar with John Schumann’s song, “I Was Only 19”. “John Schumann is a one-off – the artist/intellectual with the unerring popular touch and a campfire voice. He belongs to an Australian tradition of yarn spinners and song-makers. To the familiar Australian and treasured front bar ‘wisdom’ and the paddock fence stoicism, he adds a depth of feeling and an acuity of perception that go beyond the bounds of ‘folk’ and ‘popular’ and are the attributes of the true, creative artist.” – Professor Brian Matthews
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John Schumaan // Photo – Tony Vass
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John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew are to “live stream” a national concert performance of “Australia at War” from Adelaide on Anzac Eve, April 24, 2020.
“Australia at War – in words and music” – features a suite of Australian contemporary popular songs which, directly or indirectly, commemorate Australians at War. The songs are linked by a moving and evocative narrative comprising newspaper reports of the day, poems, letters from the front and sober reflections.
A simple but starkly effective concert performance of a little over an hour’s duration, ‘Australia at War’ is a dignified and respectful commemoration bringing into focus the very best of Australian songwriting.
“It’s going to be a very strange Anzac Day,” said John Schumann. “There won’t be any dawn services this year, or marches, or gatherings in pubs. Instead, we’re going to be isolated at home when, ordinarily, we would be standing together as Australians, at a dawn service or on the side of the road watching a march.
“This is the day, above all days, when we pause to reflect on what it means to be Australian. We remember the service and we respect the sacrifices. We are grateful to those who have gone before for the sort of nation that we are now. And having reflected on these things, we remind ourselves that we have an obligation to be worthy of the service and to be worthy of the sacrifices.”
The live stream will be free to watch but people will be encouraged to make a donation via a button. After meeting costs and paying the musicians a fair fee, proceeds will be donated to Legacy.
Originally coming to prominence as leader of the legendary folk-rock band Redgum and his Vietnam veterans’ anthem I Was Only 19, John Schumann continues to occupy an important place on the Australian cultural landscape. His work on behalf of Vietnam veterans – and indeed veterans of all conflicts – has earned him a revered place in the hearts of veterans and their families.
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In 2006, John Schumann was invited by the owners and managers of the recently refurbished Logan RSL Club in Queensland to mount a free community concert to coincide with Anzac Day. The concert was held in the park opposite the Logan RSL Club and attracted a crowd of over 7000.
ABC Queensland broadcast concert live across the state. Following up on the success of the broadcast, John was approached by ABC Music to record the songs which comprised the concert. In 2008, John Schumann and his band the Vagabond Crew released “Behind the Lines” – a collection of Australian contemporary songs which address, directly and/or indirectly, Australia at war.
With John Schumann’s songs “I was only 19” and “Safe behind the Wire” forming the album’s nucleus, John and the Vagabond Crew rearranged and reinterpreted a range of very famous and very successful Australian contemporary popular songs about war.
“Behind the Lines” is, in many ways, a ‘concept’ album and has become one of John Schumann’s most successful releases.
The songs include but are not limited to:
· I Was Only 19
· The Band Play Waltzing Matilda
· Scots of the Riverina
· Waltzing Matilda/Tom Traubert’s Blues
· When the War Is Over
· Safe behind the Wire
· Khe Sahn (the Long Tan version)
· To an Old Mate
· Glass on the Bar
· On Every Anzac Day
· Anzac Biscuits
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To take part head HERE
To donate there will be a link
on the screen during the show
Buy / Stream / Download “Behind The Lines” here
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AMNPLIFY – DB
My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
