The Bushwackers and others at the Gympie Muster

There was big music festival up these ways that I had
never been to before this weekend. Its been going since
1982 and here's a description from the history of
country music website.

It's been described as the quintessential Aussie event and
with the towering gums and leisurely lagoons of beautiful
Amamoor Creek State Forest Park near Gympie in Queensland
it's the perfect setting for more than 25,000 people who
flock to the National Country Music Muster each year in the
last week of August. The Muster attracts fans from all
corners of the nation to see the stars and legends
(and would be stars!), of Australian country music on the
main Muster stage. And there's 13 other on-site venues too,
including folk, alt-country, bush poetry, country dance,
Talent Search, workshops, international film festival,
art auctions, not to mention a full-on Blues program.

All new to me but I'm learning, I have to say there was
quite a lot of folk and roots type stuff to make me more
than happy. Not a big fan of your regular American
commercial country music, I do like Alt country very
much.


Ted Egan is an old favorite, I've seen him many times
at Woodford and even in Alice on the 25 anniversary of
the Wave Hill strike. He is one of Australia's greatest
story tellers and sings his songs accompanied only by
his Foster phone, an empty beer carton.


This band the borders are the sort of non- country
thing you can see, some sort of very energetic Celtic
type band they had the crowd up and dancing.



Graeme Conners is a gifted songwriter from north Queensland
who put on a great show, showcasing songs that had influenced
him and the songs he wrote in response.
He performed a wide ranging number of songs, from trad bush
songs, Neil Murray, Slim Dusty and even Rolf Harris.




But it was the legendary Bushwackers I was waiting for,
I once saw them at Woodford and they were a sight to
behold. Tonight they didn't disappoint!
I've followed this band since I was like 16 or something,
as politically explosive as Redgum but far more musical,
entertaining and bloody good fun, that's how I would
describe them.



Dobe Newton hit the stage in a brilliant blue suit and
attacked the stage with his Lager Phone like Nick Caves
Grand Dad, you would have to be dead not to be
moved by these guys. They keep you constantly enthralled,
moving between Dobe and Roger Corbett singing different
songs and their fantastic instrumentals,
leading a "heel and toe" bush dance and many funny moments
like when Dobe dedicates the 2nd song in to all the gay cowboys,
tells some clogg dancers to bugger off over there, pointing
to the dance venue and when he discovered that he'd done
the first few songs with his fly undone.
Some new songs, loads of oldies it was a great time,
I even managed to hit the dance floor with my girl.