EVENT: A DAY ON THE GREEN
ARTISTS: CHRIS ISAAK / BOY AND BEAR / MARK SEYMOUR / VIKA AND LINDA / MASON WATTS
DATE: APRIL 20TH 2024
VENUE: SIRROMET WINERY, MT. COTTON, QLD
REVIEWER: HAYLEY TREADWELL
PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDREW TREADWELL PHOTOGRAPHY
It was our first ‘A Day On The Green’ in QLD for 2024, and what a way to kick it off with the amazing, platinum selling, Grammy nominated crooner Chris Isaak!
The weather in Brisbane for the final day of this tour was very up and down and it continued like that through the show.
We stayed dry with our opening act Mason Watts, although if you listen to the lyrics of this young singer-songwriter’s songs, your eyes may have moistened for a moment or 2. Such a charismatic young man on stage and delivered every song with enormous passion, I thoroughly enjoyed his set.
We continued to enjoy the overcast skies and cool breeze through Vika & Linda’s set. Geez these ladies can sing. Every time I see them I am utterly blown away by the power of their voices, individually and when they come together. Their energy always flows into the crowd and I saw lots of people up on their feet dancing along.
We got our first sprinkling of rain as Mark Seymour & The Undertow took the stage and the crowd filled with ponchos and rain jackets, but the rain didn’t dull our enthusiasm. We danced and sang along with Mark and the band and all the Aussie classics they delivered as the rain continued overhead.
The rain stopped in time for Boy & Bear, and we were all thankful for the reprieve. I have to say Boy & Bear is not a band I have known a lot about, but after their performance, I want to see more! They were outstanding. Some of the most stunning harmonies I have heard, unexpected falsettos and a vibe that just drew me in. Every member of the band has their own flair and at times I didn’t know who to watch, but I could not take my eyes off these guys. Their cover of Crowded House’s ‘Fall at Your Feet’ was one of the most beautiful covers I have heard. Their whole set was simply impressive. It’s no wonder they have made the mark on the Australian Music scene that they have, and I need to catch up!!
As the time drew near for our headline act to take the stage, we felt a few raindrops, and then a deluge of rain was upon us and as Chris Isaak took the stage we were already soaked! But who cares! We were there to see one of the greatest artists of our time and he was so appreciative that we stayed through the torrential downpour, he even came out into the crowd in the third song ‘Here I Stand’ to share the rain with us! I saw fans running through the rain from all directions to get up close to Chris in the middle of the crowd at Sirromet Wines! This was an awesome moment for fans and I think Chris alike. We really gave him a taste of QLD’s ever changing weather.
I did see some people leaving, and really it was raining so much and this being a little bit of an older demographic crowd, I certainly understood some people needing to stay dry, but for those of us who stayed and stuck out the rain, it was such a fun night and totally worth it!! I was on my feet from beginning to end, dancing along to every song. I cried during ‘Wicked Game’ and laughed at Chris’ banter and stories on stage. A cover of Roy Orbison’s ‘Pretty Woman’ was a highlight, and the suit Chris returned to the stage with for his encore was the best! And how he and the band went into ‘Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing’ is why I love experiencing live music. Those added flairs and surprises really make a great performance that extra bit special.
Chris Isaak was flawless. But I didn’t expect anything less. A long time fan of his music, seeing Chris live was a fantastic experience and I think the torrential rain really gave it something special. We stayed for the love of the music and Chris Isaak gave us back all he could for his love of us staying through it all!
To all the amazing folk at A Day On The Green, Sirromet Winery, Chris Isaak and all the bands, thank you so much for having us along! It was a great day spent on the green, even if a little wet.
Until the next gig
Hayley
