Brunswick Music Festival

The Brunswick Music Festival, nearly three decades old and still one of Australia's most diverse and colourful festivals, has come to town, with many free and ticketed concerts and events, which are sure to impress even the most seasoned festival goer.

I was fortunate to experience three (actually four, including Radical Son) very different shows, which form part of the rich tapestry of the Brunswick Music Festival.

Margaret Leng Tan

Margaret Leng Tan caught my attention, because of the most unusual musical instrument(s) which she features in her repertoire. 

Classically trained, Tan is revered as one of the most formidable pianists in modern music. In 1971 Tan became the first woman to earn a Doctorate in Musical Arts from New York’s Juilliard School.

In 1981 Tan met John Cage, an American composer and pioneer of non-standard use of musical instruments, who influenced Tan’s musical style, and can be credited for her consequent exploration and eventual pursuit of unconventional instruments such as toy pianos, toy drum sets, even soy sauce dishes.

Dubbed “Queen of the Toy Piano,” Tan masterfully tickles the itty bitty ebony and ivory keys of her toy piano. She explained to the audience that many of her pieces are especially written for the toy piano, and others were adapted for it.

Although initially, the thought of such an unusual concert was enticing, after several tinkering pieces, my ear drums become a bit tender to the sounds being emitted by the unusual instrument(s). I could appreciate the talent which Tan obviously possesses, but I found it challenging to sit still and enjoy the concert. 

The Chipolatas 

On a totally opposite side of the spectrum, three talented actors / musicians / clowns, the UK’s Gentlemen of the Road also known as The Chipolatas, successfully engaged an audience composed of young and old. What made this show even more special was that, it took place in the morning. Who’s ready to be entertained before noon? I’m not seeing any raised hands. Well, The Chipolatas blew the roof off, the day I had the pleasure of being in their audience.

Established in 1992, The Chipolatas are skilled circus performers playing a mean accordion, some pretty awesome dancing shoes and a knack for connecting with audiences. The trio manage to turn something which seems elementary and intended only for young children, into a funny and impressive performance which elates all in attendance. No wonder these guys have wowed folks from Australia to Venezuela, and every country in between. They’re talented and so darn likeable. I don’t think there was one person who wanted the show to end.

Archie Roach and Radical Son 

Opening for Archie Roach, was Radical Son. I must admit that until then, I was not familiar with Radical Son’s music, and because of this, I was excited and curious to hear him perform.

Radical Son has an impressive onstage presence; he is a very tall and robust man, but when he unleashed his voice, it’s when I realised that he possesses an equally intense voice. I turned to my companion and exclaimed “wow!” when he began to sing. Radical Son has a unique sound, and his vocals are soulful and smooth. 

Between songs, Radical Son painted a verbal picture of the upcoming song’s origins and meaning, and then he performed it, allowing the audience to gain a deeper appreciation of the song’s lyrics.

Radical Son expressed his affection for Archie Roach, and thanked him for the chance to open his show. He said that he could only hope to one day be even a shadow of what Roach was and still is, as an artist and a human being. Such talent, stage presence and humility, I’d like to reiterate… “wow!”

After a brief intermission, emerged onto the stage none other than Archie Roach. Singer, songwriter and guitarist, Roach, has developed into a powerful voice for Indigenous Australia. Roach is a natural-born story teller, weaving his ancestors’ and his own life’s tales accompanied to music.

Roach sat down, guitar in hand, and in a warm and beautifully seasoned raspy voice, he began to introduce the audience to his life. In a relaxed and matter-of-fact manner, as if we were on a first name basis with him, and in his sitting room enjoying a cup of tea, he told us about his birth place and his family.

He explained that he was one of the thousands of Indigenous Australian children who were torn from their families and became known as the ‘stolen generation’. Roach further explained that, although he had endured two unpleasant foster care placements, he considered himself lucky. Lucky to be eventually placed with a Scottish family, who loved and cared for him in such a genuine manner, that he then grew to care for them as well, and ‘till this day, he calls them his family.

Roach then performed Took the Children Away with which he tied into the life story he described for us. A simple song with very deep emotions linked to it. It is no wonder that in 2013, this song was added to the National Film and Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia registry. It, like Archie Roach himself, are true national treasures.

The evening continued to unfold in the same manner… Roach would entice us with nibbles about his life, then he would followup with a song further elaborating on the story. In this manner, he brought us to his proverbial bosom and embraced us with the emotionally charged lyrical tapestry. It was a magical experience, and I am grateful that I lived it.