We heard last week from Greg Cahill, who shared a few words (and photos) about Special Consensus’ recent trip Down Under.
Special C made the first band trip to Australia last week to play the MountainGrass festival in Harriettville (about 4 hrs from Melbourne). Our good friends The Davidson Brothers pitched the band to the Australian Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association (ABOTMA) and the association brought us over (Lachlan Davidson was a great help in making travel/lodging arrangements).
We also played a very hip club in Melbourne with the Davidsons on Monday evening and then flew home yesterday (Tuesday). It was mighty strange to leave home on a Tuesday to fly about 22 hours (Chicago to LA to Melbourne) and arrive Thursday morning, and then leave Melbourne Tuesday morning and arrive home the same day after 22 hours of travel – crossing the date line is pretty cool!
The Australians were very welcoming and we had a great time playing our shows and in many jam sessions as well. The show with the Davidsons was big fun – they area great band, and they are great “mates.”
Bluegrass music is definitely alive and well in Australia – many luthiers (several good banjo builders and of course Steve Gilcrest and other mando builders) and a good number of young people attending both the festival and the club concert.
