It’s a balmy night in the blink and you would miss it town, the hall standing out amongst the cow paddocks and the sun setting behind the rose pink and tangerine sky. The crowd strolls up to what is known locally as “the Bundy Hall” in anticipation, full eskies of their favourite beer and snacks. Past the smell of sausages and onions sizzling away on the BBQ cooked lovingly by the local Lions club.
The show is the Keep the circle unbroken tour, which is half way through a series of concerts held in many of Victoria’s iconic country towns, with an incredible line-up of Victorian musicians, spanning multiple generations and performing songs inspired by Will the Circle be Unbroken, one of the most influential albums of its time, released in 1972 by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
As the Bundalaguah Hall fills up with locals that haven’t seen each other since the last show and many not since before the pandemic. In the car park Tim Rogers (from rock band You am I) grabs out his footy from the boot of his car, with a can of beer in one hand and kicks it to Mick Thomas (from the band Weddings Parties Anything), a few other members of the band join in on kick to kick. A release of any pre show nerves that form with a hungry music savvy audience waiting patiently to absorb everything they’ve got to throw at them.
The Bundy Hall is like something from a bygone era, one of dances, or B&S balls somewhere you got to meet your future wife or the farmer down from the next paddock. Located not far from Sale, the hall was saved from permanent closure in 2013. When new diverse, hard working hall committee formed to ensure ‘The Bundy Hall’ remained a community asset. The forward thinking committee got behind the dream of converting the hall into an intimate live music venue hosting high quality local, interstate and international artists. Which best of all is a non-commercial, not for profit, done by the community for the community.
The same reaction of excitement has followed the tour every pit stop after the Bundy hall they pulled into, as the town halls and theatres of regional towns all across the state echoed with music again. The shows have been in old halls, theatres, pubs and even churches spanning every corner of the state from Warrnambool to Benalla to Bendigo and Traralgon and a bunch in between. Giving a chance for people in country communities to come together, to see each other and come together to share the bond music can give. And recognise the importance of a community, which seems a little lost in the city.
It was like being involved in a jam session on the back porch of your friend’s house.
The original concept of this show started back in 1972 when Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released an album that reconnected divided US generations at odds due to the Vietnam War, hippie counter-culture and a troubling Richard Nixon presidential term. Will the Circle be Unbroken was created to bring together two generations of musicians and a divided nation and to plant the seeds of hope for a better future.
It became one of the most influential albums in the history of music. The album penetrated the mainstream and captured the imagination of rock music fans whilst staying true to a raw, unadulterated country folk aesthetic.
There is an intimacy with the audience in the round, being amongst the band. Interacting with people bringing each other together. For most of the crowd at the shows, it is the first time in over a year seeing live music since the pandemic began. As one audience member said leaving the show “it was like being involved in a jam session at your friend’s house”. With the musicians also feeling that same energy from being on tour again and performing to crowds, doing what they do. Feeding off an audience
Following the success of the original concert performed during lockdown in 2020 to a large and enthusiastic online audience, and streamed live from St Kilda’s Memo Music Hall. The concert and its resultant album was the concept of Row Jerry Crow’s mandolin/songwriter Delsinki and fiddle player John Kendall.
“In a world that seems to be at each other’s throats every other second, and not listening to each other, we wanted to create a musical message that would inspire everybody to stop and reflect on what is important in life. Putting our heads together we thought we’d get our eclectic bunch of mates all together in one room and show the connection artistry that comes from music’. We got an incredible response”.
48 years later and the album is even more pertinent than ever, its message of unity holding strong in a world that remains divided. “This live show is an audible bridge stretching across generations, cultures, sexes, politics, race, and musical genre. The circle of artists represents sitting around a campfire, being at the family dinner table, or at a traditional music session. Sharing stories, thoughts and memories handed down from generation to generation”.