Tim Rogers, Kylie Auldist, Mick Thomas, Debra Byrne and a host of Victoria’s most cherished musicians join together and hit the road for the Keep The Circle Unbroken Tour this month.
The series of concerts being presented across many of Victoria’s iconic regional towns featuring an incredible lineup performing songs inspired by one of the most influential albums in the history of music, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s 1972 album Will the Circle be Unbroken.
Locally, the tour is headed to Macedon’s Railway Hotel on Friday March 19.
The roots of this concert started back in 1972 when the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released an album that reconnected divided US generations at odds due to the perpetuating Vietnam War, hippie counter-culture and a troubling Richard Nixon presidential term. Recorded with country sensibilities, 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.
Forty-eight years later and the album is more pertinent than ever, its message of unity holding strong in a world that remains largely divided.
Now, some of Australia’s most prominent musicians unite in a concert performance that channels Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s recording approach on Will the Circle be Unbroken.
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.
Performed live and in the round, each show features special guest musicians and singers in never-before heard trios and duets.
Well-known artists will be partnered with lesser known yet exceptionally talented younger artists and backed by the Row Jerry Crow band, which is made up from some of this state’s most iconic musicians.
The concert and its resultant album was the concept of Row Jerry Crow’s mandolin/songwriter Craig Johnston (AKA 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,” Delsinki said.
“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.”
Delsinki has performed at Macedon’s Railway Hotel pre-COVID with Brooke Taylor supporting Tim Rogers and describes the venue as a fantastic performance space.
“It will be slightly different for what we’re doing because we’ll be in a circle in the centre instead of on stage, depending on ticket sales,” Delsinki said.
The Macedon lineup will be headlined by Kylie Auldist, Freya Josephine Hollick and Kerryn Fields, plus Hamish Davidson from the Davidson Brothers.
Tickets at www.keepthecircleunbroken.com
