Duckpond
House Concert No. 22
Eric Bogle & Pete Titchener
20
November 2014
When Australian folk music icon Eric Bogle agreed to play a house concert
at the Duckpond in 2012,
we had to pinch ourselves to make sure we wern't dreaming. We weren't, and
Eric and his friend
Pete Titchener played a terrific concert. They must have enjoyed the experience
because they
agreed to come back and do it all again. We were, of course, delighted to
end the
Duckpond house concert year on such a high note.
We do our best to look after the artists who are kind enough to sing and play
for us.
So, my home made pasta smothered with Jonni's creamy tomato and bacon sauce,
accompanied by home made bread rolls was on offer tonight.
Eric kept a close eye on the proceedings in the kitchen,
but was careful to stay on the non-working side of the bench.
Eric's powerful songs are well known to most Australians and also all around
the world,
but no matter how many times they've been heard, they cannot fail to deeply
touch the emotions.
Next year, Eric has been asked to sing his famous song 'And The Band Played
Waltzing Matilda'
at Gallipoli, as part of the 100th Anniversary Anzac Commemoration.
I'm sure that will be very moving.
Pete's tenor voice blended so well with Eric and added an extra dimension
to the songs.
With a long string of CDs produced over the years, it was difficult to make
a choice,
but a collection of Eric's songs is always worthy of expansion..
An Eric Bogle concert is always an emotional roller coaster ride.
It's hard to avoid shedding a tear over many of Eric's heartwrenching lyrics
on the futility of wars,
but there is always a smattering of a super-cynical creations guaranteed to
raise a chuckle or two.
And his song 'Santa Bloody Claus' had everyone in fits of laughter.
This was our biggest audience yet, just surpassing our previous best, which
was also with
Eric and Pete. However, it still retained the intimate atmosphere which makes
house concerts
special and the audience remained very attentive.
Duckpond house concerts always end with tea and coffee
and a bottomless supply of freshly baked Anzac biscuits.
If you'd like to find out more about Eric go to his website at www.ericbogle.net
and, if you'd like to be a fly on the wall of the concert, Jonni has put together
a video of highlights