Even though the majority of hitchers dosed up on preventative hangover medication before bedtime, we're still staggering around like extras from The Walking Dead this morning. The reason? Snorers and mozzies are the enemies of sleep.
It also seems like the snorers were artfully distributed, one in each room, and we reckon that, ahead of the next A Hitch To The Sticks, there should be some kind of questionnaire to identify these nasally challenged individuals so that they can all be bundled into the same room/s. This scribe's room's thoughtful snorer, Kellie, handed over a pair of earplugs in advance by way of warning, so no complaints here! Except that some other roomies leave the door open when they go off to shower and hence an avalanche of mozzies eventually wakes us up, sounding like relentless tiny aircraft bombers.
Onsite at Midland Holiday Park a "Hangover Brekkie" stand has been set up at a BBQ to sell bacon and egg sangas - genius!
After we all straggle onto the bus, Wayne the bus driver justifiably inquires, "Am I the only sober one here?" And Dallas announces she's already lost her clipboard - quelle surprise!
Our first stop today is Brookfield Maze in Myrrhee. The adjoining cafe has some coffee and tea facilities all laid out and ready to go, which is much appreciated. As we round the corner of the outside of the maze, we see Dixon Patten who will facilitate a smoking ceremony for the group. As he feeds various leaves into the fire, Patten tells us his inspiring story of turning his life around from addiction to sobriety and is now focusing more on facilitating cultural ceremonies. We then learn that this ancient custom among Indigenous Australians is designed to urge bad spirits to depart, cleansing the participant and hopefully providing clarity. Approaching the fire one at a time, we immerse ourselves in the aromatic smoke and then finally lift our feet and present our soles toward the fire, allowing the smoke to pass through our bodies. A spiritually enlightening experience we feel very grateful that Patten shared with us.
Now it's time to enter Brookfield Maze, inside which four buskers have been sprinkled. We're given instructions that there will be a fun fact on each busker that we will need to note down if we want in on a chance to win some free drinks tonight. The first act we stumble upon is Tay Oskee and he's not only incredibly easy on the eye, but also supremely talented. Oskee has an easy presence and his vocals wash over us as we nod our heads to the beat in appreciation. He spent his early years living amongst the Aboriginal people of North East Arnhem Land and Oskee's connection to land seeps through his tunes. We'd love to stay and listen to Oskee all day, but there are three more artists within this maze that we must locate and check out.
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As our bus rolled into the Brookfield Maze car park we spotted Tim McMillan & Rachel Snow in their vehicle, waving madly at Dallas, so are not overly surprised to discover the pair playing their self-described "post goblincore" inside the maze. McMillan's absurd banter cracks us up as he spins yarns about Snow, his violinist musical accomplice, as she shakes her head in playful disbelief at his nonsensical tales. McMillan's percussive fingerpicked guitar-playing style is thrilling alongside Snow's exuberant violin playing and they miraculously mash-up some very mismatched songs.
Our ears then lead us to the fabulous Marisa Quigley and her 'clue' is an absolute corker: "It's Marisa like Lisa not Marissa like pisser." This husky-voiced singer/songwriter is a pure delight and when she briefly slips into her alter ego, Old Aunt Ethyl, hilarity ensues.
But where can busker number three be? After popping out in the centre of the maze, we ask some fellow hitchers for a few tips and eventually round a corner to be welcomed by Kerryn Fields. Our timing turns out to be perfect as Fields launches into a cracking ditty featuring this awesome chorus: "You were awesome in a play with myself kinda way", (trust us, we clarified!) a song about one of Fields' school crushes, which she somehow manages to deliver in the sweetest way. Fields' fun fact about playing her first gig not realising her miniskirt was tucked into her undies is also priceless, especially when you consider that everyone who walked past the venue would've been able to see her butt through the window. Fields has a joyous presence and her baritone is given just the right amount of vibrato.
After we all somehow manage to find our way out of the maze, it's back on the bus to travel to Tatung Tavern. Local promoter Ellen James, the brains behind The Musical Garden, has curated today's local line-up for a stage that's set up in the grounds beside the pub.
Canberra artist Sara Flint is performing as we arrive and stops us in our tracks with her haunting cover of Matt Corby's Brother. The sun is shining and strings of colourful bunting decorate the space, blowing gently in the breeze as potential Boomerangs for us to record and social. Dogs bound around searching for pats or leftover bits of homemade pie (the most delicious egg, bacon and meat pie we've ever consumed!) as cockatoos fly by squawking overhead.
"My mum tells me I write too many sad songs," Benny Williams from Beechworth tells us. His gentle guitar picking and guttural timbre turn out to be the perfect soundtrack for sinking tinnies as we constantly move picnic rugs and chairs around to chase patches of shade throughout the day while soaking up the tunes. We never knew it was possible to feel so relaxed.
Rambunctious loose units Time Robb & The Stealing Hours Band perform a Kid Sam cover and sing songs about smoking darts. At one point their frontman breaks a string and leaves the stage to take care of it. In his absence, one of his bandmates tells a bad Irish joke in honour of St Patrick's Day.
No one can seem to locate our hitcher couple Evan and Nancy around this time and we're later told by Wayne that his bus was rockin'. Just sayin'.
Even Mandy Connell's line-check is impressive. Connell gives A Hitch To The Sticks a massive thumbs-up, pointing out "it encourages you to support your local community... which might stretch from Brunswick to Tatong". Her lyrics are inspiring and one song encourages those going through hard times to hold on because things are about to get a whole lot better. The Garden is glorious and showcases the purity of her voice to perfection. We sadly have to leave before the end of Connell's set in order to make it to out next pitstop, but will definitely keep an eye out for her in the gig guide for a repeat dose asap.
As soon as we pull up to Thoona for the Wheelie Bin Championships we dash into the pub to grab a quick pint and chat with some locals, one of whom imparts this piece of 'Strayan wisdom: "The Thoona you get here, the Thoona you leave." Sadly, this is a prophetic call, but we do get to see a handful of mad dogs hurtling along the road in wheelie-bin billy carts. What a vibe! But we must keep moving to check into our Wangaratta accom in preparation for Down By The River festival.
Back on the trusty bus, it's now hella rowdy. Dallas gets on the mic to tell us a story she remembers hearing about Nick Cave who attended the same school as her, Wangaratta High School. Word has it he was expelled from said school after composing and reciting a poem that was deemed too erotic for the brief. We're then told he later wrote a letter thanking his English teacher, because apparently the reaction he got from his peers excited Cave and made him realise that shocking people was a thrilling undertaking. It could be said that this teacher set Cave on the path toward The Boys Next Door and beyond. Then, of course, it's essential that we listen to Red Right Hand on the bus in honour of arguably the area's finest export. And the winner of the maze quiz is announced: everyone! Free drink passes to Down On The River festival are distributed.
As we call into reception at Advance Motel in Wangaratta to find out what rooms we're in a few fools jump straight in the pool (we're looking at you, Coops!), then after a quick rinse we wander down to attend the sixth instalment of Down By The River.
She's been busking since the tender age of nine and Beechworth-bred angel Liv Cartledge's glorious pipes can be heard as we enter Apex Park, the festival site. Cartlidge announces over the mic that her mum is present (sitting on a pink bean bag, no less). She then informs us that both of them will be walking from Beechworth to Sydney Harbour Bridge to raise money for suicide prevention and to help promote the concept that this disease is both treatable and preventable. Cartledge writes about what's dear to her heart and generosity of spirit such as this doesn't come along every day.
Three brothers (one honorary) from Glenrowan - Rhys, Kai and Isaac - will probably make you think of The Kelly Gang, but instead, enter The Quick & The Dead, who call to mind a bit of Band Of Skulls plus a few other tight three-pieces. They include an impressive cover of Lonely Boy by The Black Keys in their set and we truly wish Deb "Spoons" Perry got the memo to perform this song on stage with them. So pleased to meet these Southern-rock bros!
Rambunctious (who reformed especially for this event) sound like a Pearl Jam/Red Hot Chili Peppers with Chris Cornell flourishes. It's their first show in six years but, goddamn! You wouldn't know it. Then they go all bluegrass on our asses and it's bloody good stuff.
We're transfixed for a spell by a dude projecting onto a tree from his bike. Just wow!
"Any nurses in the audience?" Monique Brumby, who's brought her killer all-female line-up to Wang', asks before saying the next song goes out to them. Brumby then tells us she's got "some longevity on the ladies' side" 'cause her grandma is 93. An incredible role model, Brumby encourages all the young ladies in the crowd to pick up and practice playing their chosen instruments so that they can be cool like her, Maryanne (Window, bass) and her drummer Tanya Cavanaugh. All in the attendance wish we were them right now.
She was one of the first artists to perform at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre Festival in 2009, and we're stoked that Dallas Frasca, the inspirational woman who brought this whole world-first festival experience together with the help of business partner Renee Delahunty, is tonight's headliner. And having shared a bus with this one-of-kind ball of enthusiasm, lover of cussing and champion of (almost) all who cross her path, it's extra special to watch Frasca up there inspiring the masses. Playing in front of a hometown crowd tonight, there's extra zhoosh in Frasca's boots this evening. With long-time collaborator/guitar wizard Jeff Curran and Venom on skins we just know it's gonna be a no-mercy kind of occasion.
A crowd member repeatedly yells out "Gary Hogan" and Frasca recognises the name, informing us over the mic that this dude was actually a neighbour who taught her how to drive and introduced her to AC/DC - what a deadset legend!
Frasca and co's cover of The Beatles' Come Together is exemplary, Curran's dirty riffs perfectly complementing Frasca's husky delivery with Venom spitting rhythms and bashing those sticks down as if he's trying to crack open a coconut with his bare hands.
When Dallas introduces her niece Tully, who sports a Unicorn T-shirt, to the stage to take lead vocals on All My Love, we turn into putty-mush. She constantly looks over at her auntie for encouragement and Frasca is there by her side, proudly rocking it but leaving Tully to it. I Like You Better When You're Straight makes us all feel like we're in the collective dog box since we're pretty wasted. Of the A Hitch To The Sticks massive, Frasca announces, "I plan on breaking them by the time we get back to Melbourne."
But it's not over yet and we all head to the official afterparty at GC where DJ Eddy will man the wheels of steel. Having experienced many a DJ Eddy set in Falls Festival VIP Bars past, we're glad we ditched the heels in favour of our boogie shoes this evening. There's a stripper pole up on the stage and Harrison demonstrates an impressive booty drop later in the night while representing A Hitch To The Sticks in the random pole dancing competition. And we're convinced Harrison would've taken this comp out were he not just a teensy bit afraid of splitting those beautifully tailored strides.
From this point on there are vague recollections of going through a Maccas drive-thru and then spilling out at Advance Motel where a spa/pool party is already in full swing. But we head straight for bed and look forward to all of the smug feels when comparing sore heads on the morrow.
