Category Archives: Performance
Rocking the Boat
40 Degrees South helped “Rock the Boat” on board the James Craig for the 2018 Christmas Party of the Sydney Heritage Fleet.
Chris, Marg, Tom and Don laying it on the line at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Christmas Party
End of Year Folk Bash
Seasonal songs were the order of the day when the Forties sang at the Folk Federation of NSW’s annual variety End of Year Folk Bash held at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills. Black Joak Morris presented a Mummer’s Play – always the highlight of the Bash. The evening was complemented by some exuberant renditions of English Village Carols at the Shakespeare.
NSW History Week
The theme of History Week in NSW was “Life and Death” and, together with The Museum’s own ‘pirate band’ The Mutineers, 40 Degrees South relished singing some of the more macabre songs in their repertoire.
There were stories about Australian convict pirates and whaling ship disasters followed by rum (courtesy of Peg Leg Tavern) and sea biscuit (made by our own Sue Brian)!
The concert took place in the Conservation Building of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The Mutineers and the stripey shirted Forties
Devil Dodgin’ on the High Seas
The James Craig Music Club featured the Forties, with the theme: “Devil Dodgin’ on the High Seas” – songs that mix the sea and religion, often irreverently. We borrowed a young Dan Kenny for the evening in Tom’s absence, and brought down our average age considerably!
We are as likely to convert an audience to religion as we are to shave our bellies with a rusty razor, and we used to say “In fact, none of us know what a razor is!” and maybe that’s still true of Dan. I was tempted to dress him up as a choir boy.
Click image for video of “Wreckers’ Prayer”. (Video: Sue Brian)
2017 National Folk Festival highlights
Although the Forties weren’t booked at the 2107 National, the Southern Cross Trawlers (Margaret, Don and Chris) were on the programme – opening the festival with a song session in the Bohemia Bar on the Thursday night and the Saturday night session too, presenting the Cabbage Tree Hat story, and a concert on the final day.
It was a privilege to sing in the big tribute to Danny Spooner in the main venue. Margaret sang “Tolpuddle Man” with Ruth Hazelton and Kerrie Maguire, and with Chris in the finale of John Tams’ “Rolling Home”.
Ruth Hazelton, Margaret Walters and Kerrie Maguire – “Tolpuddle Man”
Danny Spooner tribute finale – photo Rosemary Saul
