From BB:

The Vanguard gig

This was in a very small, intimate venue (somewhat bordello-looking with it's decor and with red velvet curtains - which I am reliably informed are the same actual curtains that featured in the movie Moulin Rouge.) It was packed to overflowing, with tables in the front, standing room at the back and a balcony area upstairs. Myself and my companion, sitting next to another couple of fan stalwarts, were lucky to be seated almost right up front and got a great view of the stage.

The show opened with a classical guitar duo - very eclectic and interesting. Then the main show with Russell, Alan Doyle, Dave Kelly, Stew Kirwan, PB Berton, Stu Hunter and last but not least, Bones Hillman of Midnight Oil fame. They played all the songs off the My Hand My Heart album and a couple of old favourites from past TOFOG albums. Russell was his usual enthusiastic self and his infectious enthusiasm had rubbed off on the audience by the end of the night. Apart from two isolated incidences of heckling (which Russell handled with aplomb) the crowd were attentive and appreciative of the music. I got the feeling that this size of venue with tabled seating etc. would be more conduicive to the ballad type of music that Russell seems to be moving more towards but the size of the stage area was limiting for the band members and all their equipment. My view of Stu Hunter was obscured for most of the gig (and that, I must add, was a real pity!) So maybe a bigger stage area if possible, combined with these more intimate type venues might be the way forward?

It was great to meet up with the band again and get into the new music, and some of the old. The audience participation was fun – singing along to ”Jock Stewart” for example and "Mr. Harris". (Alan Doyle has a fabulous voice by the way.) A reporter from a Sydney paper was sitting at the table next to mine and although she started off stating she has to be unbiased, by the end of the night she was having as much fun as we fans were! (However despite her enthusiasm, I politely declined to have my photo taken for her piece on the gig!)

Danielle was at the gig and gave Russell lots of vocal support and encouragement. At the end of a great night of music I managed to catch a few words with Russell – although for the life of me I can’t remember what they were. I do remember that he seemed genuinely happy at the way this small, but successful gig went.

BB

From CGee:

Words can't describe what a night like this meant to me as a fan of so many years.

He looked great, all wore suits, Russell wore the pinstripe, Dani was there and the crowd seemed to have a great time.

The room was narrow and the tables were all in a row- one one either side by the walls and one line in the middle.

There was an opening act, two very wonderful guitar players. The band came on at around 10. All were in suits, Russell in his pinstripe. The stage was very crowded, especially with the piano. I would have to say Russell came out with his game face, perhaps a bit nervous, afterwards Stewart said they had only 3 days of rehearsals. He did settle in and start to be a bit more loose and got into the music. The set list was as far as I remember:

- I Miss My Mind
- Weight
- Raewyn
- How Did/See You Around
- Land/Chance
- Mickey
- Worst/World
- Mr. Harris
- Swept Away Bayou
- Memorial Day
- Testify (new)
- Drinking song
Encore:
- My Hand/Heart (with just he and Stuart)
- Folsom

From Carol:

First!

I did not have to stand in line for hours to get in to a venue where I had to stand in a hot sardine can for hours waiting for the gig to start.

I had my own personal chair, table and waitress.
The menu choices were outstanding and the food was great.
There was air conditioning.
The only person smoking was you-know-who!
I did not come away from the gig with brused ribs or smashed feet.

The room was small as we had been told, and the tables were assigned. We were right up front in the center at a 2-top -- and there were only two 2-tops in front of us but the stage was high enough that there were no problems.

I had talked to or waved at Dave Kelly, Paul and Stewart before the gig while they were moving around the room.

After the opening act, the strangest thing happened. These guys in suits came out on the stage. THERE WAS NO BLACK-BURKHA-CLAD LEAD SINGER! Russell had on that great pin striped suit we have come to know and love. [Picture to left just to show that suit] All of the other guys except Dave had on suits as well, and Dave had on a dress shirt and tie -- impossible to play the drums in a suit coat.

My buddy Sam was not there to hand me the play list at the end of the gig (she is currently in the States) so I can tell you what they played, but in no specific order.

They opened with I Miss My Mind (and that trumpet at the end sounds just as great as you want it to sound) and we heard all of the songs from My Hand, My Heart .

We also got to rock out to Swept Away Bayou and Folsom Prison Blues and watch Russell sing Memorial Day to his mother.

At every place setting there was a My Hand, My Heart Lyric Book and Russell did an outstanding job as song leader telling us which page of the Hymnal to go to next. The audience joined in for Mr. Harris and by the 3rd repeat we were starting to sound pretty good. We also learned to sing the refrain from the drinking song which Russell and Alan sang at the pub in New Foundland.

The new guys are great! Alan, Bones and Stuart are fabulous musicians with great talent and they fit in to make a great group. The electricity between Russell and Alan was apparent from the minute they stepped on to the stage

We also got to hear a new song they have just written -- Russell had to use a song sheet for the words -- called Testify -- and it is fabulous! It is reminiscent of the best gospel song you have ever heard. They will be recording tomorrow and we may get to hear more new songs Saturday in Coffs Harbour.

This is not TOFOG! BUT YOU WILL LOVE THIS BAND! I got to talk to them after the gig, and I can't tell you how great they are.

I told Alan that I had been directed to tell him "hello" from his zillions of fans in the US and Canada, and he told me to tell you all "hello" back.

Because the room was so small, and the tables so close together, you met your neighbors -- particularly those sitting behind you as you bumped into each other every time you got up and down.

Russell's family was there (including Chelsea), and Dave Kelly's mum, dad and wife as well. People were greeting each other and it was really a great opportunity to renew friendships and make new friends.

Included in the Lyric Book is a color print of the painting "Dream of the Canecutter - The Passing Angels" by Charles Blackman. This is the picture which inspired Russell and Alan to write the song Land of the Second Chance . Also included is the full photograph of Raewyn Dale Wemyss (1945-1971) -- the head shot portion was used for the single Raewyn . I'll try to remember on Saturday to ask if this picture was taken by "Uncle Peter".

I hesitate to tell you that this was a perfect evening -- for fear that you will think that I am over-stating this night -- but I am not! This was truly a magical night! For those of you who might remember the much-televised picture of my Coffs Harbour evening -- I am sitting here right now, at 4:00 am in the morning, wearing that same @#%$-eating grin. And it might take months to wear off!

We'll be off to Coffs Harbour on Saturday morning for the gig there Saturday evening at The Plantation Hotel. I had hoped that we would be able to attend an Orara Valley Axemen footy game on Sunday -- and there was one scheduled -- but the footy governing board met last week and ejected the opposing team for unsportsman like conduct.

There were no pictures taken -- we might have better luck in Coffs on Saturday?