There are a handful of Australian male voices that became instantly recognisable in the 1980s: Paul Kelly, Shane Howard, Steve Kilbey, Bon Scott and John Schumann, to name a few.
Few of those voices say ‘Fuck you’ to the establishment so uncompromisingly as Schumann, former lead singer of Australian band Redgum.
Touring in 2024 as John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew playing The Redgum Years, Schumann showed the crowd on a balmy August night at The J in Noosa that he has lost none of his firebrand style and wit.
Some of the song lyrics have been updated and it’s now Peta Credlin (rather than Ernie Sigley) bringing you down on ‘One More Boring Night in Adelaide’ but the themes are the same.
Schumann sticks it to the man, whether it’s former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the military-industrial complex, wealthy barristers or right-wing media commentators.
He reserves his kindness for ordinary and downtrodden Australians: Peter the cabby, refugees, Working Girls, Poor Ned and of course Frankie and the other teenage soldiers sent to Vietnam whose stories are told in ‘I was only 19’.
John Schumann reserves his kindness for the downtrodden PHOTO: Vivienne Wynter
The Redgum Years is a different sound to the original Redgum: the songs have been injected with new life by Schumann’s incredible new band.
The Vagabond Crew are Julian Ferraretto on violin and mandolin, Enrico Morena on drums and percussion, Rohan Powell on guitar and vocals; Ian Polites on piano and vocals, Anthony Thyer on electric guitar, harmonica, slide and vocals and Jamie Harrison on bass.
John Schumann and The Vagabond Crew. PHOTO: Supplied
In a two-hour set, every band member brought heart, soul and flat out technical skill to elevate Schumann and Redgum’s songs and unite the entire performance.
Schumann told the audience it was a privilege to perform with ‘his friends’ in the band and it was obvious that this band has serious chemistry.
Thyer’s electric guitar playing was mesmerising and brought new excitement to songs like Diamantina Drover while Ferretto’s violin added extra spine tingles to ‘I was only 19’.
Anthony Thyer on electric guitar and Ian Polites on piano and vocals. PHOTO: Vivienne Wynter
John Schumann and The Vagabond Crew put on a slick show: from the styling of every band member in crisp black, to the dramatic, effective lighting and perfect sound.
For my money, Schumann’s writing is in league with storytellers like Hemmingway because Schumann’s songs evoke deep emotion without resorting to mawkish sentimentality or earnestness.
Schumann evokes emotion without mawkishness. PHOTO: Vivienne Wynter
There’s a saying some journos use that we should ‘afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted’.
Most of the songs in The Redgum Years do exactly this but unlike journalism, they do it to a very Australian folk-rock soundtrack.
The Queensland tour is done and dusted. There are two upcoming gigs in NSW this year: in Chatswood and Bingara in November. Check out Schuman’s website for details of upcoming shows.
IMAGE at  top of story of John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew. PHOTO: Vivienne Wynter
