Window to the sky

The venue felt and looked like someone’s back yard. I think it was someone’s back yard. A makeshift bar offered such drinks as “chapange” and “charbonay.” A small stage area had been constructed and the sound system sounded “bespoke.” After a hot, hot day  when the mercury had been pushed to its limits, the trees stressed into a premature autumn, the cool evening air off the ocean was a welcome relief. What a setting for a gig under the stars.

This year’s extravaganza at Little Bosa in the seaside town of Port Elliot featured nationally recognised (his song Second hand car made Triple J’s Hottest 100- at number 94) troubadour, surfer and all round good bloke Kim Churchill on his solo Raw_Files tour. We had seen him before at larger venues so the intimate setting was welcome. He played most of his repertoire from his two albums including the incomparable Window to the sky and featured some fine harmonica playing plus his unique hand over the top of the fretboard guitar style. My surfer friend and I chatted with him in the interval, hoping to entice him into after party mode with our local knowledge of the waves, but it was not to be; the line up behind us of pretty girls may have been a factor. In any case the waves did not appear; the next morning the ocean was as tame and tideless as the sun was relentless. The surf may have disappointed, but the gig most certainly did not. Watch out for this artist.

See also: West Coast Blues and Roots.