Folk legend Eric’s UK tour touches down at rugby club

Aug 27 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

FOLK legend Eric Bogle will play a sell-out performance at Hamilton Rugby Club’s Laigh Bent clubhouse on Wednesday, September 2, as he and John Munro play their final tour of the UK and Ireland.

This will be the 93rd date of an extensive 100-night tour.

Now based in Adelaide, South Australia, Eric is originally from Peebles and John is from Glasgow – the difference between this gig and others on their tour is that both will have family members in the audience.

Eric’s prolific song-writing and storytelling has thrilled audiences across the world and John has been accompanying him on tour since 1980.

The duo visited Hamilton Rugby Club on their last tour, thanks to Eric’s cousin Jim Browning organising the event.

So successful was the evening that Hamilton were determined to be on the schedule for this tour.

Eric (64), is best known for his powerful songs telling of the futility or loss of war.

Prominent among these are ‘And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’, which tells of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ (ANZAC) experience of fighting in the Battle of Gallipoli, and ‘My Youngest Son Came Home Today’, which tells of the troubles in Ireland. Another he penned was ‘No Man’s Land’ (The Green Fields of France).

Bogle’s repertoire also includes comedic names, satires, protests and serious songs about the human condition.

His work has been covered by several artists, most notably Joan Baez, the Pogues, Donovan and Billy Bragg.

In 2000 a five-CD Eric Bogle collection was released, called Singing the Spirit Home, and his first and only live performance DVD was released in May, 2009.

Bogle has undertaken an extensive concert tour of the UK every three years since 1985.

A Hamilton Rugby Club spokesman said: “The evening with Eric Bogle three years ago was such a success, with many of the attendees listening to Eric’s songs and stories for the first time that the club was determined to be on the schedule for this tour.

“Thankfully, Eric and John both seemed to enjoy the reception they got last time and were keen to come back, and with all tickets already sold, Eric and John are sure to get another rousing welcome on Wednesday.”

Hamilton Rugby Club’s musical theme continues when Michael Brawley’s Big Band plays the clubhouse on Sunday, September 6, as part of the Hamilton Live Music Festival.