- For full coverage of the 2014 Margaret River Gourmet Escape, click here.
CONCERT: Laying back under the stars with a full glass of red wine in hand, good mates and some of Australia’s most celebrated song-writers lining up to entertain us – I’m struggling to think of a better combination.
That’s what we can look forward to in November when iconic Australian musician Neil Finn joins indigenous artist Gurrumul Yunupingu and pop darling Megan Washington in a highly-anticipated concert at Margaret River’s Sandalford Estate.
The concert will coincide with the infamous Margaret River Gourmet Escape weekend, where thousands of food and wine lovers flock to the region to indulge in the best it has to offer.
In the lead-up to the show, entertainment spoke to Washington about her new album There There, officially released on September 12.
When we took her call, she was with her family sitting on the ground in Sydney’s Botanical Gardens, feeling a little perplexed because she had “just sat on something weird”.
Nevertheless, her dry sense of humour never skipped a beat when I asked how her album was received.
“Everyone hates it,” she said.
“Not really – the reviews have been good, everyone who bought it seems to like it and that’s all you can really ask for”.
I hate what I hear on the radio, those songs are not about anything. I wanted to be proud of what I had created.
- Megan Washington
Critics have described the second album, following on from 2010 debut offering I Believe You Liar, as a “newfound emotional depth” for the talented songwriter.
“I tried to write songs that actually say something - I guess previously I hadn't really worked out how to do that,” Washington said.
“Every song is about someone, I guess I kind of wanted to summarise those relationships and friendships I have had.”
Washington said the album touches on living with anxiety, bad sex, being unfaithful, how much she loved the person she was unfaithful to, waking up in hospital, the heart-cracking sadness at the end of a party, being reckless and selfish and losing her best friend.
“I kind of just needed to go there,” she said.
“I hate what I hear on the radio, those songs are not about anything.
“I wanted to be proud of what I had created.”
And she’s absolutely stoked to be joining Finn and Yunupingu in Margs.
“I saw Gurrumul at the Opera House recently and it was amazing, like a transcendental experience,” she said.
“And Neil Finn is in my top five songwriters of all time, so I'm just hoping I'll be able to remain calm and not throw myself at his feet.”
Just to make things all the sweeter, Sandalford Wines has announced it will donate all net profits generated from the venue income of the concert to Telethon.
I told Washington I would be the one up the front of the crowd, dancing along to her tunes, and she quickly replied “I’ll be the one on stage”.
The concert will arrive at Sandalford on Saturday, November 22. For tickets and information go to sandalford.com
- By Shanelle Miller
