On a nondescript Tuesday night, prior to the long awaited Easter break, The Cherry Bar is packed to sweaty capacity, with fans of Alternative/Country act Dale Watson & His Lonestars. Dale Watson is infamous for his independent stance in the country music scene, and as a result, eschewing the luxuries of fame and fortune; but all the better for his fans. He remains true to his art form, wearing his heart on his sleeve, producing pure country music songs that stir the emotions and that dry, dry martini. Dale cuts an imposing figure with his ruffled shirt, patent leather shoes and tails, white quiff and deep, resonating vocals in the vein of Elvis. Amply supported by his talented cohorts, Chris Crepps on doghouse bass, Mike Bernal on drums, Don Pawlak on pedal steel guitar, and Don Raby on fiddle.
Getting right up close to the action, near front of stage, Dale mesmerises a fanbase of young and old with his crooning. “Hey Brown Bottle” is given the all star treatment by the seasoned musos, and all tracks are interspersed with Dale’s effortless tongue in cheek banter, inviting us to buy some merch, that would cost us all of “5 cents” with reference to the strong Aussie dollar. The songs endear many to start dancing by the stage, much to the delight of the band. Song themes feature alcohol, tales of love, loss and some humour thrown in for good measure. Dale regales us with his stories set to song, the melancholy “Tequila & Teardrops”, “Whiskey & God”, and the humorous “I Lie When I Drink”, to which the next lyric is “and I drink a lot”. Appealing to a fan base that spans the ages and genres - with an audience comprised of rockabillies, hillbillies, alt/country lovers, and appreciators of good music.
I must admit that ordinarily I’m not an avid fan of country music, but Dale Watson & His Lonestars have converted me. It just shows you what good music does - it makes you feel alive, it transports you to a different state, it transcends age, genre, sex and class, and Dale Watson & His Lonestars had what it takes to move me and make me open to real country music.
ANNA MEGALOGENIS