Dashville Skyline # 4-2018

October Long Weekend 2018

Paul Busch

Aug 02, 2023

Dashville Skyline

Volume 4

2018 October Long Weekend

Let’s get this out of the way. Dashville still is the best little festival this side of the equator. I am giving the other side a chance to come up with one that compares so if you know of one, send me the details.

Escaping from the confines of wherever you reside geographically or psychically, dressing in your festival finery and spending 3 days with people who love music and a good time will re-boot any soul. If this fails after 3 days, please see your physician as there may be something seriously wrong with you.

Throw in some psychedelic chickens, some baseball cap wearing llamas and arguably the best gathering of musicians in Australia this weekend and Dashville is a perfect place in time and space. Having attended for 4 consecutive years, besides some upgrades here and there to the outdoor venue, very little has changed to impact what is a marvellous weekend in the bush.

But what about the music, I hear you pondering? This is not a huge line up of gigantic international acts coming to Lower Belford. Most of these artists are home grown, many of them not far from the heart of Maitland and Newcastle, and some from further afield in our home country. With the headliners being William Crighton, The Waifs, The Bushwackers and C.W. Stoneking, well, you would know right away if this is a country road you want to walk down.

Each year there are new acts that many of us have never heard of and/or seen live, a few that have crossed our paths and then there are the ones we have watched grow and flourish over the years. Melody Pool who graced the first Dashville with an acoustic guitar on the kickback Sunday while we all nursed eggs and hangovers, came out with a blistering 3 piece. James Thomson continues to develop his song writing skills and his sets each year continue to impress. If you missed Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes (from Melbourne) well you missed one local act I will keep following.

William Crighton who made his first foray into live performance up at Dashville # 1 was back(with his stellar band that includes his partner Julianne on vocal rendering) and killed it dead Friday night. A bit of rain scared some folks back to their tents but the faithful who stayed (or returned) once again saw a fabulous flashing display of talent.

Dashville was stretched to a full 3 days this time round. It made the socialising with new and old friends very chilled, it gave us more music and more time under the gum trees. The Sunset Super rounds gave us covers from Little Feat, Dylan, Gram Parsons, Slaid Cleaves and others from the Americana songbook. For this attendee, it is like hanging out in my backyard with my stereo playing my music, who could ask for more?

Not a negative word to be found when talking about hanging out this long weekend. The Waif’s blew the top off the place on Sunday with a set that was as loose and rollicking as a stagecoach. As always The Dashville Progress Society shut things down with smiles and even a few tears thanks to the Quinn’s loving rendition of “Islands In The Stream”. Dolly and Kenny eat your heart out! Throw in only a song I knew all the lyrics to, “Lonesome LA Cowboy” by the New Riders and the ultimate Neil Young jam, “Down By The River” and once again the finish of Dashville # 4 was as happening as the start.

Next year I am looking forward to someone playing “Please Be With Me” by Cowboy. Lock it in cowgirls and boys!

And if you did not pick up your “Make It Rain” Double CD to support our drought impacted farmers, go to the Dashville website and purchase one. Besides the economic support for our brethren, it will be an excellent reminder of the good times you had at Dashville.

More pics below….