Watty Thompson and The Total Fire Band
The Tote-6th July 2024-Rock And Roll Single Launch
Watty Thompson and The Total Fire Band
The Tote, Wurundjeri Land - Collingwood
6th July 2024
Support Fenn Wilson and Lily Morris
“We turned the energy up to 10 last night. So, we are just going to ease into it this evening, hope you don’t mind It’s good to be back in the big smoke this evening and thank you for having us. In the beautiful traditional land of the Wurundjeri People, where no matter how hard you have to look there is much beauty to behold. If you wouldn’t mind helping me with this gentle start…..”
Thompson was teasing us as he and the band blasted into “City To Run, " like throwing kerosene onto a fire. The audience started moving and singing along from the get-go. This was no ease into anything as Watty took to the shoulders of a mate and preached his back-to-nature rock and roll gospel. This is a song people like John Seed and Joanna Macy, Deep Ecologists, could take as their theme song.
But this is Watty’s moment. He is a storyteller, a gem, with a twinkle in his eye and love beating from his big heart. Winter in Melbourne disappeared over the next 2 hours with 300 of his ‘mates’ and at times up to 16 people (by my count) on the cramped stage at the iconic Tote. Everyone defrosted quickly and there was not a frown to be seen for the next 2 hours.
‘The path of an artist is far from secure but I see no guarantee
in living year after year by someone else's idea of what your life should be.
So, I'll take the dicey road making art mate - call me crazy all you like,
But you won't see me stew
on what I didn't do
when I look back on my life.
I'm not trying to change ya,
But I clearly know my role.
And I'd dig ditches for the rest of my days
Just to play my rock & roll.’-Rock and Roll-Watty
Thompson has one album and a new single out called “Rock and Roll”. The latest single was the reason to get Thompson back to the Big Smoke. I can’t agree more with his take on life whether you are an artist, a wage slave or unemployed. Simply, find something that you love or someone you love and enjoy being a human. You know that is all you got.
Don’t be fucking scared because fear is a useless emotion. And don’t forget if you are struggling, reach out, don’t be frightened to talk as we all have our dark days. Find someone to hug.
As Watty said, “Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that we are fucking lucky to be here and be alive. I don’t know what the exact stats are but it’s something like one in a billion chance that we were born. I don’t want to alarm you but this is the one time in our lives that this exact combination of kind-hearted amazing people are all together in one room. I don’t know about you but I’ll be telling my crew down in the south-west how lucky I was to be standing right here.”
Watty’s Total Fire Band and friends were remarkable. Even more amazing was the mix of sound in the room and how you could clearly make out the strings and the French Horn and the sweet sounds of the pedal steel and the team of backing vocalists, I was impressed, and kudos to the man running the soundboard. To top it off the band all had shit eating grins throughout the night. They knew they were on top of their game and their ringleader just sprinkled it all with good will, humour and love.
Watty has found something that I truly cherish. Getting out into the country, moving to the country if you can, because the bottom line is we all have to unlearn what colonialism and capitalism taught us. You know that don’t you? Give me a call or drop Watty a line via his website and I am sure he will help you out with some bush/nature philosophy.
Watty covered most of the material on his one eponymous album. For 2 hours the love and joy and stellar musicianship took us all to a world that we should all dream to live in. A place where we could sing along with mates and hug someone when requested by the indie bush balladeer and we all laughed and maybe we cried. The energy in that room could power a small town in the Otways. Fuck Dutton and his nuclear-powered heart and soul. We need to unplug and hug some more. Get off the couch and get out into the community.
Watty closed the show down with a song of thanks to everyone from the band to the crew to the punters and bar staff and all in the room. Everyone was a few inches off the ground as they left with mile-wide smiles that would hopefully last for the night if not for days.
Oh, and that cover of “Most People I Know Think That I’m Crazy” was the cherry on top of one of the best sundaes I have ever heard. Watty’s an authentic, Australian indie-bush balladeer and that is a mouthful. Next time he hits the big city or even if you have to drive to the country and get out amongst the wallabies and wombats, check him out.
See ya down the road, Watty!
Below are some of the folks who may have been on the stage at The Tote. You needed a programme for the roster of musos so if I missed ya apologies….or if you were not even there we thought of you.
Guitars and Vocals: Watty Thompson
Drums: Izzy Adjei
Bass guitar: Tom Hulse
Pedal Steel Guitar: Steve Veale
Lap Steel Guitar: Watty Thompson
Cello: Lucy Waldron
Violin: Lucy G. Rash
Violin: Ella Summers
Saxophone: Mika Kohlman
Guitar: Jim Stirton
Guitar: Neil Wilkinson
Backing vocals: Izzy Adjei, Nitida Atkinson, Katie Brianna, Fenn Wilson and George Wilson
Cowbell: Jimi Coelli
