REVIEW: A DAY ON THE GREEN WITH CHRIS ISAAK

A DAY ON THE GREEN: CHRIS ISAAK, BOY & BEAR, MARK SEYMOUR & THE UNDERTOW, VIKA & LINDA

SUNDAY APRIL 7, 2024 | PETER LEHMANN WINES

WORDS BY KATE JOHNSON | IMAGE BY JUSTIN WHITE

It looks like an open-air cinema, though at A Day On The Green, you can rustle your popcorn all you’d like – because this outdoor theatre has loud and live music. There are BYO deckchairs, cheese boards and blankets on the lush green grass at Peter Lehmann Wines in Tanunda, with an epic lineup to entertain.

Vika & Linda, Mark Seymour & The Undertow, and Boy & Bear provided a soundtrack of Aussie classics for the sunny Sunday afternoon. Plus, headline act Chris Isaak joined us all the way from California, playing a string of Australian shows. It’s his first time on Australian stages since 2016, which he graced with swagger, amusement and fun.

A Day On The Green is for those who want a family-friendly festival minus the kids. There’s no moshing, nor should you worry that your picnic rug will be trodden on (except when Chris Isaak walks through the crowd). It's an event of banter, relaxation and pleasure with that warmth of small-town hospitality. “Bring a jacket for tonight, won’t you love," reminds a Tanunda shopkeeper on our way to the event.  

From 3pm, couples lug pillows, baskets and camper chairs uphill. The unscheduled first act is traffic controller Katelyn. “If you think about it, you’ve worked off the calories for another glass of wine,” she jokes.

Now for the music! Here at The Note, we love Aussie music veterans, so we’re celebrating Vika & Linda. The sisters showcased their powerhouse vocals while taking us through generations of hits underpinned by their blend of soul, reggae and rock. It’s been 30 years since they sang in The Black Sparrows, and Vika still introduces Linda as her little sister, even if, as she notes, “it’s only by 17 months!”

They nod to our pedigree of Australian musicians, claiming our country has “the best songwriters in the world”. Partway through the set, Vika recounts when Mark Seymour wrote their hit song ‘When Will You Fall For Me?’. “He was singing ‘When are you gonna come to your senses’ at the top of his lungs!”

Next on stage is the man himself – Mark Seymour – belting out the classics and leaning into the Hunters & Collectors crowd-pleasers like ‘Holy Grail’, ‘Do You See What I See’ and ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’. The arrangements differ from the originals, with The Undertow adding an electric guitar twang. There are wholesome heart-plucking tunes, and people look quite chuffed in their camp chairs.

Boy & Bear are the underdogs of the evening (or should we say under-bears?). The Sydney five-piece turned heads and gained fans with their cruisy set laced with energetic anthems and lyrically charged ballads. As the sun sets, gumtree silhouettes surround the Green, and Boy & Bear share that this all feels ‘special’. “In another life, we were born in SA,” they muse.

Vocalist David Hosking says they usually do a Chris Isaak song in their set, but this time they “can’t fucking do that!” Lineup aside, their mashup of the Crowded House classic ‘Fall At Your Feet’ and Neil Young’s ‘Heart of Gold’ got everyone in that crowd elevated and elated, hanging on to every word.

Between acts, the MC admits they’re tasting wine backstage. I wonder if it swayed his call in claiming Peter Lehmann Wines is the ‘best venue’? 

Then it’s time for the man of the hour. Chris Isaak hits the stage at 7:30pm, ready for a one-and-a-half hour set and shimmering in a baby blue suit, fit with sequins that reflect off the lights. He’s playful, and everyone’s in on the joke: “My band have been practising a dance for this show,” he quips.

He thanks us for supporting live music and for giving his band a job. “If you didn't support these guys, they’d be walking around your neighbourhood graffitiing,” he says. And then it’s time for a show.

Isaak struts through the crowd with a microphone in hand, surrounded by a security entourage. People make their way to the front to get a glimpse (or a selfie). The phone lights almost blind the guy, leaving him looking a little like a lost possum. After a few human interactions, Chris Isaak is back on stage playing his smash hit ‘Wicked Game’.

Isaak makes singing and playing the guitar look easy, flexing his smooth, reverb-laden vocal style. Plus, he’s so adaptable you wonder if he’s related to Elvis. After all, he covered ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ with such prestige, class and accuracy.

We love showbiz insight – and we can confirm Isaak has nothing but praise for Roy Orbison and his kindness. So, he did justice for Orbison’s 1964 song ‘Pretty Woman’ when he performed the ballad during his set.

He’s humble, and clearly takes after his working-class family. But that’s exactly how he draws people in. He doesn’t just put on a show – he is the show. His thought-out comedic anecdotes have people stunned, in laughter and happy to be there. He’s constantly switching up the set just to ‘prepare us’, and throughout it all – he remains so calm. Plus, he knows how to make us feel special. “I see some guy in shorts and sandals,” he says. “Australians are tough.”