Arts

When good ole country music rocked the Empire Ballroom

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There was a definite air of the Wild West about the Mount Lavinia Hotel on Saturday, October 20 from the moment guests climbed the grand staircase through a wagon train arch, passing prickly cactii and waiters turned cowboys to reach the Empire Ballroom.

Celebrating 30 years of Country Roads: Dirk of the Mavericks leads the musicians in song. Pix by Amila Gamage

The scene was beautifully set and the concert that followed gave the fans who turned up in their numbers to fill the hall, an evening of good ole’ country music. The music concert for children was celebrating a milestone – 30 years in which it has gained the distinction of becoming Asia’s longest running charity concert series, raising funds for many projects across the country, and this year’s show certainly transported them down those Country Roads.

All the performers who have become such crowd favourites over the years were there, eager to be back before the appreciative audience. Anno Domini opened the show and then much anticipated British folk singer Astrid Brook, whose lilting voice never fails to strike a chord with the audience, wove her spell.

The Cosmic Rays who have been at every Country Roads show performed with their usual flair and then it was the turn of Country Music Foundation founders Feizal Samath and Jury Majid along with a third member Vishaal Kapoor from Malaysia.

An informal fireside chat with Feizal, Jury, Astrid, Tyronne from Cosmic Rays and Dirk from the Mavericks provided a novel interlude with the musicians sharing some music and heartfelt memories. Then, it was time for the Mavericks complete with their newest addition – the fiddler Harald to take the stage and up the tempo.

The mercurial Harald to the audience’s delight turned out to be so much more than a fiddler- a guitarist and drummer as well!

The Mavericks from Germany showed just why Sri Lanka welcomes them with open arms year after year when they delivered a fresh and rollicking performance with hilarious interpretations of Johnny Cash in Russia and soon had the audience clapping and dancing. After a good three hours of solid entertainment, it was time for all the musicians to take the stage to sing their signature song ‘Country Roads’ and bid farewell. Until next year!