John Shand Posts

February 1, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Sydney Festival, The Famous Spiegeltent, January 24 “I’m Rufino the Catalan Casanova,” says the man wearing the pinstripe moustache and rakish hat. “I’m not boasting,” he adds. “It’s just my name.” This would be the same Rufino who nearly drowned while making violent love in a dinghy during his time with…

January 24, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

  The Aurora, January 15 If you closed your eyes when the sound reared up like a massive wave you’d swear it was an orchestra, or at least a band. In fact it was just two men playing acoustic instruments. But then George Xylouris (Cretan lute) is a member of…

January 24, 2015 / Album Reviews - Archive

Home (www.fredsmith.com.au) Perhaps Fred Smith’s twin career as a diplomat explains his not being taken quite as seriously as a singer-songwriter as is his due. Given its potency, the Dust of Uruzgan opus (about his time in Afghanistan) was a hard act to follow, and he has responded by shrinking…