Music / Fred Smith Charity Concert. At The Playhouse, February 17. Reviewed by IAN McLEAN. 

WITH his dry wit and brilliant storytelling ability Fred Smith has deservedly built a huge fan base during his now more than 20-year singing and songwriting career. 

MC Virginia Haussegger was passionate in her opening remarks to this concert, her enthusiasm as she spoke about the 10 years since the launch of the “Dust of Uruzgan” album was infectious and set the tone for an often sad, often funny, always poignant evening of fine entertainment.

Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15, the world witnessing the shocking pictures of the ultimately successful evacuation of thousands of refugees from Kabul airport. One hundred and thirty of those refugees have now settled in Canberra and this charity concert was devised by Smith to welcome them to our city and to raise funds to aid these new citizens as they transition to life in a new, and very different, country. 

In his equally passionate, but more laconic, introduction Smith described the concert as “a wake for the mission in Afghanistan and an opportunity to welcome and embrace our new citizens”, many of whom were present in the near-capacity audience.

With the aid of outstanding film footage and still photographs, the first half of the concert traced Australia’s 10-year deployment, which began in 2001. Detailed commentary from Smith chillingly described scenes from both the war itself to the horrible images of babies being passed over razor wire during the airport evacuation.

Music supporting the narrative was songs from the “Dust of Uruzgan” album. Firstly, “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, an outline of the advance of the rights of women, sung with simple beauty by Kim Yang. The title track and “Sapper’s Lullaby” both tell of the deaths of Australian soldiers. Ben Ranaudo’s story is relayed as if it was a mate outlining details to the officer compiling the report of his passing, whilst the lullaby is a moving tribute to two brave combat engineers who lost their lives as a result of improvised explosive devices in 2010. 

“Live Like an Afghan” describes the nature of the Afghan people, a race full of resilience and geniality marked by their mirth, grace and courteous nature. After these emotional songs, interval was preceded by “Niet Swaffelen op de Dixie”, a light-hearted, bawdy and funny ditty about a strange habit practised by Dutch soldiers with whom the Australians shared a compound.

The second half featured new, and mostly as yet unpublished music, much of it composed during six, two-week quarantine periods of isolation Smith endured while he travelled from country to country as the covid  virus took hold. Witty and clever lyrics of the “COVID-19 Blues” led to “Women in War” which examined the peace process in Afghanistan and how health, education and rights of women advanced during the past 10 years but how now, back again under Taliban rule, that progress has regressed.

“This I Know” was a disturbing story based around the “60 Minutes” expose of alleged atrocities and the investigations of the Brereton Report. Poetry interrupted the song as Smith recited his “Sparrows of Kabul”, a haunting commentary surrounding the withdrawal of the coalition forces and the consequential negative influence on the country. Two final songs, “Gates of Kia” and “Trembling Sky” brought to a close a concert of high emotion and feeling.

Besides the powerful lyrics, the music itself was clever and richly varied in style. The four-piece band backing Smith (as always playing guitar and harmonica but adding banjo to his armoury) was solid and supportive and featured rich and delicate guitar and violin solos from Dave O’Neill.

This was more than a concert. It was an astute analysis of Australia’s 10-year involvement in the Afghan War from a humanitarian who witnessed the many shades of war first hand. It is an accurate story of political and military history which needs to be told. 

The audience at this concert learned a great deal, this show needs to tour the country so that Australians all over can gain an understanding of the horrors of war and the beauty of peace.

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