As the first Australian music festival of its scale to go ahead during the pandemic in 2020, Mitchell Creek Rock N Blues Fest beat the odds again in 2021 for its 10th anniversary celebration in September.
"I had some shows booked in Queensland, so I've been here since June," Ian Moss, who headlined the Saturday line-up, says."I feel very happy and honoured to be on the bill, whether by accident or circumstance. I've only heard good things about it. Even the setting is fantastic.
"I'm playing solo on acoustic guitar and my trusty stomp box and it's a big thumping sound, so there'll be plenty of energy.
"I'm just gonna hit people with stuff they're familiar with. Particularly in these times, I think people need that little bit of comfort. I'm really looking forward to it."
Moss is planning to record a new electric album in late November, and due to the pandemic has rescheduled his national tour Together Alone with Troy Cassar-Daley to March-October 2022.
"For the album there's some brand-new things, and a few songs which have been lying on the wrong side of the finish line for a long time," Ian admits.
"We got locked down in Sydney so I bought some recording gear and started making demos in my home studio. So, I guess there's one perverse upside to the pandemic, because I haven't had those tools, the time and space, or been forced to just hunker down and concentrate to finish songs off.
"The only time I deliberately thought about a subject matter, rather than let something flow and tell me what it's trying to write, is 'River's Run Dry', as in river has run dry.
"I had a very close childhood friend suffer a major stroke last year in my home town of Alice Springs. He survived, but it was touch and go. I specifically wanted to write a song for him.
"With Troy Cassar-Daley in the Together Alone Tour, we plan to be on stage all night and do song for song. We'll probably do a couple of covers together, and we'll back each other."
Moss is also looking forward to appearing with his five-piece band at Byron Bay's Bluesfest Easter 2022. "I'll still be celebrating the 'Matchbook' album 30th anniversary and in particular the last Ian Moss album."
Ian says foremost to longevity in the music industry is: "You've got to come up with the material. You don't want songs just to be this week, you want them in 50 years’ time to be anthems that a crowd will instantly identify and sing at the top of their voices as loud as they can."
One Guitar, One Night Only 2022 Tour Dates
Fri 25 Feb - Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (Melbourne)Sun 6 Mar - Brisbane Powerhouse
Together Alone 2022 Tour Dates
Thu 3 Mar - West Gippsland Arts Centre (Warragul)Fri 4 Mar - Theatre Royal (Hobart)
Fri 11 Mar - The Art House Theatre (Central Coast)
Sat 12 Mar - Anita's Theatre (Wollongong)
Fri 18 Mar - RPAC (Brisbane)
Sat 19 Mar - Brolga Theatre & Convention Centre (Maryborough)
Fri 1 Apr - Blue Mountains Theatre
Sat 2 Apr - Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
Sun 3 Apr - Orange Civic Theatre (Orange, NSW)
Fri 8 Apr - Pilbeam Theatre (Rockhampton)
Sat 9 Apr - MECC Auditorium (Mackay)
Sun 10 Apr - Cairns Performing Arts Centre
Thu 5 May - Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
Fri 6 May - Albury Entertainment Centre
Sat 7 May - Ulumbarra Theatre (Bendigo)
Fri 20 May - Palms At Crown (Melbourne)
Sat 21 May - Palms At Crown (Melbourne)
Fri 15 Jul - Empire Theatre (Toowoomba)
Sat 16 Jul - Twin Towns (Gold Coast)
Sun 17 Jul - Twin Towns (Gold Coast)
Wed 20 Jul - Queens Park (Geraldton)
Fri 22 Jul - The Astor (Perth)
Sat 23 Jul – The Gov (Adelaide)
Fri 5 Aug - Caloundra Events Centre (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 6 Aug - The Tivoli (Brisbane)
Thu 11 Aug - Newcastle City Hall
Fri 12 Aug - Penrith Panthers (Penrith)
Sat 13 Aug - Tamworth Town Hall
Fri 7 Oct - Darwin Entertainment Centre Playhouse
Sat 8 Oct - Araluen Arts Centre (Alice Springs)
Ian Moss 2022 Tour Dates
Sat 26 Feb - Sunset Sounds @ Rochford Wines (Yarra Valley)Sat 5 Mar - Capital Country (Canberra)
Fri 15 Apr - Bluesfest (Byron Bay)
Thu 21 Apr - Mundi Mundi Bash (Broken Hill)
