In the biting depths of winter, nothing quite warms the bones like southern hospitality; nourishing and hearty grub, the flicker and glow of an open fire and the reassuringly heartfelt tones of Americana music.
Jesse Coulter’s Southern Twang will transform the Ed Castle into a cheerful refuge, like a halfway house for weary travellers navigating their way across the Appalachian Mountains. “When I was thinking about events to put on in winter, I think of something that is going to be warming and comforting and I think that no genre really encapsulates that sensibility more so than Americana, country [and] folk,” Jesse says.
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“To put on an event that’s free and that’s embracing this style of music when it’s cold outside but it’s warm inside – both figuratively and literally – is going to be a wonderful thing.”
The Americana genre is a broad church; if you pardon the pun, it is an umbrella for the diversity of distinctly American styles of music that grew across the vast continent during the 20th century. Jesse wanted to ensure this variety was reflected in the line-up. “I see Americana as a word to encapsulate a lot of different genres, from bluegrass to folk to blues to country.
"I think it’s important to indicate that it’s a wide spectrum and there’s a lot of good stuff happening at all areas of that spectrum in South Australia.”
Max Savage, while currently based in Tasmania, has been an integral member of South Australia’s burgeoning Americana scene. He will voyage across the Tasman to reunite with his band, the False Idols. Max's blue-collar ethos sits comfortably alongside the alt. country of The Best Extras, while his recent embrace of pub rock blends nicely with the country rock of The Bitter Darlings.
Southern Twang will feature two stages, allowing the mellow and soulful Alana Jagt and the harmonious pairing of Häna Brenecki and Mark Curtis to soothe and serenade in the front bar between the raucous sets in the band room.
While the entirely South Australian line-up has been inspired by the USA, the music they create remains intimately tethered to home. “You can’t have Americana in South Australia per se because we are not American; it’s important to realise that it’s not just Australian folks putting on a hokey American accent and singing.
“It’s embracing the sound and the spirit of Americana music and translating that into the Australian experience.”
Southern Twang is a free event that takes place as part of Umbrella: Winter City Sounds at the Ed Castle (Adelaide) 15 July.
