John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew - The Corrugated Highway Tour showcasing the live Redgum Years album “Corrugated Highway” to be recorded in Melbourne at the Memo Music Hall August 23 and 24
The Redgum Years
“The night we saw them, the musicianship, unity and heart of the Vagabond Crew supporting Schumann’s showmanship and storytelling made for a magic show. A show where the audience is hanging off every word and you feel like you are part of something special.” (The Pineapple)
Back in March 1983, Redgum recorded one of its most successful albums, live at Rose, Shamrock and Thistle in Rozelle, Sydney. “Caught in the Act” became a benchmark for live albums and highlighted John Schumann as one of the best frontmen in the country. It’s 2025. Sold-out performances of “The Redgum Years” across Australia have whipped up a fair bit of demand for a live record.
To be recorded over 2 nights in Melbourne in August, John and the boys are setting out on “The Corrugated Highway Tour” in October to feature the live album of the same name. Updated lyrics reflect our comprehensively mad world and a few new/old Redgum favourites will be added to the set list. There’s superb musicianship and vocal harmonies. And John Schumann, the dry-humoured artist/intellectual with an acerbic tongue, an unerring popular touch and a campfire voice.
“Trump fans won’t like it, nor will the right-wing shock jocks, climate change deniers, Murdoch’s playmates … etc etc.
Too bad.
“Some voices are like old friends - familiar at once, not broken by time or distance. John Schumann’s voice carries the wind in from the outback.
It has grains of red dust and yellow earth, it’s flecked with toil, hardship, humanity and love.
It’s as old as the land, with a gnarled weariness, like the weathered bark of a gum, tinged with the light of hope ”.