Emma Pritchard

From the moment they walked onto the stage at the Saraton Theatre on October 31, the audience applauded and cheered loudly as they watched two of the most iconic musicians in the country deliver a beautiful acoustic performance.

When he told the crowd he “brought a friend along” to his hometown, Troy Cassar-Daley shot Ian Moss a cheeky grin as their fingers glided skilfully over their guitar strings.  

The powerhouse duo shared the stage as part of their Together Alone tour, and took their audience on a spectacular musical journey as part of the 2021 Jacaranda Festival entertainment.

The concert was one of the few events to go ahead on its original date following the five-week postponement of the popular annual attraction.

“The only way I was able to get down from Brisbane was to get a little exemption thing, fill out a form and check with the police at the border,” Cassar-Daley revealed to the crowd, adding he wasn’t sure if he would be able to get home that night following the performance due to the strict conditions of his border pass.

“It’s been the strangest day,” he reflected in a humorous tone as he proceeded to dedicate his classic track Going Back Home to the Grafton community.

Prior to the concert, Jacaranda Festival Manager Mark Blackadder said it was a major coup to have performers such as Cassar-Daley and Moss come to Grafton.

Both men have an affinity with the local area.

Cassar-Daley grew up in the Clarence Valley while Moss, a founding member of famed Australian rock band Cold Chisel, has links to the region which inspired the famous song Flame Trees, written by his bandmate and keyboardist Don Walker, who spent his youth in Grafton.  

During the performance, Cassar-Daley also acknowledged the hard work of the Jacaranda Festival Committee for their ongoing support and determination to make the concert possible for the local community.

Referring to Mr Blackadder as a “fantastic fellow”, Cassar-Daley encouraged the audience to bring their hands together in a show of appreciation for the Jacaranda Festival Committee.

Cassar-Daley and Moss also acknowledged their crew members and agents for their continuous support and commitment to keeping their tour on the road, despite the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The duo brought their performance at the Saraton Theatre to an end with a stirring version of Flame Trees as the audience cheered loudly through their face masks and joined with them in singing the iconic verses.