America

With America on the cusp of interesting midterms, Fred Smith's 'America' offers a hilarious and thoughtful musical safari through the main streets and back roads of the 'United States of Anxiety' to offer some sort of explanation for it all.

Fred Smith is one of the few Australian songwriters with both the US Marine Corps medal and a US merchant mariner's license. He spent years living, working and touring in the US and returned to release the album Texas, a song cycle documenting an America divided, shaky and a little hungover from the first term of G.W. Bush.

Fred will be presenting songs from 'Texas' and his more recent US travelogue, 'Great', interspersed with yarns and observations from his inconclusive experiences in the home of the free. He will be accompanied by an all-star band of Melbourne musicians.

This is Fred Smith doing what he does best: weaving song, story, images and comedy to convey a nuanced comprehension of a complex society - a nourishing journey for those who don't mind a bit of protein with their music.