Saying goodbye to some new old friends

Saying goodbye to some new old friends By Simon Speakman Cordall in HCMC The Wanderlusters perform at the O’Briens on Hai Ba Trung – Photo: Simon Speakman Cordall Tuesday night at O’Briens on Hai Ba Trung saw Saigon group, The Wanderlusters gearing up to bid their established fanbase a temporary farewell. “We’re just heading home for a bit” guitarist Steve explained. “It’s nothing permanent, but we’re going to be gone for a few months and we wanted to say good bye properly.” The Wanderlusters have been bringing their unique take on traditional American roots music to Saigon audiences for a while now, and it’s been a period that’s seen them establish themselves firmly within the Saigon music scene. Made up of guitar, mandolin, banjo, congas, bass – and with the recent addition of dobro – the Wanderlusters have carved out a unique niche for themselves with Saigon audiences. It’s a niche well earned, as the Wanderlusters go a lot further than simply reciting established roots musical standards. Instead, Wanderluster’ audiences find themselves treated to some unique interpretations of well known songs, from sources as diverse as the Rolling Stones to the theme music from the TV Show , The Beverly Hillbillies. If this sounds too much like the high end of musical self indulgence, then that’s to miss the real appeal of a night with the Wanderlusters, which is the sense of fun, self depreciation and inclusiveness that underpins any of their performances. Interacting with the audience and making sure…