Like many artists and musicians COVID-19 threw a spanner in the works for ARIA-nominated singer, songwriter and author Ash Grunwald.
But now, withe everything back in working order he is loving being back on the road. His latest tour Shout Into The Noise started sees him travel the country throughout August to November, stopping at regional areas to share his music.
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"I'm just loving being back on the road," he said.
"I've been playing music for a long time now, over 20 years, and you have different phases in your career. This is really, really good one at the moment for me, so I am just lapping it up.
"COVID put my career on halt. I had a lot of irons in the fire, being this album and my album with Josh Tesky [Push the Blues Away] that got pushed back and pushed back and the tour got pushed back and pushed back so many times."
Ash said it was great to be past all the push-backs in scheduling that COVID created.
"It was quite heartbreaking but in the end the tour happened with Josh and now finally this tour has come to fruition," he said.
"Having said all that I am thankful that things are going well and if anything I feel like having done so many regional tours before it's something that I almost know how to do and do it well.
"I think people just appreciate the years I have been out on the road and that I am familiar with the places and the people on this tour.
"I am in thankful mode at the moment, that I can get out there and do gigs."
Ash moved to Bali about seven years ago and kept playing music, but played once-off festivals instead of tours which he did for three years, before returning to Australia to launch his book and his album Mojo.
"I moved back to Australia to have more of a career focus and I started to expand my career in Europe before COVID hit," he said.
Ash expanded from music and combined his love of surfing and music to create his book 'Surf by Day, Jam by Night'.
"The book features 15 of the world's best singers, surfers and singing-surfers," he said.
"I went over to America and met Kelly Slater and spoke to Steph Gilmour and then I got Jack Johnson, but a lot of my friends are pro-surfers. It documents a bit of rebuilding and a mindset shift for me.
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"People have said that it has been really helpful for them in terms of getting out of a rut.
"Surfing and music go hand-in-hand. Both have a physicality, surfing more so, but both are an art. They both get you into a state of flow.
"Music gets you into that as well, it just happens and all thoughts disappear."
- Ash Grunwald will be performing four shows in Tasmania in Ulverstone, Queenstown, Evandale and Longley between September 15 to 18. For tickets and dates visit www.ashgrunwald.com
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Nikita McGuire
Born and raised in Launceston, Nikita is passionate about the stories that matter to locals. When she is not at work you can find Nikita adventuring around Tasmania or spending time with family and friends. If you have story tips or events in the Arts and Events sector, please contact Nikita at nikita.mcguire@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 031 581
Born and raised in Launceston, Nikita is passionate about the stories that matter to locals. When she is not at work you can find Nikita adventuring around Tasmania or spending time with family and friends. If you have story tips or events in the Arts and Events sector, please contact Nikita at nikita.mcguire@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 031 581
