Barnard, Fisher Play Saturday At Watertower

Given his nomadic nature, it’s a good bet that Somerset Barnard would have run into Ian Fisher somewhere around the globe.

But it was a bout of malaria that brought about  their meeting a few years back.

Barnard, an Australian whose resume includes serving as a sherpa in the Himalayan Mountains, has been based in Vienna, Austria, in recent years.

He said he caught malaria in West Africa, which led him to Europe.

“An Austrian doctor friend of mine, who was also in a quite famous Austrian indie rock band in a previous life, told me I could come stay on his couch in Vienna,” Barnard wrote in an e-mail. “Seemed like a pretty good deal: a place to stay, the medical attention I needed, and a few gigs.”

Barnard and Fisher met briefly while attending the concert of a mutual friend at the Vienna Opera House. Their social circles became more connected.

“We even shared bandmates, even though I’m sure Ian will claim that I stole them,” Barnard wrote.

Fisher, the Ste. Genevieve native who has made his home in Europe in recent years, will perform this Saturday night at his parents’ Watertower Winery in Ste. Genevieve with Barnard also on the bill. They will play separately and together for a few songs.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.

See complete story in the January 30 edition of the Herald.