Who went to Tamworth? Many thousands obviously did, but for those who didn’t, or those who never have, it’s time to make plans for next year.

You just missed out on an incredible feast not just of music, but also an incredible atmosphere unlike any other we have ever experienced.

This was our first time …okay, we hate to admit it, we like so many others had the impression it was a laid back cowboy type country and western rural type of event, slap us please!
 
What we experienced in the two and a half days left us drooling for more and regretting having only allocated that short space of time. Needless to say we hardly slept – there were just way too many sounds to listen to and sights to see.

So here we are, totally exhausted but with adrenaline still running high. Cowboy? Laid Back? Triple slap.

Tamworth greeted us as a hive of activity. People strolling, dancing, clapping, chatting, singing,  filling every space in the town. Friendly smiles and cheers, applause and whistles of encouragement. A vibe which enabled connections between performers and audience no matter what their background, no matter what part of Australia (or overseas) they came from. That was just the main street with it’s buskers.
 
Consisting mainly of musicians but also including artists and craftspeople, the entertainment in the street alone was worth a million dollars. The party atmosphere was vibrant, the need to queue for entry to any of the pubs not quelling the cheerful spirit for a second. All just part of the process, well worth the wait – and in any case, a queue is as good a place as any to meet a new friend and compare stories of new talents discovered, the best gigs to see and a debate about who was going to win a major award.
 
Those like us who expected 99% country music were in for a surprise – a smorgasbord of genres awaited us, no snobbery here from the country music scene, a testimony to country music’s renowned “friendly” vibe -  all and sundry welcome to share their special and most prestigious festival! Needless to say country music plays the significant part in the festival but wow, there is so much more!

The shop walls are covered in posters  promoting venues and gigs. Crowds in deckchairs set up on the side of the road watching performers, then of course the  the good old Aussie phrase that is heard constantly as you walk along ."G’day, how’s it going?” Rhetorical question of course, we’re all going great- just the beaut old Aussie way of introduction to each other. And everyone’s a mate! Age no barrier, especially before 10pm. Children, grandpas, teenagers and baby boomers all there for one common denominator….music.
 
From Peruvian panflute players to the Dutch didgeridoo player, the guys who each won a harmonica award the night before - Billy James from Coffs Harbor, and Roj from Adelaide, to the spray painting genius who we’re sure should have added acting to his resume, a man who played every sort of instrument under the sun plus then some - (all at once!) to the Salvation Army band who had a huge group of people line dancing to their music. Add John Butler who apparently did some busking on one of the days we missed, and you can start to imagine the kind of talent on the streets of Tamworth!

Our first evening started at the Imperial where The Vibe were playing. Coming all the way from Queensland this group wowed the audience and had the pub absolutely jampacked and queuing out the door. With this gig finished, we moved on to The West Diggers Club to watch “The Pigs”. Another unexpected treat, and one which continued until 3am. In our eyes these guys fit the bill not only as a band to get the crowd dancing and cheering, they should also win an award for comedy act of the year! The gig was sold out with security on high alert as disappointed fans tried in vain to find alternate entry points!

The next evening we started out at Andrew Clermont’s Supper Club, a great mix of guests who join Andrew in a feast of entertainment to a packed out hall. Special guests included Pu Yu Macleod, exceptionally talented flutist and pianist who has performed to packed concert halls in Taiwan, her husband Parris Macleod who performed one of his original pieces “Light At The End Of The Tunnel”, a breathtaking performance which left us with goosebumps. Andrew’s amazing improvisational abilities were evident as he accompanied all the musicians with his usual flair and apparent ease with pieces undoubtedly extremely difficult. The audience loved the show!
 
We moved on to a band we like to see whenever we can – The Bluezone. Appearing at The Albert, we were once again treated to the top quality high energy performance we have become used to from these guys. But we were in for an even bigger treat! Being nearly the last night of Tamworth, The Bluezone decided to invite some special guests on to the stage.

Where do we find the words to describe this event…explosive might just have to do…Benji and Soni from The Vibe, Duncan Toombes, Robbie Long, Joe Robinson and Kim MacKenzie each joined The Bluezone for a performance unlike any other- the audience were wild with excitement and justifiably so, what a gig!

And what a great way for us to complete our first ever taste of The Tamworth Country Music Festival. Yes we missed the major name gigs and the awards ceremonies. Despite that, we just can’t imagine anyone not having the time of their life at this Festival. We’ve booked in for a week for 2008. Have you?

Check out the websites of the musicians we’ve mentioned. Trust us - you WILL enjoy!
The Bluezone – http://enterthebluezone.com
Pu Yu and Parris Macleod -  http://cloudstudios.com
The Pigs - http://thepigs.com.au
Kim MacKenzie - http://kimmackenzie.com
The Vibe - http://www.thevibemusic.com
Andrew Clermon t- http://andrewclermont.com.au
Billy James - http://www.myspace.com/billyjamesstiffie
Joe Robinson - http://www.myspace.com/joerobinsonguitar
Robbie Long -  http://www.themowers.net
Roj (Roger Cufone) http://www.jamjets.com
Duncan Toombes - http://www.myspace.com/nacnudmedia

Veronique (“Ronnie”) and Rossco
R & V Photographers http://rvphotographers.zenfolio.com

This article was written by two first time visitors to the festival and is published with their kind permission. Please click here to see their amazing photography that accompanies the story.

If you have a Festival story to tell please email it to: editor@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

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