For whom the Twang tolls
Published: January 16, 2024
Tamworth beckons, yet again.
The circus known as the Tamworth Country Music Festival [ https://www.tcmf.com.au ], the rustic rave-up that is the Mecca for all country, country Roots, country Folk, country Rock, country Funky, country Rappy and just plain constables is under way as we communicate.
This time of year, in stinking hot mid-January, the faithful, the famous and hopeful, descend on the usually sleepy town of Tamworth — nestled in north-eastern New South Wales on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, on the banks of the Peel River — swelling the population disproportionately as both punters and puntees gorge on the amazing variety of country music on offer from the lowest of the ‘art form’ to the High. Est.
Some of it can be quite low, but the high is usually pretty exceptional.
And there’s no shortage of Twang.
However, there is always a shortage of accommodation, and even the camping grounds will see a tussle for tent space and a wrassle for an RV space spot. But, it’s all fun; an away-from-home out-of-body experience and we’re all pretty happy to be going there.
Some people might see that as a bit strange being keen to go to Tammers but ‘Festival Tamworth’ is a strange place full of fun people from all ends — and sides of the gene pool — in hats — Akubra, Stetson and stupid — wearing online-bought cowdy shirts and duds and boots and stuff, all gettin’ down to the country vibe. But ‘Festival Tamworth’ also has its normal side which is… Err… ummm…honestly? I don’t know… Well, the locals are mostly normal and marginally tolerant of the whole thing.
It is also an unusually well-behaved blow-out. When I say unusually, I mean for large crowds that descend on a small place, slammed together, shuffling their feet to the music as well consuming rivers of alcohol and an abattoir of barbecue tucker. And some salad. Please eat some salad. Colourful, healthy salad. A Glaswegian salad is not ‘healthy’, as such.
Anyway, as mentioned, I quite like the Tamworth thing. It’s lots of fun as well as hard work for entertainers. You meet a lot of people you know and some you would like to like. We get to hang out together and do musical shit and stuff. Which is, in fact, the point of this blurb. I could have just cut to the chase a lot earlier but I’m at ER waiting to get a part of my nether anatomy extricated from the Dyson head. I miss the old Electrolux. Anyway, there’s a queue here so I’m bored and doing this.
We… Amber Joy Poulton and The Holy Men will be doing two shows in Tammers this year; with the delightful Lizzie Moore we’ll be staging A Coal Miner’s Daughter, the LORETTA LYNN thing, and also a bent idea of Amber Joy’s ( Man I feel Like A woman…) at the Capitol Theatre, that addresses the life and music of four country music legends.
Here’s some links to find out more:
Coal Miner’s Daughter: https://www.tamworthtownhall.com.au/coal-miner-s-daughter
Man I Feel Like A Woman: https://whatson.tcmf.com.au/events/man-i-feel-like-a-woman/
And we hope to see you there, in your wide-brimmed hat and cowdy duds.