Tamworth 2007

"Don’t you know who I am? I am a Starmaker loser!"

Easily the best quote of the festival, uttered by Canberra-based singer Mistin in the Festival FM studio one night, when she turned up just before 10 pm claiming to have a 10.15 interview booked (which later turned out to be am rather than pm). However, being the kind souls that we are, Bryen Willems (my fellow presenter on the night time shows on Festival FM) and I took her in, which was something of a gamble, having never heard any of her music before, but it paid off and she enjoyed herself jousting with us on air, singing some songs and generally having a good time.

Festival FM was undoubtedly one of the highlights of Tamworth for Bryen and me, and hopefully for the legions(?) of listeners who tuned in to our sometimes ragged but always entertaining program. We managed to round up a few acts to come and sing live in the studio in an old style radio setting (2 mikes and me at the mixing desk!) but it worked and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. This year the studio was located in the Hands of Fame Park, a rather more accessible and enjoyable position than TREC, where it had been for the last few years. The only downside was the lack of sound insulation, meaning that the generally awful music from the adjacent marquis overwhelmed us on air. But we struggled on and made the most of a bad situation. Joining us in the studio each night was Nicki Gillis, who, along with Bryen, launched a new album in Tamworth. Nicki is a great entertainer and her feel for live radio is impeccable – she really is a great addition to the ‘team’.

Bryen and I managed to organize a number of artists to appear live in the studio with us (including Mark Lucas the Dead Setters and Lonesome Train) but a highlight for me was having Japanese country singer Hank Sasaki (who now lives in Nashville) come in one night. Hank sang two songs on air and happily spoke of how he had become ‘accepted’ in Nashville after a long period living there. I was especially pleased when he told me that many people had mentioned to him that they had heard his songs on Sydney radio. Since I am the only one that plays his material on air (as far as I know), I take a certain pride in his local popularity. Hank was on his fourth visit to Tamworth and intends returning next year.

Bryen’s new album is ‘Too Cold At Home’ and due to my on air duties I was unable to actually be at the launch. From all accounts the event went off very well and the album has been getting some good feedback, as well it might, with its fine selection of hard core honky tonk that will, to quote myself, appeal to the most ‘discerning’ country music listener. Nicki’s new album, ‘Lucy’s Daughter’ is also a breath of fresh air in a sometimes lacklustre market and maybe next year it can garner a Golden Guitar or two, or at least a TIARA?

Tamworth 2007 was an interesting year. The publicity would have you believe that it was one of the best attended festivals so far, with publicists quoting the allegedly record numbers of campers, but the crowds at the venues seemed to be down on past years, especially early in the week, and not all of the pre-booked shows sold out. It was also a festival where there were unaccountable absences: Rob Wilson was again missing in action while ill health apparently kept rocker Ray Hoff off the stage. Red Rivers was nowhere to be seen and neither was one of Australia’s best female singers, Sandra Humphries, a claim validated by her winning the Best Female Vocalist at the TIARAs (independent awards). As usual, the ‘big names’ were conspicuous by their relative absence. The old adage that the bigger you get, the fewer shows you have to do in Tamworth still holds true, and most of the ‘stars’ continue to restrict themselves to one or two shows at best. It is said to be difficult to get a gig in Tamworth, but you have to wonder why some of the better artists miss out while lacklustre nobodies seem to be blessed with a dream run in some venues. The most disappointing absence of all was Peter Busher, who has become only an occasional Tamworth visitor. Not only was Peter absent, but so were the late night shows at The Pub that Peter had made his own. Rumour had it that a private party was held late one night at what is one of Tamworth’s best venues, but the option of a late night finish with some real country music at The Pub was sorely missed by many punters.

Back to Starmaker, and Mistin shouldn’t feel too bad about losing out. Starmaker is one of the regular highlights of Tamworth, although it is very ‘Tamworth’ in that it manages to present the best and worst of the genre. Its organisers claim that it is not a ‘talent quest’, although that is what it effectively is, but its credibility as a predictor of long term success in the country music industry is dubious, as many of its winners have faded into oblivion, even within a very short time of their emergence. Last year’s winner, Cat Southern, was arguably one of the weakest winners of recent years (and a show during the week at Wests gave no comfort to any suggestion that she might have a long term future in the industry) but this year, in one of those seemingly rare moments when the judges may actually get the right idea, pint size dynamo Kirsty Lee Akers came through as the winner. Kirsty is the most promising Starmaker winner since Travis Collins took out the title in 2004 and her road to future glory seems paved with at least some level of high grade bitumen. At least she seems to have a passably acceptable taste in music and can write a decent country song. Starmaker’s track record is not completely faulty. One former winner was Keith Urban, while a number of local heavyweights have also come through Starmaker triumphs.

My festival began at Wests with a couple of sets from Amber Lawrence, a Sydney-based singer who is in the difficult position of being both more and less than adequate. On the one hand she is a decent singer with a cheerful personality and mostly good material but the downside is that there is nothing going on that will set her apart from the pack. The danger is that this will possibly lead her to a lifetime of second rate club appearances, although she really deserves better than that. It would be nice to think that with some decent original material and a sympathetic management she could be a high achiever.

Although there were absences, the usual festival favourites were there, including Leslie Avril, the undisputed Queen of Tamworth. Like Johnny Green, whom I saw later that night at the Services Club, Leslie is one of those acts whom it is best to see early in the week. This is not meant as a criticism, but the reality of Tamworth for those artists who take on a heavy commitment during the festival is that by week’s end, often by their own admission, their voices are starting to feel the strain and their best shows are ‘behind’ them. If any criticism can be leveled at Leslie’s shows it is that she continues to trade on material that has been heard many times before and perhaps it is time for her to update the set list. It is a fine line between audience favourites and a tired presentation, but sometimes something new is needed. Johnny Green’s set also doesn’t exhibit much change from year to year, although to some extent you know what you are getting with Johnny and that is perhaps part of the appeal. However, the same comments could also apply in his case, although the Blues Cowboys seem content to operate within a very narrow musical band. Guitarist Flash Sheedy has started up his own band, the Blues Bombers, and if you know Flash, enough said.

Over at Maguires, the spiritual home of the festival, Mark Lucas and the Dead Setters were putting on some of the best shows of the week. Mark’s own brand of ‘inner western honky tonk’ does not get the respect it deserves in his home market and somewhat frustratingly for those of us who live in Sydney his best gigs seem to be in Tamworth. Exactly why the local Sydney audiences continue to overlook such a fine purveyor of quality material is increasingly difficult to fathom, but this is a band that captures the spirit and the soul of original Australian ‘roots’ music and it should get better treatment on its home turf. This year was Glenn Skarratt’s last hurrah with the Dead Setters and it will be interesting to see how the band recovers from such a significant loss. The renovations to the rear section of Maguires have been completed and although it is not to everyone’s taste, the carpeted floor and airconditioning is a far cry from the ‘out house’ ambience that characterised the Maguires of old. The food is also excellent, with many a rave review of the rissoles and veges being made during the week.

Another Tamworth institution is the Locomotive Hotel. It has featured some appalling music over the years, although the quality seems to have markedly improved in recent times. The outdoor stage area was this year covered by some draped tarpaulins (which made for some interesting moments on windy afternoons) and the pick of the bands appearing there was probably Tall Timbre, who present an eclectic mix of material that spans a broad spectrum of the genre and whose members are obviously enjoying themselves while doing so.

One of the best gigs of the week was also one of the earliest, when Travis List took to the stage of Wests Legends Bar on Monday night and presented three sets of straight ahead hard country music. His band was the hottest outfit heard all week, with Rusty Crook on lead guitar being a stand out performer, while Allan Tomkins on bass and drummer Peter Figures provided an exceptionally tight rhythm section. Travis was briefly back in town from Nashville, where he now lives and has managed to secure a publishing contract, which effectively means that he must turn up for work everyday and try to write a hit song, if not more than one. But he makes Tamworth a priority and he has consolidated his position there over recent festivals to the point that he is now one of the most eagerly awaited acts.

Down in Peel St, the buskers were worse than ever. An attempt by the council to segregate acoustic and amplified performers was short lived and within days the council gave in, leaving the buskers to work it out for themselves. The din was mostly appalling, although there are the occasional exceptions, and if ever there was a year where some of the worst amateurs ever to pick up a guitar came to town, 2007 was it. Somewhat bizarrely, the local paper kept finding people that apparently thought Peel St was the highlight of the festival – were they kidding? One of the bright spots in this mess was the stage outside "The Vault", where an often better than average performer (one of the best I saw was Markus Meier) somewhat compensated for the rubbish that was otherwise being inflicted upon passersby.

Tamworth is microcosm of country music in general and the entire festival remains a mass of contradictions. On the one hand, it presents some of the best music that you will ever hear anywhere. But it also features some of the worst, although, in fairness, that statement applies to country music in general. As a genre, country music has always suffered from the problem that it is a very easy format to present badly. Many country music aspirants obviously have little or no idea of self-censorship or are completely incapable of an objective assessment of their own ability, hence the proliferation of sub-standard performers who are not only willing to perform in public, but are actually encouraged to do so. Tamworth brings all of this together, in a cacophony on Peel St that can make the most tolerant listener cringe in anguish.

However, Peel St wasn’t the only venue for some rather unfortunate presentations. Over at the Outback Bar at Wests, Rob Luckey was losing his voice towards the end of the week and at the Friday night show, he was inviting willing participants on to the stage in what became a rather warped karaoke event. The low point of this exercise (at least while I was there) was when Yvonne, a self confessed 11 hours a day line dancer, got up to murder that old standard of ‘hits and memories’ radio, Blue Bayou. Like any artist, Rob can have his off nights, but this was too much. Perhaps a selection of guitar instrumentals might have been a better option?

Some of the festival highlights were concentrated in the Southgate Inn. With Andy Baylor’s Cajun Combo (Andy was back after an absence last year due to illness) followed by Gleny Rae Virus and Her Tamworth Playboys on show each afternoon, there was little reason to leave this venue, especially on the last Friday and Saturday nights when these shows were followed by Alby Pool and his band. Alby remains one of the only performers in Tamworth who is prepared and able to sing straight ahead hard country music and his band (a lineup change this year from the previous few years) of impeccable players and, perhaps more importantly, quality backup singers, gives him the foundation that he deserves. Like any artist, Alby can be up and down a bit but this year he was very much in form. I always try to make sure that my last Tamworth show is a good one and Alby’s last set at Southgate on the 2^nd Saturday night certainly satisfied that objective.

The other hotels in ‘The Pub’ group continued their tradition of providing quality entertainment. Stuart French’s Pickers’ Night at The Pub was, thankfully, nowhere near as crowded as last year’s show (more evidence of a quieter Tamworth?), although I did hear some retrospective grumbling from some quarters about the late start to the event. Whatever the complaints (and I can’t vouch for their validity because the action was underway by the time that I arrived), the show was of its usual high standard and it remains one of the few nights in Tamworth when you can hear consistently good music from a wide range of musicians.

There was a fourth addition to The Pub conglomerate this year and that was the Good Companions Hotel in Brisbane St, otherwise known as the Goodies. This venue used to be a real dump, although it could occasionally boast some ok music, but it has now been completely overhauled and sumptuously renovated and in this guise was pitched at providing something of a ‘refuge’ for the downtown crowds. On this level, it succeeded admirably but it is unclear whether music will return there in future years. What was very noticeable was that at this hotel, as with the other three in the same group, the manners of the staff were impeccable. Although a bad customer experience seems to remain a relatively isolated event in Tamworth’s pubs and clubs, the staff at The Pub and its sister establishments were extremely polite and friendly at all times. I have never been called "Sir" so many times in my life!

The Imperial Hotel remains a questionable venue on many levels but this year it produced one of those great Tamworth moments. Cyclone Jason and the Hurricanes, who apparently hail from Western Australia, were presenting a more than reasonable set of material one afternoon when they introduced a ‘Johnny Cash’ song that turned out to be Don Gibson’s ‘Oh Lonesome Me’ (I am sure that both artists were spinning in their graves in respective embarrassment). This inspired guitar king Phil Emmanuel, who was lurking at the bar, to jump on stage and grab the Telecaster, crank up the volume, and delight the smallish crowd with some typically flashy playing. No sooner had the song finished than Phil was not only off the stage but out the door: a quick exit obviously deemed appropriate for someone of his stature after a quick and dirty performance!

The Central Hotel is another venue that can have its moments, although, on balance, it generally does manage to present a fair range of artists. Although this year’s absence of Sandra Humphries was a major downside, there were some other interesting acts appearing there this year, including Casey Watt, a Queenslander with a fine voice who seems to be sparking a little bit of interest around the traps. Once again, maintaining a consistency of quality material seems to be the biggest challenge facing some of these artists, but the set and a half of Casey’s that I witnessed demonstrated that she didn’t seem to be too far off the mark.

I usually comment on the Golden Guitars in this column but this year I am going to forego that opportunity, apart from noting that a suggestion by Bryen Willems and I that the ceremony should actually be held at the Central Coast Leagues Club, because that is much closer to where most of the winners live, has not been acted upon.

A comment that you often hear in Tamworth is that it is there is ‘not a lot’ of real country music during the festival. The 2007 festival reinforced this notion, although, in fairness, the festival does pride itself on presenting something for everyone. And on that level, it does succeed. There is truly something for every country music fan at Tamworth and one of the festival’s attractions is that, whatever your particular preference, there will be an avenue for you to enjoy it. The frustration that does arise is sparked by the relentless intrusion of what is quite clearly not country music and the festival seems to suffer from this phenomenon to a greater extent than other music festivals. People travelling to the annual festival at Wangaratta expect to hear jazz while those travelling to Goulburn’s festival expect blues. Is it too much to expect country music at Tamworth?

Let’s make a bigger effort in 2008 and keep it country. See you on the streets of Tamworth next year!

Tamworth photos