THE programs team of the Gympie Music Muster has come out with all guns blazing for their first artist announcement.
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Festival program director Jeff Chandler said the announcement, which includes Adam Harvey, John Williamson, O’Shea, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole and Shane Nicholson is only about one-quarter of the artists who will play the event in August.
“The muster has a long history of presenting some of the best music Australia has to offer, and this tradition continues with the inclusion of some of the biggest names in country music today,” he said.
“The muster is inviting everyone to help celebrate its 35th anniversary and with this taste of the line up, and a lot more to be ann-ounced, it’s sure to be a hell of a party.”
Chandler said they normally announced nearly the whole line-up at the end of March, but they were doing things a little differently for the 35th anniversary.
“There are plenty more big names to come and we will have 35th anniversary productions and themed shows to come, as well, with at least another two, possibly three more announcements,” he said.
They have spaced out the announcements so that each had more impact.
“When you deliver pretty much the whole package, any subsequent announcement doesn’t get as much attention and we need some lift in that lead-up,” Chandler said.
The program includes known acts as well as emerging talent.
“This year, while we have a couple of Americans, a Canadian artist – and they will be names that people will know – it’s the Australian content that we are focused on,” Chandler said.
“It’s those emerging artists who are the future stars and future headliners. We’ve got people like Fanny Lumsden – she is someone really fresh. It’s that sort of artist who is doing something really different and that’s what we, as an industry, need from a mainstream media point of view. Emerging talent showcases will be a major feature of the event.”
Chandler said they would have themed shows and things that people haven’t seen before.
“We have a few surprises in terms of venues and shows and even a couple of industry things we haven’t had before,” he said.
He said this year, being the 35th, meant he could put on something special and gives him an excuse to put on events that they wouldn’t normally have.
“A couple of the things won’t be strictly country, but I know the audience will love them,” he said.
The program director said the ethos and the experience that the muster offered was what made the event such a success 35 years on.
“Our patrons tell us the music is important for them, the top reason they come is because they can share camaraderie, mateship and the general atmosphere,” he said.
“It’s a relatively remote location, so it’s a real escape in the Aussie bush. The community aspect of it certainly plays a big role – the community owns the event, so they work so hard to keep it going through big times and bad.”
The muster is on August 25-28.