COUNTRY music artists are gearing up to perform at the iconic Hats Offf To Country festival, which will run online for the first time next month.
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For many bands, it will be their first live performance for a crowd - even a virtual one - in months.
Shelley and Lawrie Minson, with bass guitarist Glenn Bawley, took to the stage on Monday to belt out a pre-recorded set for the free event.
"It is a bit different because you do feed off the audience and their energy and we play a lot of sort of rockabilly dance-y music, and I really get a lot of enjoyment from watching people get up and dance, so we'll just have to imagine people getting up to dance in their lounge room at home," she said.
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"2020 has proven to be quite a stressful year and I think music is very healing and just takes your mind off things and makes people have a good time, which I think we all need badly at the moment."
Hats off to Country will be hosted online from July 9 to July 12, and will feature more than 40 artists performing both live and pre-recorded sets.
Event coordinator Cheryl Brown said it's a good opportunity to expand access to the festival to anyone with an internet connection.
"It's limitless to how many people will join in to watch the music," she said.
"You'll be able to log in to people that you might fancy, but you'll also be able to log in to people that you have never seen before ... we hope everyone joins in."
COVID-19 restrictions had made it impossible to organise the traditional mid-year country music bash, but Ms Brown was determined not to call it quits.
"People want to see the music, they want to be reminded of who's out there, the artists want to keep playing and the fans want to see them," she said.
With restrictions easing for pubs, Ms Brown has high hopes there can be a live component to the event. She said Hats Off To Country will help get the word out about anyone who may be busking or performing at a venue live.
She said there will be more announcements in the coming weeks, and a full program will be launched at the end of June.