The year has flown!

Here we are again, poised for another great Americana Festival.  And I seem to have brought the cooler weather with me – lovely clear days and a bit of crispness in the air – Fall has fallen!

Today (Saturday) is taking a deep breath day and going through the paperwork to make sure all the details on delegate registrations, orders for Awards tickets and wristbands that have been sen to the Americana Music Assoc are correct.  Lots of campers to keep happy!

Also got to pick up the ‘prizes’ that we’ll be giving away at the gigs – thanks to Tamworth and Treasury Wines (Rosemount), Akubra Hats, and to Blundstone for boots.

This year we’ve got a bumper crop of Aussie artists to present – Anne McCue, Breaking Hart Benton, Cameron Milford, Damian Howard, Donna Dean, Emily Barker, Gena Rose Bruce, The Hillbilly Killers (Tim Rogers, Catherine Britt, Bill Chambers and Michael Muchow), Jen Mize, Katie Brianna, Kelly Menhennett, Melody Feder, Melody Pool, Mustered Courage, Paul Kelly, Sam Hawksley, Tamara Stewart, The BordererS, The Bushwackers, The Weeping Willows and Tracey Bunn.  Phew!

Things will kick off on Tuesday 17th, with the annual ‘Australiana @ Americana’ show at the famous Bluebird Cafe.

It was a sell-out last year, and will be again.  It’s become hugely popular here due to featuring as the main story-line venue in the TV series ‘Nashville’, so seats are at a premium these days.

After the Bluebird, the official Aussie gigs are –

Thursday 19th – ‘Sisters Are Doing It…’ – official reception (5-7pm) at the Sheraton Hotel (headquarters for Americana Conference), to celebrate the official Sister City agreement between Tamworth and Nashville that was signed in June.

Friday 20th – Maton Presents ‘A Taste of Australia’ – 2nd Fiddle (Noon-2pm).  The annual free lunch for delegates to sample some of our great music.

Sunday 22nd – The Aussie BBQ – The Basement 12 Noon – 8pm.  Again presented with the assistance of our good friends from the Nashville Kangaroos AFL team (5-1 in their season so far).  We use the day as a ‘farewell’ to Americana and manage to present just about the whole crew in short sets.  We also help the Kangas raise money as they’re all self-funded players.  They cook and get the money.  We donate the music.  The boys and girls are looking forward to catching up with North Melbourne’s official AFL ambassador, as they’re officially aligned with the team.

Then, on Wednesday 25th (8pm),we finish off with the 3rd Music City Roots ‘Downunder Special’ from the famous Loveless Barn.  It’s a weekly concert broadcast and webcast live and hosted by ‘Mr Americana’ Jim Lauderdale in a wonderful 500-seat concert venue, and modelled on an old-fashioned radio format.  It’ll be great to catch up with our ‘old friends’ who made their first trip outside The US to present a special ‘Music Roots in Tamworth’ show at this year’s January festival.

During the Americana Festival we’ll have our biggest-ever group of artists presenting official showcases (105-odd chosen from 1,000+ applications) – Wed 18th Mustered Courage at the Station Inn (11pm), Sat 21st Melody Pool at 3rd and Lindsley (8pm), Paul Kelly at The Mercy Lounge (8pm), The Hillbilly Killers at The Rutledge (11pm), The Bushwackers at The Rutledge (Midnight).

Visit Sounds Australia and download The Americana App.

More soon – and pics of course.

Cheers,

Dobe