Tamworth Country Music Festival

infobox music festival
music_festival_name = The Tamworth Country Music Festival


caption = Tamworth Country Music Festival
location =
Tamworth, Manilla, Kootingal flagicon|AUS Australia
years_active = 1972 - Current
dates = Friday 18 - Sunday 27 January 2008
genre = Country music, Bluegrass, Rock, Western swing, World Music, Folk,
URL = [http://www.tcmf.com.au Official Website]
website = http://www.tcmf.com.au/

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this peroid the city of [Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth] comes alive, with visitors from all across the country and worldwide who come to join in the festivities. The festival has many times been counted among the world's top ten music festivals. In 2007 Forbes rated it as number 8 of the World's Coolest Music Festivalscite web
url = http://www.forbestraveler.com/2007/07/07072501_slide_8.html?thisSpeed=undefined
title = Forbes Traveler - World's Coolest Music Festivals
format = html
publisher = Forbes
accessdate = 7 September
accessyear = 2007] . The enormous number of visitors during the doubles the city's population and brings significant economic benefits to the region. Visitor numbers for the 2007 festival were estimated at 50,000.

The mass number of visitors means that accommodation throughout the area is consistently booked out for this period up to 12 months in advance, with many visitors camping in caravans and tents by the cities riverside. The festival is the second biggest country music festival in the World. A significant degree of national media coverage is given to the festival with all television networks showing the festival in the news. The commercial television stations Channel Seven, Ten and Nine have all broadcast shows and segments from the festival.

History

When the Tamworth Country Music Festival commenced is often debated. In 1968 the now non-existent Tamworth branch of the Modern Country Music Association began a talent quest on the Australia Day January Long weekend. The talent quest now known as Capital Country Music Association Talent Quest was the foundation to the festival.

However the Country Music Association of Australia state the festival began in 1973, when 2TM radio hosted the first Country Music Awards Golden Guitars (as part of their Country Music Capital promotion which had commenced in the late 1960s). The festival expanded to many other events, with events running back throughout the entire week before the Awards. These events included Bluegrass Championships, Hands of Fame, The Roll of Renown, The Rodeo, The Buttercup Open House concert, The Mr Juicy Concerts, busking in Peel Street, The Cavalcade, industry seminars among other events. These events were promoted to highlight Australian Country music and to draw attention to the climax of the ten days which was the Country Music Awards.

The Country Music Association of Australia Awards were moved to the Saturday in the last full weekend in January as the Australia day public holiday was moved to float with the 26th of January date.

Music

tyles

Music played at the festival includes Classic Country, Bluegrass, Country rock, Folk, Urban Country, Alternative country, Cowpunk, Twistabilly, Rockabilly, Western Swing, Country Rock'n'Roll, Yodelling, Rock, Blues and World Music. The festival has diversified in styles of country as the genre country music itself has broadened, additionally other styles of music are played at the festival.

Awards and Talent Quests

The CMAA's awards night ceremony is called the Country Music Awards of Australia in which winning artists are presented with Golden Guitars trophies that are miniature replicas of the Golden Guitar statue. These awards are highly coveted in the Australian country music industry.

The Peoples Choice Awards is a rapidly growing award ceremony which has now expanded to include Best DJ and Best Radio Station. This award ceremony uses a populist voting method which allows for fan involvement. As a result, this award is rapidly becoming the preferred barometer for a bands success.

Other awards and talents quests include:
* Telstra Road to Tamworth
* Toyota Starmaker
* Tamworth Independent Artist Recognition Awards
* No Holds Barred Fiddle Contest
* Telstra Queen of Country Music Quest
* Bundaberg Rum Jazzer Quest
* Kids Talent Quest
* Country Entertainer of the Year

Main street - Peel St

During the music festival the main shopping street (Peel Street) is restricted to pedestrians only. In this area, Buskers are required to register with the local council. There is also a competition between these registered buskers to find the festivals best busker. There has been complaint and controversy about the use of very loud PA systems against acoustic performances. Council officers are known to walk the street with Decibel Meters during performances. Since January is a summer month with daytime temperatures regularly hovering around 38°C, it is during the nighttime that the city really comes to life, with people heading down town to drink, dance and generally party while numerous bands play up and down the main street.Country Music Parade [http://www.farina.com.au/aerial07.html]

Venues

During the festival over 2500 acts use up to 120 venues.cite web
url = http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=26768
title = Tourism Home
format = html
publisher = Tamworth Regional Council
accessdate = 27 December
accessyear = 2007] The largest venue used is the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre which has a capacity of 5100 people. cite web
url = http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=19076
title = Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre (TREC)
format = html
publisher = Tamworth Regional Council
accessdate = 27 November
accessyear = 2007]

Media

Local community radio station, 2YOU FM is the local source for Festival news, broadcasting on 88.9FM. In the lead up to, and throughout the Festival, this station broadcasts concert information, and interviews with artists. Unlike the commercial stations, it encourages visitors to its studios during the festival and may be a good spot to catch up with an artist personally.

Several of 2YOU FMs Country Music presenters also do shifts on the narrowcast service Festival FM during the Country Music festival.

The Festival Countdown

The Festival countdown is the 'pre-festival' festival. During this week before the festival many country music fans come to Tamworth to set up camp and enjoy the town, while there is also concerts scheduled during this week.

Attractions

Besides the music the festival has many other attractions for visitors these include the Big Golden Guitar, the country music wax museum and the hands of fame park of successful country music artists. Additionally fine artists, crafts, street performers and markets attract large crowds in Peel St.

The Country Music Cavalcade on the last Saturday of the festival attracts large crowds to Peel St, with many businesses and musicians participating with floats in the parade.

Preparation

During the build up prior to the commencement of celebrations, the Tamworth Regional Council takes steps to beautify and secure the city, performing such works as:
* Erecting signs to direct traffic away from hot spots, and reduce congestion.
* Pre-Festival advertising campaigns.
* Extensive road maintenance.
* Blocking traffic from four blocks of Peel Street, the central shopping district.
* Co-ordinating and tidying the expansive camping grounds.
* Co-ordinating with the CMAA (County Music Association of Australia) in connection with events.
* Co-ordination with law enforcement and security bodies.

Artist lineups

The Tamworth Country Music Festival each year attracts many country music, bluegrass, rock and folk musicians to the city. Performers perform at various different venues in the city. The festival attracts over 800 different artists which perform over 5000 shows.cite web
url = http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=18699&cid=23325&sort=d&year=2007&month=8&id=2080
title = Tamworth Regional Council Home Page
format = html
publisher = Tamworth Regional Council
accessdate = 3 September
accessyear = 2007] . Artists which regularly play at the festival include, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Lee Kernaghan, John Williamson, The Lees and Adam Harvey. The late Slim Dusty was also a regular at the festival. The festival is noted for being the launching platform of Keith Urban and Kasey Chambers's careers.

Tamworth Country Music Festival 2007

Many hundreds of musicians played at the 2007 festival at clubs, pubs and in Peel St, busking. Some of the better known artists that performed at the 2007 festival included:

Tamworth Country Music Festival 2008

The 2008 Tamworth Country Music festival officially begins on Friday 18th January and finishes on Sunday 27th January. However the pre-festival countdown events begins on Monday the 14th of January.

References

ee also

*Gympie Muster
*Mildura Country Music Festival

External links

* [http://www.telstra.com/countrywide/countrymusic/tamworth Tamworth Country Music Festival home page at Telstra Country Music]
* [http://www.tcmf.com.au/ The Official Tamworth Country Music Website]
* [http://www.visittamworth.com.au/ Tourism Tamworth Website]
* [http://www.2youfm.com.au/ 2YOU FM Website]