YOUR WEEKLY GUIDE Serving the Hunter for over 20 years with a readership over 4,000 weekly! The only way to find out what’s going on! Missed an issue? www.huntervalleyprinting.com.au/Pages/Entertainer.php FREE Thursday 16th January, 2014 Countdown to the 42nd See inside TV Guide Tamworth Country Music Festival ADDING TO YEAR S By Laura Sykes WIN ! The Tamworth Country Music Festival has long been one of the nation’s - a double pass to Majestic Cinemas. and indeed the world’s - most loved music festivals and is renowned for See page 2 for details great atmosphere, great entertainment, and great music no matter where you go in the town. From the buskers in Peel Street to booked-out concert venues and open-house pub gigs, the town comes alive and will do so for the 42nd time this month with the 2014 Tamworth Country Music Festival. Australia Day long weekend in 1968 saw the Tamworth branch of the Modern Country Music Association host a talent quest. This event is held by many to be the predecessor of the festival that country music lovers from all over Australia know and love today, however the first official year of the festival is set at 1973, when the Country Music Awards were held by Radio 2TM in support of the Country Music Capital promotion with other events including the Bluegrass Championship, Image: The Golden Guitar, Tamworth. Continued page 2 LaCityTravel giving you the best deals – see page 10 Next Race Day Friday, 24 January 2014 AUSTRALIA DAY RACE DAY 8 TAB races Free gate entry - open 11.30am 434 Bunnan Road Scone NSW Tel: 02 6545 1607 [email protected] sconeraceclub.com.au SRC10055 Offering an extensive hire range of contemporary chairs, stools, ottomans, lounges, high bars, coffee / dining / cafe tables, candelabras, chandeliers and other decorative lighting, cutlery, crockery, glassware, linen, table centres, chair covers + sashes, stage, dancefloor + much more all housed in our local warehouse. Hire quantities available for 129 Kelly Street, parties / functions of up to 200+ guests. Scone Vintage + rustic wedding decor and antiques also available. Visit our recently updated website to view our exciting new product ranges. Amelia Wilkinson / 0400 099 761 / [email protected] / www.theeventstoreroom.com.au We are the ONLY Hunter station broadcasting the SUMMER OF SPORTS - Saturday & Sundays, from noon until 4pm. Covering all major sports with the team’s usual blend of merciless humour and serious comment. what’s on Countdown to the 42nd Tamworth Country Music Festival By Laura Sykes Continued from front page Hands of Fame Roll of Renown, the Tamworth Pro Rodeo and several others. It was also the year that a great tradition within the festival was born – the buskers of Peel Street. This month the streets of Tamworth will come to life between the dates of January 17 and 26. The pinnacle of the festival comes on the last Saturday in January each year with the red carpet event - the Golden Guitar Awards. Recognised as one of the top ten music festivals in the world, celebrities, hopefuls and just plain music-lovers alike all congregate to celebrate country music, meet up with friends and have a true blue good time. Stroll along Peel Street and listen to some of the best country musician hopefuls from all over Australia. You’ll hear some amazing voices, singing everything from favourite old Slim Dusty covers to original songs. Big names like Kasey Chambers, Keith Urban and Troy Cassar-Daley are just some names you’ll recognise who once nervously opened their voices and hearts up for the crowds on Peel Street. Around 55,000 visitors turn up every year, and while some locals may find it an inconvenience not to be able to find a park directly outside their favourite shop, Tamworth rejoices at the influx of people for ten days each year. Before the days of the festival, locals used to head to the coast every January to escape the heat and occasional summer flood, as ‘nothing much happened between Christmas and the schools going back in February’. The Tamworth Country Music Festival changed all that, and put the town on the map in a big way. And while locals breathe a sigh of relief when the thousands of extra visitors leave at the end, they wouldn’t give up their festival for the world. If you want to find out more information about the 2014 Tamworth Country Music Festival, you can look online at www.tamworthcountrymusic.com. au, with new updates and information continually being added in the lead up to this year’s event. Images: [Left] Keith Urban [Middle] Lee Kernaghan [Right] Adam Harvey and Troy Cassar-Daley. Program information Thurs 16th to Wed 22nd January The Entertainer in conjunction with Majestic Cinemas are giving away two double passes each week to two lucky readers. Look for the handwritten word “WINNER” along with the editor’s signature on this page above HVP logo. &%" ' ()* Present the winning Entertainer edition to the Muswellbrook office of Hunter Valley !"#$%& Printing, 6 Wilkins Street Muswellbrook and collect your passes. (must be claimed within one week of publication date) !"'S , - !" #$ %$ Professional, friendly service - “The quiet one” s!LLGROUNDFLOORROOMSDISABLEDACCESSs7ALKINGDISTANCETO#"$s7IFIACCESS Scone - Horse Capital of Australia s/PENFORBREAKFASTDAYSAM AMOPENTOTHEPUBLIC 9 Guernsey Street Scone s&ULLYLICENSEDRESTAURANTTRADING-ONDAY 3ATURDAYFROMPM PM CLOSEDONPUBLICHOLIDAYS Phone 6545 1700 Valley 2 Vineyards Trike Tours commencing early December! 2 - The Entertainer - Thursday 16th January, 2014 www.huntervalleyprinting.com.au/Pages/Entertainer.php what’s on Like wow! The Hoodoo Gurus are coming to town By Laura Sykes It isn’t often that a band maintains chart-topping success for three decades, but for the Hoodoo Gurus, its par for the course as they prepare to take the stage yet again at The Gum Ball Music Festival this year. Held at ‘Dashville’, the Johnston family’s bushland estate located at Belford in the Hunter Valley; the festival is now in its tenth year and has worked its way up from the bottom to become one of the area’s sweetest boutique music showcases. Live entertainment The 11 and 12 of April will see Belford come alive as music groups and fans AY HO ILW TE every Sunday from alike flock to the area. The Hoodoo Gurus are just one of several bands and A L musicians who will be entertaining crowds over the two-day festival. R 4.30pm to 8.30pm Food served from 6pm - 8pm The group began as Le Hoodoo Gurus in the early 1980s when they Full TAB and Keno facilities recorded their debut single, Leilani, and the journey took flight. Three relocated Perth musicians - Dave Faulkner, Roddy Radalj and James Baker Restaurant – teamed up with Sydney-based Kimble Rendall to play a rooftop party in MUSWELLBROOK Lunch Wed - Fri (12pm - 2pm) Dinner Mon - Fri (6pm - 8.30pm) Sin City on New Year’s morning in 1981. Since then, despite a few changes to the group’s members, the Hoodoo Gurus have gone from strength to + E strength. Rendall moved on to the film industry, while Radalj formed another band. Brad Shepherd joined the crew on guitar, Clyde Bramley contributed January 26 (Australia Day) – Clayton Crosby his incredible skills as a bassist and Mark Kingsmith took over duties as a February 2 – Ryan Sampson drummer. Bramley was later replaced by Rick Grossman and the resulting February 9 – KYDA line up still stands today. Courtesy bus is available The opening track from debut album, Stoneage Romeos, set the stage Market Street Muswellbrook 02 6543 1061 for thirty years of continued chart-toppers and sold out tours, the band’s breakup and then powerball comeback. Honoured with the Australian Music Hall of Fame, the band has always been and still continues to be one of Australia’s favourite rock’n’roll groups. Taking inspiration from classic artists such as The Cramps, T. Rex, Little Richard, The Ramones, Suicide, Gene Vincent, The Flamin’ Goovies, Nancy Sinatra, Gary Glitter, Bobby 91-93 Maitland Street Gentry, The Sonics and others. New England Highway Muswellbrook After an impressive catalogue of hit singles and best-selling albums over www.thejohnhuntermotel.net the decades, a few years ago the Hoodoo Gurus embarked on their ‘Dig E: [email protected] it Up’ national tour, in which they included a line-up of their favourite artists Phone: 6543 4477 Luxury Accommodation and inspirations including The Sonics, Redd Krosss, The Fleshtones, Died The John Hunter Motel is the largest motel in Muswellbrook with 68 rooms ideal for corporate Pretty and the 5,6,7,8’s, as well as their own hit songs. or family travellers. We offer quality service with 24 hour reception and room service for breakfast or dinner. Choose to dine in our licenced restaurant or have it delivered to your room. The Hoodoo Gurus are continuing to play as one of the nation’s favourite music groups. You can catch them at The Gumball Music Festival, as well Interconnecting Rooms Disabled Access Licenced Restaurant & Bar as a whole line up of other favourites and newcomers to the music scene. Guest Barbecue Area Pool & Heated Spa Catering for All Occasions To find out more about the Hoodoo Gurus or The Gumball Music Festival, Wifi Access Austar In Room Meals you can head over to www.gumball.com.au. Image: The Hoodoo Gurus. Airconditioned Rooms Off Street Parking 18 Hole Golf Course (Opposite) SCONE MOTOR INN ‘BUSINESS CLASS TRAVEL’ s3TAR,,,,Accommodation; Corporate Rates s#ONFERENCEAND-EETING2OOMS&REE7I &I)NTERNET s,ICENCED"AR-EALS-ONDAY &RIDAYINCLUDINGROOMSERVICE s"REAKFAST!VAILABLEDAYSINCLUDINGCONTINENTALBREAKFAST s3ERVICED!PARTMENTSAND+ING3UITES Cnr New England Hwy & Mount St 02 6545 3079 www.sconemotorinn.com.au www.huntervalleyprinting.com.au/Pages/Entertainer.php Thursday 16th January, 2014 - The Entertainer - 3 creative&' arts Vivienne Nelson art exhibition By Zack Phillips In January and February 2014, Michael Reid in Murrurundi will be hosting Vivienne Nelson’s latest exhibition, ‘Nature Morte’ from the supermarket.