Tamworth Flashback

Over lunch, a friend and I remembered a bygone era of the Tamworth Country Music Festival. She had been a resident and employee in Tamworth at the ABC, while I often visited the town during my tenure hosting ABC Radio’s “Drive” program.

Our time there in the late 90s/early 2000s was bustling with both work commitments and social engagements, attending a myriad of concerts. I vividly recall a time when Damien and I found ourselves sleeping on her lounge room floor, a result of limited accommodation options during an unusually hot year without air conditioning. As we delved into our memories, we chuckled about various gigs, the intricate “politics” surrounding the festival and country music, and, of course, the indelible presence of buskers.

Walking through the heart of Tamworth during the festival, you’re surrounded by buskers competing for attention, creating what the country music artist and songwriter, Colin Buchanan, aptly termed “the vortex of Peel Street.”

In contrast to two decades ago, the caliber of buskers has noticeably risen. I sat enraptured by a violinist, realizing only after about 30 seconds that he was skillfully playing a cover of the song “Wake Me Up” by Swedish DJ Avicii. Just a few meters away, another busker was also rendering the same tune.

My impromptu decision to attend Tamworth was spurred by a casual conversation at work with colleagues Lee and Ian from AAO. They told me they were heading to Tamworth and suggested I join them, assuring me of accommodation if I could make my own way there. Despite the relatively high cost of the flight, it turned out to be a worthwhile investment.

Wandering around Tamworth, I reveled in the festive atmosphere. Due to my disability, navigating the crowded interior of venues proved uncomfortable and potentially hazardous. Instead, I opted to sit on the streets, enjoying the diverse talents of the buskers and discovering a few secluded spots where I could savor performances on the stage.

Visiting some members of the ABC team in Tamworth, I couldn’t help but notice their youthful unawareness of who I or my friend were. “I was two years old then”, one of them told me!! Yet, amidst the unfamiliar faces, we stumbled upon relics of the past, like an old tape machine.