A NEW music festival is heading to the Central Highlands next month to help celebrate beer, whisky and the planting season of the Clyde Valley’s malt barley crop. The Highlands Malty Music Festival will run from October 20–22, featuring the cream of Tasmania’s musical talent, brewers and distillers.
Much of the action will be held at the Bothwell Town Hall, with the Clyde River Yacht Rock party on Friday, October 20, and Bocktoberfest on Saturday, October 21. The Friday night will see Baby Come Tack – one of the biggest musical hits of this year’s Australian Wooden Boat Festival – take to the stage with punters encouraged to dress up in their best yacht rock outfits.
The band’s musical director, Bothwell District High School teacher Matthew Ives, says the band has been in demand since its debut in February, having played across the state in pubs and corporate events. “We are often asked when we will be playing next, people absolutely love our music – singing and dancing all night – so we’re really looking forward to kicking the festival off on the Friday night and seeing a bunch of familiar faces come up for the show,” Mr Ives said.
“Our performance is a joyous musical voyage along the super smooth sea-lanes of yacht rock, playing well-known hits by The Doobie Brothers, Hall and Oates, Toto, Steely Dan, Little River Band and more,” he said. “Yacht rock is a name which has been given to what was originally known as ‘the West Coast sound’ or adult-oriented rock. It’s a musical style and aesthetic popular from the mid-70s to mid-80s known for its catchy melodies and sincere lyrics.”
Organiser Frannie Ramsay said the Highlands Malty Music Festival was an opportunity for locals and visitors to come and celebrate the malt barley planting season, a time when the local farmers are busy and anticipating the harvest ahead. “We are all really proud of what Bothwell and the Clyde Valley brings to the Tasmanian agricultural sector,” Ms Ramsay said.
“Celebrating over three days with yhe Highlands Malty Music Festival is the perfect way to bring everyone together,” she said. “We can’t wait to hear a 10-piece yacht rock band playing in the Bothwell Town Hall – it will be unlike anything that has been in there for over 100 years!”
Venues in and around Bothwell will host other musicians over the weekend, with more details of the event program still to be announced. There will be beers, whiskies and food trucks available for festival goers to enjoy at all events. Tickets for all events associated with the festival can be found on the Ratho Farm website.
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