This post is a bit special for me. We are particularly fortunate in the South East Queensland area as there is a very active music / musos camping weekend culture. We tend to choose locales that have a pub and a camping area all within walking distance. Friday night it’s tunes on the verandah of the Pub, Saturday is prep for an afternoon or evening concert / open mic. Groups are formed, songs are sung, fun is had. Workshops also feature.
Below is a video that’s a collage of the weekend activities at the town of Blackbutt in Queensland over the Easter long weekend. There were well over a hundred attendees, we all camped at the Blackbutt showgrounds. There were workshops on rhythm, harmonica and yoga.
I felt quite privileged in that the song I performed at the open mic, Maybe It’s Time from the 2018 movie A Star is Born, is featured as the background music for the whole video. You’ll see me in a short part in the middle on stage singing away.
Must have been a truly fantastic event. Great playing and singing. Sheer pleasure to watch you all enjoying yourselves.
All the best to you all,
Regards
Tomasz
Indeed. This gathering was larger than most, there were 4 large groups jamming every night, so you could pick and choose which suited you best. I also enjoy the smaller jams you get at someone’s campsite on a random basis. Got up early, heard a guy noodling away and joined him for several hours. Bliss
That’s exactly what Hilary and I call these gatherings and festivals, our “happy” place. You’ll be pleased to know the August Coast Acoustics gathering won’t be as remote as Spring Gully, he’s not able to accommodate our group until he goes through getting new local council approval, so we’ll be having it at the Tyalgum Showgrounds, much closer to you and we’ll have day passes so those who aren’t able to camp are able to join in the festivities, which will also suit those who want to stay at a nearby BnB.
Thanks for sharing that. Great video too. Reminded me of a banjo camp I attended in Nashville, Tennessee in early April; full of great learning, fun, playing along with other people, great food, and a wonderful time full of fond memories.
Indeed. Back in 2020 we traveled all around Australia in our caravan doing what’s called the “big lap”. Spoke to musicians all around the country and what we have in SE Qld seems to be “not the norm”. There is some camping elsewhere obviously but not to the extent we have. There are these kind of gatherings at least once a month and often twice.
, I can’t remember that right now… Ooooo man that must be a lot of fun 
