Beat’n Tracks: Boosting regional touring circuits with big names in music

Three towns, three venues, three shows with big artists off the beaten track.

With an area of 7.69 million km, Australia is a big country with populous pockets littered across the grid. Which is why it makes it so frustrating when tour posters only have three names – the major metropolitan spots on the East Coast. What about our regional centres where live music is just as valued? 

Making a case for the viability of regional touring is Beat’n Tracks. An initiative to connect regional venues, artists and audiences, Beat’n Tracks takes touring off the highway and into the beaten tracks of our regional towns. 

Beat’n Tracks

WHEN: FRI 24, SAT 25, SUN 26 OCT

WHERE: SHIRAZ REPUBLIC, SHEDSHAKER TAPROOM, ODESSA AT LEAVERS

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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The trifecta for touring sees three active, regularly programming live music spaces come together to manufacture a live touring circuit. Centred in the Goldfield’s region of central Victoria, Beat’n Tracks takes artists between Creswick, Castlemaine and Cornella, cultivating a vibrant and local live music community. You have Creswick’s cosy bar and local lounge, Odessa At Leavers, Cornella’s vineyard, winery, brewery, farm fusion, Shiraz Republic, and craft beer taproom of Castlemaine, Shedshaker Taproom. 

Shedshaker Taproom has been a primary spot for a weekend ear-worm since 2016. With a gig guide that is made up of three events per week, their commitment to local and international original live music is undeniable. 

“We have built up a solid core of regulars, especially on Sunday afternoons, who know they can roll in and see quality music, for free, whether it’s local, metro or interstate artists. And while they are probably more used to seeing alt-country and folky types of artists, in our larger venue now we have branched out into other genres a bit more – alt-pop, garage rock, glam-punk and young indie bands all recently gracing our stage, which is bringing in more and different music lovers,” says Adam Perrett of Shedshaker Taproom.

Whilst they have successfully brought touring traffic into their venue over the years, the Beat’n Tracks venue partnership has allowed for a higher calibre of artist to enter their venue, whilst also setting a course for guaranteed crowds and giving local artists ample opportunities.

 

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“At Shedshaker we had been keen on being part of a touring circuit for years as we could see how it would benefit us, artists and bring acts to town that may not have played here before like Kankawa Nagarra; our first Beat’n Track show. For these shows we have been able to offer local acts support slots which has been great for them as well. Now we are in our bigger, new venue we have found Beat’n Tracks has helped us get on the radar of more bookers, agents and artists, which is now resulting in us hosting bigger acts like Minor Gold and Tom Busby (and a few more we can’t announce yet!) which is terrific for our local music scene,” he says.

“Beat’n Tracks has helped us bring artists to our venues that we would have otherwise not been able to secure, like Tim Rogers and Dallas Frasca. Offering a run of three shows in three days at three different venues in three different markets over one weekend has obvious appeal to artists. One of our earlier shows was Emily Lubitz – and she played to a smaller but adoring crowd. We had her back in July and she sold out the room! So the circuit is bringing artists to our region and they are building their name so repeat visits will start paying off. We have also gotten to know a lot more about our mates at Shiraz Republic in Cornella and Odessas in Creswick – we are very different venues but all with the same commitment to awesome live music. Thanks to the Aus Government for the grant funding!”

The big name-drop of Tim Rogers is the upcoming artist to head out regionally for the intimate shows. Rogers is no stranger to regional audiences, frequenting Castlemaine’s larger venue, Theatre Royal with his various projects including You Am I and Hard-Ons. He understands the importance of regional audiences in growing fandoms and generating growth for up and coming musicians.

“It’s also cultivating audiences. We were lucky to play hundreds of regional shows early on which taught us how to (attempt) a modicum of performance even when you’re bone tired. And audiences feel seen – which propagates the desire and the reality for people to get together and do it for themselves. We see it all the time,” explains Rogers.

 

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He sees the significance of these country communities and their ability to support and drive both the local music scene, and have an impact nationally, calling the Castlemaine and districts scene “astounding”. 

“There are some alarmingly good young acts whom I’m lucky enough to know. The Theatre of course, but Major Toms, The Kyneton Hotel and the Bridge. It also helps that Sonnu books and records and Stoneman’s and Aesop’s Attic all jump in too. The new Shedshaker Taproom is spectacular. I’m looking forward to being an audience member there many, many times in future,” he says

The Beat’n Tracks show is a chance for audiences to witness Rogers in a rare, intimate setting, stripped of his bold stage antics. For this trio tour, he will be playing songs spanning his catalogue.

“Plus some new songs for upcoming projects,” he promises. “I’m considering handing out lyric sheets too, like my promoter in Italy does – particularly for new songs.”

Beat’n Tracks takes to Shiraz Republic on Friday 24 October, Shedshaker Taproom, Saturday 25 October and Creswick Odessa At Leavers on Sunday 26 October (sold out).

Grab your tickets here.