Demos from the Wheatbelt launch announced!
Collgar Wind Farm helping to power Demos from the Wheatbelt
During March, 10 Wheatbelt artists travelled to the iconic Cummins Theatre in Merredin, to record their original tracks. These 10 tracks now form Demos from the Wheatbelt, the 10th iteration of WAM’s much-loved and respected ‘Sounds of’ and ‘Demos from’ regional recording projects.
The Demos from the Wheatbelt Launch will take place at Cummins Theatre in Merredin on Friday 30th August 2019, where acts will be performing with their full bands. Tickets will be available from Monday July 1 at the Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre, and online through the Cummins Theatre website. Demos from the Wheatbelt songwriters will also feature, in solo mode, as part of the Wheatbelt Songwriters Showcase, taking place at the annual GWN7 Dowerin Field Days 2019 on the 28th and 29th of August.
Artists from across the Wheatbelt region who are featured on the compilation and will be performing include: Georgia McAlpine (Buntine), Gracie Stancic (Gwambygine), Hayden McGlinn (Lake Grace), Kelly Gardner (Gingin), Polly Medlen (Wagin), Refractory Road (Northam), Sue Munns (Beacon), Tim Beckingham (Wialki), Tom Caughey (Nukarni) and Primary Collective of (Merredin).
WAM is also excited to welcome new project sponsors Collgar Wind Farm (Collgar), through the Collgar Community Fund (CCF), the Shire of Merredin, and WEROC who have all come on board to raise the volume on supporting Wheatbelt artists. Collgar Wind Farm is a $750 million renewable energy project based in Merredin and is the largest single stage wind farm in the southern hemisphere with a capacity of 206MW.
Collgar CEO Thomas Scott-Morey said “Collgar has a genuine interest in building the capacity and long-term sustainability of the communities in which it operates. The CCF provides funding to local initiatives that benefit the Shire of Merredin and surrounding areas. We are pleased to be part of this exciting record production that could provide young artists a launch pad in the music industry”.
“This is our second snapshot of what the Wheatbelt region sounds like and it is nothing short of impressive. I’m most excited to see, and hear, the reactions of people in the Wheatbelt to these 10 songs created and recorded in their own backyard” said Nigel Bird, WAM’s Regional Officer, about the upcoming Demos from the Wheatbelt compilation.
So far WAM’s regional recording projects have uncovered 100 tracks that have been broadcasted on radio stations across the country and racked up over 80,000 plays across digital streaming platforms. They’ve helped 147 regional musicians realise their potential and sparked many successful music opportunities for Wheatbelt artists such as Hayden Sprigg and Pete Byfield.
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
WAM delivers Demos from the Wheatbelt with the ongoing support of the State Government Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Australia Council for the Arts.
Connect with us