Long Way To The Top End - what did the artists get out of it?

[Megan Spencer]

Alice Rae is a founding member of Darwin's alt-folk darlings, The Country Town Collective. She was also the driving force behind the recent Long Way To The Top End tour of the 2009 Adelaide Fringe where 12 Darwin bands invaded the stage at legendary Adelaide live music venue, The Wheatsheaf Hotel aka the "Tin Shed".

Around 60 musicians over three nights did Darwin proud from 12 bands: The NEO, Country Town Collective, Greedy Stout, Jigsaw Collective, Kim Orchard Band, 2 Cats 1 Hat, Blastcorp, Red Plum + Snow, Jess Ribeiro & The Bone Collectors, The Aviators, Tracey Bunn and Mark Hilton & the Lavender Girls.. They showcased the innovative, diverse and excellently crafted music Darwin is becoming known for. Alice was involved right from the start, organizing funding and support from various Top End organizations, fundraisers and mobilizing the 12 bands into one strong force as they individually came on board the Fringe program. It is the first time that a music showcase of this size from Darwin has ever played at a nationally recognized arts event. ‘Bout time too!

I asked Alice to give you some insight into what was involved and what everyone got out of it…

Music NT: How did the Long Way Tour evolve?
Alice Rae: I wanted to book some shows for Country Town Collective to launch our CD in Adelaide - the wheatsheaf were really great and came back with about 10 possible dates and so we asked around to see who else might be interested. It just snowballed from there as the word got around and people put up their hand to be part of it.
MNT: Who did you approach for support and funding, and was it a difficult process? What were their reactions when you asked for support?
AR: I had the help and advice of Jack Tinapple (The NEO) and Tracey Bunn and we met with Music NT and Top End Arts Marketing in the first month or so and both were really supportive. Both [organizations] wrote support letters and offered in-kind support and Music NT offered us help with publicity and on the ground support for the tour. The bands then met to discuss publicity and realised we needed to apply for some grant funding so we went for a Quick Response Grant from Arts NT who were able to offer us $1500. The fundraiser then raised another $1600 so we were really lucky in that everyone saw the value in the tour and got behind it.

MNT: When it all started coming together how did that make you feel? Was it like a freight train gathering momentum?! Was it easy getting others on board to help?
AR: I was really happy to be part of a group of Darwin bands going to Adelaide, my home town. It made our CD launch there extra special as we had all my family there plus the Darwin contingent. Everyone pitched in from the start and there have been so many people along the way who have helped, a lot of people without much acknowledgement. If I can especially acknowledge Simmo and Lewis who worked the sound desk at the Fundraiser, Jack Tinapple for his amazing encouragement in getting the fundraiser happening with only days to spare, Tracey Bunn, Jess Ribeiro and all the bands for being on call with questions and media, Top End Folk Club for helping us out at the fundraiser and Robbie Hoad for MC'ing on the Wednesday and Thursday nights!

MNT: The gigs ran from March 4-6 at the Wheatsheaf; can you give us a brief snapshot of each night?
AR: Wednesday night was exciting as the first night, and we were all wondering how it was going to go. Thursday I thought had the best vibe and a really mixed up running order - Red Plum and Snow, CTC, the Aviators, Jess Ribeiro and Jigsaw, and we weren't sure if it was going to work but somehow everyone loved it and the audience was engaged for the whole night. We had lots of great feedback about the Thursday. Friday night was a little quieter than Thursday because WOMAD had started, but it was still about two thirds capacity and although we were pushing it for time we had amazing sets from Tracey Bunn and 2 Cats 1 Hat (wearing nothing but garbage bags!) Every night had its own vibe and was special for different reasons. Thursday was my favourite just because all the bands staying at my parents place played that night and they really loved that!

MNT: Were the gigs well supported by local audiences, and how did they go over with them?
AR: Someone commented that it was a lot like playing at Happy Yess - you looked out and saw a sea of Darwin faces! I thought that was great though!! From what I could see the locals who saw the gigs stayed for the whole night and enjoyed themselves. I think they got an impression of Darwin life all in all… Between the bands and the audiences and people yelling stuff out - myself included!
MNT: There were were quite a number of CD launches during the Fringe too, including your own with CTC, how did those gigs go? (CD launches by Darwin artists at the Fringe included: Mark Hilton, Country Town Collective, Red Plum & Snow, Jess Ribiero & The Bone Collectors, 2 Cats 1 Hat and Greedy Stout).
AR: We had the CD launch on the Sunday but six of the bands had new CDs, which is amazing in itself! People loved being able to buy stuff - we sold over 100 CD's all up, plus tshirts, which I think is amazing! The CD launch on the Sunday we really enjoyed, because as it was the last show it was a bit more relaxed and we had a lot of fun with it.
MNT: And you had a bit of a cold during the tour - how did you go with that, singing at your CD launch?! Must have been a bit of a challenge!
AR: As many people probably know I was losing my voice and so I was surviving on whiskey, needless to say I was enjoying myself but was told afterwards that the whiskey glass in hand while singing was not a good look!!
MNT: Do you thing that the perception about the Darwin music scene is changing? Does it have a presence interstate and nationally?
AR: I think we face the tyranny of distance in getting our music out there, we also face the fact that the lifestyle here is so different from the other capital cities, that the music itself is quite different too, so finding where it actually fits and finding your audience can be a bit more difficult. But I believe that the scene here is so creative because people are blending genres all the time and listening to a wide range of stuff.
MNT: Looking back on the Long Way tour to the Fringe, how would you describe the experience? Especially the gigs?
AR: An amazing experience… Always so much more fun when surrounded by great people! There are a few things we would do differently next time, but overall a magic week!
MNT: Would you do it all again ? And what did you learn from the experience?
AR: Sure I would love it to happen again but maybe share the organizing next time or let someone else take it on and be there to help them out... I learned that it's possible to organise something like this and the benefit is in the learning experience and sharing that with everyone else!

MNT: What is the future of Long Way To The Top End - will it happen again next year? And what further support would you like to see to ensure it does go ahead in 2010?
AR: Let's hope it can happen again! The Wheatsheaf would love to have us back there next year (maybe we will work it so it doesn't clash with WOMAD next time). We would probably need to apply for funding a bit sooner - and maybe look for some corporate sponsorship? It ties in well with tourism so maybe look to the tourism bodies for funding. The sky's the limit really!

Country Town Collective’s first album ‘Houses’ was launched during the Adelaide Fringe. For more info click here

Thanks to Zephyr L'Green and Deb Hudson for the above pics from Long Way tour. To see all of the photos Deb took, visit Deb's gallery You can contact Zephyr at [e-mail]