JESSE NEILL
NINE artists are ready to make Gawler rock ‘n’ roll as the CHANGE Original Music Festival gears up for its sixth consecutive year.
The three-day event will see a variety of artists play their original songs this long weekend on Sunday, October 6 and Monday, October 7 at the Kingsford Hotel, and in the beer garden of the P/A
Hotel the following Sunday.
Local musician and festival convener Martin Johnson said the free event is a “musical celebration of South Australian artists”, and thanks to strong community support has grown in popularity since its inception.
“CHANGE has really established itself now as a main event on Gawler’s calendar and people really look forward to it,” he said.
“The local businesses really get around it too and it’s great to have so many sponsors because I wouldn’t be able to pay the artists without them.
“In general, it’s also great for a country town to have an original music festival.
“It says a lot for the area to support arts and culture, which is something I’ve been pushing for a long time.”
The event is highly regarded in the community, receiving Gawler’s Australia Day Community Event of the Year in 2018.
Originally planned as a once off celebration for Gawler’s 175th birthday, CHANGE has seen 197 musicians perform original tunes over the past five years.
This year’s iteration will include a wide range of genres including blues, indie rock, country, and ‘modern punk funk’.
“I work to accommodate everyone’s tastes,” Mr Johnson said.
“People want to hear new music, so I try put on a decent show that gives the artists an opportunity to share their original work, while also mixing up the sounds.”
Mr Johnson also said this event inspires other creatives in the community, which has contributed to the amount of exciting acts popping up locally.
“When people hear something original, they get inspired to be creative and try make their own music.
“Ultimately, an event like this has a reciprocal effect on musicians in the region.”
The festival kicks off this Sunday when five-piece Adelaide rockers ‘Ron the Ox’ take the stage at 2pm in the courtyard of the Kingsford Hotel.
For more information, visit the CHANGE Original Music Festival Facebook page.