What a journey (for us all, I suspect!) - here is Part 4

Gig #4 – Coonamble 

Outback Arts did so much work in putting this tour together and have been especially encouraging of my ideas of bringing original music to their slice of NSW it seemed fitting that we’d finish our run at their Outback Archies Awards Night. I was fortunate enough to have played the same night last year and have a lot of fun doing it. 

Between Lightning Ridge and Coonamble we made a stop in Walgett so Dale could run a percussion…

With 1/16th of a tank of petrol and paying no attention to the fuel gauge the journey continues...

Gig #3 – Lightning Ridge 

The forecast was for a 42 degree day. In September. Normally I would veto any suggestion of leaving the car and it’s apathy inducing A/C but en route to “The Ridge” is something worth the stop. In the town of Brewarrina there are built some fish traps. By which I mean: 

The Brewarrina Fish Traps are a complex arrangement of stone walls… nearly half a kilometre in length, these fish…

Part 2 finds our fearless troubadours headed for Bourke

Gig #2 – Bourke 

I’d never been to Bourke. Heard lots about it, probably only 50% or less of which is true, like anywhere, so I was keen to go. Enthusiasm for the drive was tempered however by the realisation that my carefully curated playlist would be drowned out by the sound of the van… And Dale will back me up, those speakers are in the worst place Toyota, so get your act together and think of the musos. Anyway, as we shouted at each other in…

Welcome to "How The West Was (Probably Not) Won (This time… but may well be one day)" - my multi-part recounting of the adventures I had with a good friend on a recent tour of Western NSW... hope you like light reading!

I’d been thinking for a while that there was a need, maybe for my own curiosity or perhaps an overblown sense of faux-altruism, to take my music in the opposite direction to what most people aim. 

No, I don’t mean to the bottom of the charts, although one could occasionally be forgiven for…

To do list:

• Before we get to everything I want to say, I have to recommend the new Gang of Youths album - Go Farther In Lightness, seriously, go listen now, it's that good - Australian music is in a really good place right now.
• Send me a hello https://m.me/clintonhoymusic and I'll send you my new track "Stare at the Clouds" and you can be among the first in the world to hear it! (at the time of writing perhaps 12 people have heard this, so not first, but still pretty good.

So the pieces are…

Anyone who's been part of a music scene knows you can't do it alone - thankfully in Dubbo, we don't have to and periodically I'll have a chat to other local musos and share them with all of you! 

In Episode #2 I have a chat to Simon Allen who plays around the area solo and with the Simon Allen Trio, head on over to Facebook and give 'em a like!

Of all the questions that keep me awake at night a big one is, as a musician, what can I give people (that they want!) - I'm starting to believe that the age of the free download for an email address is done. They're like toasters for wedding presents. There's never been a time where we have more direct access to the artists we like, yet many artists are stuck with the old ways. The "if you build it they will come" mentality. Thing is, so many people are building, and music fans only have so much time... so…

There was going to be something else this week - but life happens right? Instead I did this, I hope you like it

LISTEN: https://clintonhoy.bandcamp.com/track/streets-of-dubbo

I used to think that waiting for this place to change 
Was like sitting at Sandy Beach, waiting for a wave 
Or my the chance of my return would be akin 
To having my filmclip premiere up Bourke Hill at the old drive in 

Streets of Dubbo are quiet 
It’s only Wednesday night 
And I’m resigned to staying here 
Longer than I thought I might 
…

Anyone who's been part of a music scene knows you can't do it alone - thankfully in Dubbo, we don't have to and periodically I'll have a chat to other local musos and share them with all of you!

First up is Fred Randell from Civil Hands (with some bonus live audio at the end!)

...according to me 

Mastodon - Emperor of Sand 

Rag 'n' Bone Man - Human 

Dead Letter Circus - The Endless Mile 

Kingswood - After Hours, Close to Dawn 

Fractures - Still Here 

Rise Against - Wolves 

The Smith Street Band - More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me 

Sean Rowe - New Lore 

Father John Misty - Pure Comedy 

Damien Dempsey - Soulsun 

At The Drive In - in.ter a.li.a 

Busby Marou - Postcards from the Shell House 

Anything I'm missing?

Love to hear your list too!

Clint