WAM sets up third regional touring circuit, covers Goldfields-Esperance

Following the success of its Wheatbelt and Pilbara touring circuits, WA’s peak music association WAM has started a third regional circuit.

The new Goldfield-Esperance touring circuit will travel over 1200 kilometres taking contemporary music to the regions.

The pilot tour begins on Thursday April 12, with four free shows over four days in Esperance, Norseman, Kalgoorlie, and Leonora.

The two main bands are The Tapping Stickz and Grand Casual, who will be joined by local acts at each stop to unearth hidden talents and showcase them to their communities.

The Tapping Stickz, based in Leonora in the Goldfields, are a five-piece featuring three songwriters.

They cite ground breaking indigenous acts as Warumpi Band and Yabu Band as their influences, and have been recording with Drew Goddard of Karnivool.

Esperance blues, jazz, rock and soul three-piece Grand Casual, are due to release their first single ‘Soldiers’.

The dates are:

Thurs April 12 – Cannery Arts Centre, Esperance
With John Ratcliff, Rasgueado & Rachel Vibart.

Fri April 13 – Mark’s Park, Norseman
Local support act to be announced.

Sat April 14 – Lord Forrest Public Space, Kalgoorlie
With The Picture Gardens, Missgenius & Hannah Nicholas.

Sun April 15 – Public Park, Tower Street, Leonora
With Mick’s Band & guests.

The program is in association with the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission, and all the bands involved are on a curated Spotify playlist.

In the meantime, WAM has a new compilation, Demos From The Northern Goldfields, of works by ten mostly indigenous songwriters from the region.

It was recorded in local languages and English last year by producers and Rada Studios owners Matt Gio and Dan Carroll, in the historic Hoover House, designed and resided in by the future US president Herbert Hoover.

The set is launched in early June in Leonora during the WA Day long weekend in physical and digital formats.

WAM’s regional and project officer Nigel Bird called it an “exciting” project with “some great songs about country and culture by songwriters who are passionate about where they live.”