Stawell is ready to rock
Stawell will rock to the sounds of the 1980s on Saturday night as live-music fans gather at Laidlaw Park for a major community concert.
Stawell Harness Racing Club is presenting ‘Back to the 80s at Trackside’, a free open-air concert featuring a line-up of iconic acts from a unique era of Australian pop music.
There has been a rapid public response to the free-entry ticketed event, which means a capacity crowd of about 1000 at the park is all but assured. A booking agency had listed all tickets gone early this week.
Harness club chief executive Lisa Mcilvride said the event, starting at 4.30pm, was about getting the community together to celebrate after coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are doing this for free because we wanted to give something back to the community and we’re thrilled to pieces everyone has embraced it and jumped on board,” she said.
“We’re pretty much full and the economic impact for the town will be great. There are a lot of people coming, not only locally but from Melbourne and other parts of the state. They are coming from everywhere and it should be fantastic.
“Everyone will be looking towards the Grampians and a setting sun. There will be food and drink booths and we also have a kids entertainment.
“You can’t just turn up, you must have a ticket and all the COVID-19 regulations apply.
“A big thanks to our board, especially Nigel Keating and his advice in helping with it all. It has been fantastic.”
Back to the 80s at Trackside features an ‘Absolutely 80s’ show with the likes of Brian Mannix from the Uncanny X-men, Sean Kelly from the Models, Eurogliders,
Scott Carne from Kids in the Kitchen and Ally Fowler, Chantoozies.
Gavin Wood from former television show Countdown will compere the event.
Show spokesman Scott Carne said the twilight concert would feature acts playing their big hits and culminating in a big finale at the end of the show.
“Musically the show is about stepping back into the 1980s and recreating the songs the way they were intended. It’s a full band production with a big sound and light show,” he said.
“Hats off to the harness club for doing this for the community.”
The Backline, featuring Wimmera musicians, will play first-up before the main act and the show overall will finish about dusk.