#project u

By T Lane  What do you get when you put on a free show in the heart of Newcastle with some of Australia's premier solo artists? The Bands Are Breaking Up - a really special acoustic fest at Newcastle's Hamilton Station Hotel. First off I just want to note that I don’t know if I have ever felt as welcome at a show as I did at TBBABU For this, I really want to thank Wil Houlcroft and the rest of the staff (and patrons) at the Hamo, even in registered Safe Space's sometimes it is difficult to maintain a welcoming and inclusive vibe but TBABU did not struggle with this at all. 

Everywhere you looked there were old friends smiling and hugging, new friends striking up conversations and plenty of singalongs. I don't know if I could talk about everyone who played because that would take forever but rest assured everyone who played was fabulous and a very worthy inclusion on a packed lineup across two stages and a whole afternoon and night. Though the charm of the Beer Garden stage was often marred by a thick haze of second-hand smoke and loud conversations it was still a beautiful setting for a bunch of lovely performances including ones early in the day from the likes of Erin Kidd, Eli Knight,Paul Ginty and Joel Sweetman. 

I can almost guarantee that if you have been 5 or more gigs in Sydney (and/or Newcastle/Woolongong) you will have crossed paths with the kind smiling soul that is, David James Young. Playing as his musical moniker, Nothing Rhymes With David, he let everyone inside his beautiful heart and mind and proved that along with being perhaps the most beloved punter in the NSW music community he is a hell of an artist in his own right.

Sad Grrrls Club founder and real life angel, Rachel Maria Cox, shone like the shining star they are with a beautiful, intimate set that may or may not have made me tear up a bit. It was also announced that hundreds of dollars were raised for the Butterfly Foundation on the day during Rachel's set which was a really special moment.

One of the sets of the day was the collaborative set with Wil Houlcroft, Andrew Richmond and Newcastles favourite son, Spencer Scott. They played a bunch of each other's songs and some rad covers and had the crowd in the palm of their hand like I have never seen before. 

The triple headline threat of dynamic trio Jen Buxton, Lucy Wilson and Lincoln LeFevre was probably enough of a lineup on its own and was the icing on the cake of a fantastic day. All 3 sets were magic from start to finish and made the show seem more like a family reunion than a gig. 

Oh if only there was a way to relive this amazing day.