Newcastle country artists McAlister Kemp, Hurricane Fall and Max Jackson are setting sail in December as part of Cruisin' Country 2023.
They are on an all-star, boot-scootin' line-up that includes John Williamson, The Wolfe Brothers, Bill Chambers, Casey Barnes, Beccy Cole, Gord Bamford, Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont, Amber Lawrence and Kevin Bennett & The Flood, to name a few.
The seven-night cruise (December 1 to 8) on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas includes stop-offs at Noumea and Lifou, as well as a range of onboard activities and entertainment including themed parties, guitar and songwriting workshops, and immersive experiences with artists.
It's basically a country music festival at sea. Cabins are all but sold out but you can try your luck by visiting cruisincountry.com.au.
Art meets music
English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel releases his new 12-track studio album, i/o, on December 1.
And, in true Gabriel style, it is as much about art as it is music.
Continuing the idea developed for his US and UP albums, Gabriel invited a range of visual artists to contribute a piece of art to accompany the music. Each of i/o's 12 songs were handed to a world-renowned artist to create an accompanying work, whether paint, photography, sculpture or even plasticine.
This year the Sledgehammer singer has released a song to coincide with each new full moon.
Swift's hits at the Civic
Attention Swifties: an orchestral tribute to Taylor Swift is coming to Newcastle. It's called Wildest Dreams and it's happening at the Civic Theatre on December 2. A 24-piece symphony orchestra conducted by George Ellis will perform Taylor Swift's greatest hits with vocalists Taylor Moss, Kate DeAraugo, Aya Yves, Jana Lombart and Robyn Loau. Tickets are on sale now.
Also coming up at the Civic: The Bootleg Beatles (November 22); The Doors Alive (November 24); Belinda Carlisle (November 29); Tim Minchin (February 18 and 19); Superstars: A Musical Celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice (March 8 to 10); Graham Nash (March 20); Jessica Mauboy (March 22); John Williamson (March 23); Dawn French (April 19 and 20); The Imperfects Tour (April 21); Eireborne (April 27): Boney M (June 6); and Colin Hay (July 6).
