Campsite gigs share love of music

Story: April Spadina. Photos: Cody Fox

Nestled beneath towering gums alongside a tranquil lake, music drifts across the water and meanders throughout the valley to relaxed holiday makers, kicking back alongside campfires and settling down for a night of entertainment. This is a lifestyle choice for musical duo Tam and Ade as they travel the countryside playing gigs in regional areas. 

Tamara and Adrian Williams are no strangers to entertaining and have an extensive repertoire of more than three hundred songs from sweet melodies to rock classics, giving them the ability to adapt their performance to any occasion. With Ade’s multiple musical disciplines and Tam’s incredible vocal range, the down-to-earth couple started their musical career in Emerald before moving to Hervey Bay. From heavy metal to gospel church bands, their history in music has covered a wide range of genres, sometimes converting rock songs to heart-felt acoustic versions as they add their own unique twist. Adrian also writes originals with Tamara’s rich vocal variety in mind and these tracks are peppered throughout their performance as they belt out songs at markets and events around the region.

Moving to the coast from inland Queensland has been a wonderful sea-change for Tam and Ade and they have explored their surroundings in their camper, entertaining along the way. Recently they travelled from Qld to NSW on a musical journey, playing gigs at campsites along the way and establishing themselves as part of the musical patchwork of Australia’s East Coast. Regional areas are a huge drawcard for them as they bring their act to the smaller townships, sharing live music with the locals and enjoying good ol’ country hospitality. 

For Tamara and Adrian, sharing their gift is what it’s all about and you’ll often find them sitting alongside the pristine beaches of Hervey Bay, strumming a guitar and singing into the wind for no other reason than to share their joy and love of music with others. 

 

This story appears in the June 2024 edition of Fraser Coast Scene, our monthly guide to What's On across our Cultural Services venues.

The creation of this story and photography was funded by Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Fraser Coast Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.