The streets will be alive with the sound of music when buskers invade Warrnambool’s CBD for the Wunta Shop Til You Drop on February 10. While plenty of shoppers are guaranteed, more buskers are needed to fill the streets between 11am and 2pm. All kinds of performers are welcome. To sign up contact Wunta committee chairwoman Ali Slorach on 0409 250 223. Buskers need one-off busking permits to play at the event.
Wunta's big home-brew music serve -- Matt Neal. Warrnambool Standard 2nd Feb. 2006 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 2006. All rights reserved
MUSIC at this month's Wunta Festival will have a totally local flavour, whether it be the street buskers or headline acts at Lake Pertobe.The revamped event will celebrate the south-west's music industry during three days, beginning with a busker-filled CBD on Friday, February 10. Wunta committee chairperson Ali Slorach said the Bendigo Bank Shop Til You Drop event from 11am until 2pm on Friday, February 10 would feature street performers entertaining shoppers. ``I think it will create a festival feel,'' Ms Slorach said. ``People can come out to lunch and listen to music.'' She said musicians and street performers had already signed up but more were needed. Entertainment co-ordinator Larry Lawson said the buskers would perfectly compliment the entirely local line-up that will grace three stages during the weekend. ``We have a richly talented group of musicians here,'' Mr Lawson said. ``We just thought this was an opportunity to bring back more local content and promote the local talent.'' The highlight will be the reunion of Blue Heat, Warrnambool's award-winning blues band, which reformed for the first time in about seven years for two gigs early in 2005. Mr Lawson said it was a coup to get the band back together yet again. ``They're hesitant to do one-off gigs they're all very talented and they're all very wary that they have a reputation to uphold,'' he said. Mr Lawson said the diverse line-up showed off the range of music the south-west had to offer jazz, blues, surf music, rockabilly, alternative-rock and Celtic folk. Friday night's street concert features Trevor and Boyd, Hog Stompin' Zydegators and Tank Dilemma. Saturday's Jazz/Blues In The Garden event will feature Gavin Franklin's Dot Deviators, Tabasco Jazz and the first of Blue Heat's performances. The Sunday concert at Lake Pertobe will feature Aniar, Surge Whitewater And The Filthy Left, The Monaros, Sky Rockats and culminates with Blue Heat. For details on how to sign up for a spot as a busker at Wunta, check out today's Offbeat page.
Thousands flock to 25th Wunta -- Warrnambool Standard Feb. 9th, 2009 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 2009. All rights reserved
WUNTA'S quarter-century was celebrated in true Warrnambool spirit as thousands flocked to Lake Pertobe for the 25th fiesta's final day. More than 3000 people were at the lakeside yesterday to soak up the sun during the seven-hour concert. The mercury sat on a more comfortable 21 degrees after Saturday, the hottest day since records have been kept. An overhaul of Wunta's Friday night festivities proved to be a winner with more than 2000 people heading to Flagstaff Hill for the family concert after the Liebig Street outdoor format was scrapped in October. A smaller crowd headed to the Emmanuel College Hall for a Neil Diamond tribute cabaret ball which was also held on the first night of the fiesta. More than 2000 music lovers congregated for Jazz in the Botanic Gardens on Saturday despite the searing heat. "Overall, the crowd has been really well behaved and we've made no arrests at any of the Wunta celebrations so far this weekend," Sergeant Paul Matheson, of Warrnambool police, said. "Friday night at Flagstaff Hill went really well so I think the format change contributed to removing that under-age drinking element in the CBD that we've had to face over the years." The foreshore precinct hosted the fiesta's final day yesterday with a concert featuring local acts such as the Pocket Rockets and Strange Brew as well as ABBA tribute band BABBA. Warrnambool's June and John Steel said the Day at the Lake's combination of music and pleasant weather made for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon. "They've put on a great show. We keep coming back year after year," Mrs Steel said. Laughs aplenty were had at the Undy 500 fun run yesterday when Warrnambool's Phil McKellar took out first prize in the popular stripped sprint. More than $2 million worth of classic cars were displayed at the Show 'n' Shine adjacent to the Day on the Lake festivities. Tower Hill's Don Bartlett said it was the first time he had displayed his 1959 Cadillac since he bought it from its New Jersey owner four years ago. "I've entered a few of my cars in these display days because there's plenty of people interested in having a look," he said. "Cadillacs are always popular. Elvis Presley himself owned two or three of the exact same model." Wunta committee chairman Larry Lawson said this year's fiesta fulfilled his expectations. "The changes that we introduced this year seemed to have been welcomed by most people and most of the weekend's events have been well attended," he said. "We made a conscious decision last year to change the Friday night format given that Wunta on Liebig had its challenges." Mr Lawson said he expected only minor changes to Wunta 2010's program with the possibility of rescheduling the fiesta's cabaret ball. "We have a little bit of work to do on the ball but from all reports we had, the people that attended really enjoyed the night," he said. "I think moving the fireworks from Sunday night to Friday worked well and holding it down at the breakwater was a more visually attractive display."
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