Driving into Armidale last Saturday you couldn’t help but get excited as you made your way through town past hundreds of people waiting at the designated bus stops, Edwards Coaches going hither and thither, motels displaying no vacancy signs, even in Uralla, and a very infectious party atmosphere as you headed out to Petersons Winery for the very first “A Day on the Green’.
The sun was shining, the dust was swirling and thousands of Oz rock fans reminisced over the eighties glory days of classic rock, where real men had mullets and the chicks toughed it out with the best of them. Over 6500 fans poured through the gates and settled in for an afternoon and evening of Australia’s best rock musicians.
The Choirboys began the show with their hits Run to Paradise and Boys Will Be Boys, belted out to the appreciative audience. This was followed by Dragons’ front man Mark Williams strutting his stuff on stage. Dragons’ drummer Pete Drummond stole the show with his awesome drum solo that surely must have registered on the Richter Scale. Richard Clapton followed, and was popular with the audience; Daddy Cool’s Ross Wilson performed the much anticipated Eagle Rock. Aussie Pub Rock legends Noiseworks finished out the evening performing their killer rock anthems including No Lies and Take Me Back.
Roundhouse Entertainment Director Michael Newton couldn’t have been happier with the running of their first Day on the Green at Petersons Winery.
“We have had a sensational day and apparently it was the warmest day in Armidale all summer, so we really scored with the weather,” said Michael.
“There are over 6000 people, nearly 7000, so we are really thrilled with the turnout.
“It is our first show and we are really rapt with everything going really smoothly.”
The event had a few challenges for the team from A Day on the Green, with the different wineries the show performs at always throwing up a few curve balls.
“Every winery is different due to its geography and the landscape so there are always challenges,” said Michael.
“We have run nearly 300 shows in wineries around Australia and New Zealand, so we have a really good site department and people who manage the traffic. We always feel like we have things under control.”
The support Michael and his team at A Day on the Green have had from the community from the very early days of its inception has been a real highlight for Michael.
“We have had an amazing response and we are really happy that there has been a tangible benefit to the community,” said Michael.
“It really brings the community together and everyone should be really proud of how they have all responded to this show.
“With the success of this show we are already planning next year’s event.”
Story: Jo Harrison
