Gladstone region next stop on Acoustic Guitar Spectacular tour

The Acoustic Guitar Spectacular is set to host a range of workshops and perform sets at various Gladstone townships in July.

The Acoustic Guitar Spectacular - Regional Tour is making its way to the Gladstone Region nextmonth with a series of performances and workshops. (L - R): Chris Tamwoy, Michael Fix and Sarah Kopppen.

Residents will have the opportunity to learn guitar from internationally acclaimed artists, with a regional tour making its way to Gladstone.

The Acoustic Guitar Spectacular is set to host a range of workshops and perform sets at various Gladstone townships in July.

The group, made up of internationally acclaimed guitarists Michael Fix, Chris Tamwoy and Sarah Koppen will perform at Agnes Water, Calliope, Miriam Vale, Mount Larcom, Boyne Island and Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre (GECC) on July 10 to July 15.

Gladstone region Councillor Glenn Churchill said the performances were structured so that each guitarist would feature as a solo artist, as well as performing as an ensemble, allowing plenty of opportunity for spontaneity and improvisation.

“Each guitarist is known for their ability to entertain, and each present their unique music with a view to engage and delight audiences with stories, songs and humour, making it a performance aimed for all people, not just guitar aficionados,” Mr Churchill said.

“All three guitarists have such diverse musical backgrounds, so this is definitely a unique opportunity to see them together on the one stage.”

Mr Churchill said the free workshops would be available to people who had purchased a ticket to any of the performances.

“Each workshop will be one hour in duration and spaced 30 minutes apart, meaning attendees can participate in one workshop or all three.

“Guitars won’t be provided but you are welcome to bring your own, however you don’t need a guitar to attend.”

Local community groups will also have food and drink options available at each location to raise money for their respective clubs.

Acoustic Guitar Spectacular workshops will also take place at the GECC Playhouse on Thursday, July 15 and are free for anyone who purchases a ticket to one of the performances, with bookings essential.

Workshop details:

10am, Learn a Torres Strait Islander song with Chris Tamwoy

Learn a traditional Torres Strait Islander song, Monkey & Tortol for guitar and voice with Chris Tamwoy. Chris will also demonstrate his unique style of guitar playing and performance technique.

11.30am, Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop with Michael Fix

Learn the fine art of fingerstyle guitar and explore the mechanics of arranging popular tunes in a variety of styles for solo guitar. Michael presents his workshops in a breezy, humorous style, answering questions and addressing issues with personal anecdotes.

1pm, Percussive Guitar & Live Looping Workshop with Sarah Koppen

Explore the capabilities of sounding like an entire band using an acoustic guitar, loop machine and FX pedals. Starting with the very basics, participants will explore the different percussion sounds achievable on the hollow cavity of the acoustic guitar. The workshop will then investigate ways of combining these techniques with various guitar FX pedals to create a full sound.

Performance dates are:

 2pm, Saturday 10 July at Agnes Water Community Centre

 2pm, Sunday 11 July at Calliope Community Centre

 7pm, Monday 12 July at Miriam Vale Community Centre

 7pm, Tuesday 13 July at Mount Larcom Community Centre

 7pm, Wednesday 14 July at Boyne Tannum Community Centre

 7pm, Thursday 15 July at Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre.

All tickets are $10 each and can be purchased via www.gladstoneentertainment.com or by calling

the GECC Box Office on 4972 2822. Tickets will also be available at the door.