Australian singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers talks travel

TRAVELLING comes with the territory but good coffee, music and simple holidays are a huge draw for this singer-songwriter.

Kasey Chambers at the launch of the Urban Country Music Festival. Picture: Tara Croser.

AT HOME on the NSW Central Coast, Australian singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers says travel has always been “food for song”.

Chambers, who spent the first 10 years of her childhood travelling the Nullarbor Plain with her fox-hunting father, says experiencing other cultures has played a big part in shaping the artist she is today.

Preparing for the Urban Country Music Festival in Caboolture, Queensland, next month, she will join more than 160 talented artists performing at the three-day event.

What are you looking forward to most at the festival?

KC: One of the best things about the festival is the chance to see all my favourite artists and friends playing. I’ll do my gig and then watch Beccy Cole and Busby Marou and all the people that I love to listen to, I might even sing with them.

It’s a bit like a little reunion for me. There’s such a great vibe at the festival, you can’t help but have fun.

If you had friends coming to visit you on the NSW Central Coast, what would you insist they see?

KC: When I’m not on tour, I play at a little spot called Cafe Camino every other Thursday. It’s a tiny little restaurant in Avoca Beach with a cool eclectic kind of feel. Another favourite is the Six String Brewing. They’ve got great live music and delicious honey prawns. My dad runs a jam at Quattro in Erina so I sometimes get to jam with him and they serve a nice Glenlivet scotch and very good coffee.

I guess I go where there’s good food and music (laughs).

Has anything gone wrong while you have been travelling?

KC: I was on tour in America when I was seven months pregnant, I don’t know why I thought that was a good idea.

On the second to last gig we played in Chicago, I got four songs into the set and I just passed out. I was obviously just tired and overworked from the tour in America. I had to cancel the last gig and fly home and put my feet up and act like a normal pregnant woman for the last couple of months.

I was glad in one way, the record label felt really bad so they bumped me up to business class to fly home.

Kasey Chambers always has a photo taken at the Big Golden Guitar outside Tamworth. Picture: Tourism NSW.

Where was your last holiday?

KC: I’m really lucky that I get to travel a lot in Australia and overseas, I’ve been to some amazing places. But when it comes to holidays, this is going to sound really daggy, I like doing something simple.

My last holiday was with a few of my best mates, my kids and their kids in a caravan park for a week. We had a blast. My three boys had lots of fun so if they’re happy, I’m happy.

Cheesiest thing you’ve done travelling?

KC: Every year, I go up to the big guitar during the Tamworth Country Music Festival and get a photo.

The Urban Country Music Festival runs 2-4 May. See urbancountry.com.au

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