Kumbia’s own, Multiple Golden Guitar winner, Tom Curtain, has again hit the road, to celebrate the release of his fifth studio album ‘Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us’ which debuted at Number 1 on the Australian iTunes Country Music Chart in October.
Tom is touring his national award-winning outback show, Katherine Outback Experience and live music event through Northern Territory, Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
It’s been three years since Curtain last toured the east coast due to ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns.
“It’s been a tough few years for the entertainment and tourism industries but we have to keep pushing forward, even if it means changing plans last minute and trying new things,” he said.
The outback show comprises an hour of horse training and working dog demonstrations including hands-on fun for the kids followed by live music by Tom and fellow singer songwriters Chris Matthews and Melissa Fraser.
“Our show on the road is a snapshot of the experience in Katherine. It’s more about the training of the animals and we are passionate about making it really family orientated,” Tom said.
“It’s raw and real. Guests love the interaction with the animals and feel like they get extra value for the training tips we share,” the singer-songwriter said.
Tom’s tourist attraction, Katherine Outback Experience, won 2021 Best Tourist Attraction in Australia at the National Tourism Awards and more recently was awarded the Best Tourist Attraction at the Northern Territory Tourism Awards for the fourth consecutive year.
A cause close to Tom’s heart is Dolly’s Dream.
As an official ambassador, Tom uses his music and shows as a platform to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in our rural communities.
“We are still getting a lot of really positive responses to my song, Speak Up, because unfortunately the message resonates all too well with the communities we visit,” Tom said.
“We hear from a lot of families saying that the song has given them an opportunity to talk to their kids about the lyrics and what’s going on in their lives,” he said.
Despite the challenges of the last few years, Tom hasn’t slowed down.
In October he released his fifth album, produced by the renown Garth Porter at Rancom St Studios in Sydney. He has been enjoying chart success with the first two singles released from the album both going to No.1 on the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart of which he currently holds the longest run on the Chart at 26 weeks with his single ‘Why We Live Out Here’.
Tom and his team have already performed 20 shows since leaving Katherine in late October with his two youngest children, Harry, three and Lottie, one, wife Annabel, three staff, Isobell, Rod and Kellie, eight horses, twelve dogs and three goats.
“Logistically it’s a bit tougher this year with two busy toddlers on the road but it’s all part of the adventure,” he said.
“This is the sixth consecutive summer we have toured and every year we are getting better at it with small improvements or new technology,” Tom said.
Over the coming months the show will continue winding south through Queensland and NSW for the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January before continuing down through Victoria followed by Tasmania with just the music and then into South Australia. The team will then commence the journey home back to the Northern Territory ready for the 2023 tourist season to commence in May 2023.
Their next show is on Friday, 6 January at the Kumbia Racecourse.
