Country folk ready for a knees-up
VICKI ANDERSON - The Press
Supplied
TOPP ACT: The Topp Twins are the headline act at the Summer Hoedown in Hagley Park tomorrow.
Get the wagons in a circle – there's a hoedown in Hagley Park tomorrow.
Like the lowdown varmints it tells stories about, country music has been treated badly. It has long endured sniggers and taunts from the mainstream for its association with hillbillies, hayseeds and slack-jawed yokels. But the genre that has endlessly mined tales of pickup trucks, chickens and lonely lovers has experienced a resurgence in recent years.
Artists such as Taylor Swift attract a younger generation of country music fans to the fold.
Christchurch has a long association with country music and a large crowd is expected at the Topp Twins' Summer Hoedown at Hagley Park North tomorrow.
New Zealand's most recognisable twins, Lynda and Jools Topp – once described as "more fun than a possum up your trousers" – perform alongside the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, fiddler Marian Burns, multiple Tui award-winner Tami Neilson and 15-year-old rising star Cameron Luxton.
But just what is a hoedown?
Neilson, who with her family band, The Neilsons, once opened for Johnny Cash, says the hoedown in Hagley will just be a "fun party".
I went in search of likely attendees.
Outside a ticketing agency, Sarah Peters, 17, and her friend Jessica Banks, 16, said they were going with their parents to the hoedown because they were being "forced" to attend.
"I don't know what a hoedown is," Peters said. "But, like, the word 'ho' has a totally different meaning for my generation. The tickets were quite expensive for Mum and Dad, $75 each, but only $30 for students, so they're making us go too."
The pair were, however, keen to keep an open mind.
Robin Loader, of the Longhorn Leather Shop, said he and his wife were planning to attend the hoedown just to see the Topp Twins. However, the store had not seen any increase in demand for cowboy hats or oversized belt buckles featuring eagles.
"We haven't seen an increase in business, unfortunately. Country people tend to be quite handy types who make their own outfits. We get more business from events like the Fetish Ball."
The Topp Twins offered a special ticket giveaway to the concert to reward Canterbury volunteers, nominated through their website, for their efforts during the Christchurch earthquake.
Gates open tomorrow at 4.30pm and entertainment starts at 6pm.
Yeeha?
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