SUMMER nights with live music are back in a big way with around 400 people kicking up their heels at the first A Night in Nashville gig on Friday.
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Book Orange's Bec Hammond was delighted with the success of the inaugural country music bonanza at the Orange Showground's agricultural pavilion on Friday for which 420 tickets were sold, with a similar story for Saturday night's second performance.
"We are beyond happy, it was such a successful night," Mrs Hammond said on Saturday.
"We played it quite safe this year, obviously with COVID and as far as number go, so last night was a really good tester to see how many people we could actually fit inside the barn and on the outside of it as well," she said.
"We're thinking bigger and better next year. There was lots of room for people to manoeuvre which under the current circumstances was probably a good thing."
Mrs Hammond said the Showground's pavilions were the perfect venue for the event.
"Basically you stepped right inside of Nashville, the big agricultural pavilion is the perfect barn for the event. We just had it all decked out with all the festoon lighting, hay everywhere..."
A backdrop with the words 'I believe in Nashville' also set the tone, has did a mechanical bull.
Following the success of Friday night's performance Book Orange released another 150 tickets for the Saturday evening event which featured Robbie Mortimer and the Stayhorns, Luke Furbank, Clancy Pye, the Neil Gill Band and Justin Landers.
"The local artists were incredible, we're pretty lucky to have such incredible artists in Orange," Mrs Hammond said.
The support for two evenings' entertainment has encouraged Book Orange to consider expanding A Night in Nashville next year.
"For next year we are planning on releasing a lot more tickets," Mrs Hammond said, putting the number at over 600 per performance, and while Orange people would always be the backbone, targeting a wider pool from the central west or Sydney was also a goal.
... we're pretty lucky to have such incredible artists in Orange.
- Book Orange's Bec Hammond
"We're wanting to draw people to the region for it. There was a lot of locals last night, which is something we are concentrating on as well.
"With all the food and wine [in Orange] we draw a lot of tourists which is amazing and what we want for Orange but we'd like to throw these events that are really good for the locals as well."
Mrs Hammond said the feedback from the patrons was also encouraging.
"I think that's what made it so worthwhile at the end of the night. Locking up the bar, everyone was so well behaved... there were a few people hanging around at the end and they said "well done".
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