The event, held at the Gore Town & Country Club last weekend, was a smash hit, with visitors coming everywhere from Auckland to Bluff to check it out.
Throughout the weekend, attendees came and went from the hub, enjoying good country music, line dancing, and another example of just how Gore became the country music capital of New Zealand.
The crown jewel, of course, was the showcase on Saturday night, when Australian country music icon Adam Harvey brought his talents over the ditch for the first time in 23 years.
The award-winning musician showed exactly how he won nine Australian Gold Guitar awards and sold over a half a million records, with a captivating performance balancing classic country bravado with the humble charm Harvey is renowned for.
Harvey was absolutely blown away by New Zealand. He and his family had travelled around New Zealand before performing and the musician was ready to come back any time.
"It’s just beautiful. The landscape down here is next level. We went to places like Cromwell, the Catlins, worked our way down here. We have had the best time.
"It’s really beautiful. My wife and I have always loved New Zealand, and we’re coming back. You’re not gonna get rid of us," he laughed.
Gore especially has caught his eye, as Harvey said as he travelled in and explored the district he understood why country music has its stronghold down here, recalling the farmers, the agricultural roots, and how they just get the music a little more.
"These are the people that can connect with those. Driving around here, seeing the farmland, the new calves, spring lambs, these are our core fan base.
"They’re the ones we love, and they get what we’re singing about when we talk about how important family is, how community is. The big city audiences don’t quite have that connection," he said.
Hometown hero and former NZ Gold Guitar Awards winner Jenny Mitchell also returned back home for the Saturday show after making a big splash in the Australian country music scene.
Mitchell was met with a massive response from the audience on Saturday, and said no matter how much she travels, it’s always a little special back home.
"It’s always great to be back, this is obviously where the Golden Guitars is, it just feels so special to here, it just always feels so special being back," she said.
Mitchell, fresh from supporting Casey Chambers for her run of 32 shows earlier this year, said although she was now based in Australia on their music circuit, she would always find the time to come back to where it all began.
"I just love playing here. I’m always going to be coming back and forth, there’s just something great about Southland audiences.
"A lot of the people have been coming to my shows since I was 16 years old. It’s really nice," she said.
Convener Julie Mitchell said the weekend was "wonderful", with travellers from far and away coming down to experience not only country music, but Gore.
"It’s just great to see new faces heading into town, that’s our goal. Visitors from Auckland to Bluff, we were over the moon," she said.
Mrs Mitchell said it was a way to help inspire and encourage country music in Gore, as well as spreading the good word of the district to not only New Zealand but across the ditch, too.
Mrs Mitchell said, after it had all wrapped up, the only question on the Sunday night was next year’s lineup, promising more big names.
