Community & Business
22 October, 2024
“Nothing else like it”
So said Victorian squeezebox performer Leon Conway who travelled up for Maclagan’s Squeezebox Festival on Saturday at the Maclagan Memorial Hall.
Conway said the Maclagan Festival is well known across Australia in squeezebox.
“There’s a lot of talk about it down south,” he said.
“It’s the most Australian (squeezebox) event out there.
“Most other concerts are more European.”
The day was packed with music from 9am to 5pm, with a short interlude for lunch.
Over 20 performers took to the old stage, with a combined act at the end of the day.
This was followed by a dinner and dance in the evening.
Former Accordion Society of Australia President Cath Day (Macquarie Lakes) and Vince Fuda (Brisbane) performed a duet for the first time in over 15 years.
“We love the country atmosphere,” Day said.
“Everyone’s so lovely.
“The good thing is it doesn’t matter what level you are at.”
Day and Fuda had previously travelled through Europe as part of a touring troupe of five performers.
The age of performers varied widely.
Student Ollie from St. Mary’s College in Toowoomba was the youngest while the oldest performer was aged 87.
The Maclagan Squeezebox Festival was founded in 2023 and celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.
Performer Les Weedon was the instigator of the first festival.
The term squeezebox refers to any ‘hand-held bellows-driven free reed aerophones’ including accordions and concertinas.
