The Lake Macquarie-based artist produced a video for Facebook giving muster fans a taste of his vocal stylings by singing ‘‘Coz I am playing the Deni Ute Muster’’ and, continuously breaking into a smile throughout, telling his fans how excited he was.
Aaron Jurd and The Banned have been named among the SunRice Day Stage performers for Saturday, October 5.
Speaking to the Pastoral Times this week, Jurd revealed that attending a Deni Ute Muster a few years ago was one of the driving forces in him becoming a performer.
‘‘I went to the Ute Muster the year Alan Jackson played (2013). I was in the audience and just blown away by the environment.
‘‘I remember thinking then ‘I’d love to be on that stage one day’, little did I know a few years later I would be accepted to play at the Muster.
‘‘I was only just starting out (in my musical career) when I attended that muster, but I had been writing songs since I was 15.
‘‘For the last five years I have been playing in cover bands, and it’s only since graduation from the 2018 CMAA Academy of Country Music I really started getting my own music out there.
‘‘I knew I always wanted to be a performer though, and the Muster played a big part in me knowing I wanted to do that.’’
The 2013 event is the only Muster Jurd has been to so far, but said that’s only because life and his career got in the way.
‘‘I went to that Muster with two mates, and every year since we would say ‘are we going to go this year?’, but we had to work or our weekends off did not line up.
‘‘It is one of my favourite festivals I have been to, and it will be great to come and be a part of it again.
‘‘Hopefully I can come back in other years too, if not as a performer than in the audience.’’
Other day stage artists locked in for Saturday include the Chloe Styler Band, Whistle Dixie, the Pete Denahy Band and Blake O’Connor with Gareth Leech.
On Friday, gracing the day stage will be Heidi Moncrieff, Great Aunt, Jody Direen, Georgia State Line, Mike Carr and The Mason Boys.
They are in stellar company with main stage performers including Tim McGraw, Lee Kernaghan, John Williamson, Beccy Cole, Ross Wilson, Travis Collins, Adam Harvey, Sunny Cowgirls, Ben Ransom and Aleyce Simmonds.
But the Muster is not all about music.
In addition to the traditional Singlet Muster, Show ‘n’ Shine, bull ride and barrel racing, go to wo and circlework competitions, there’s a host of around the grounds entertainment confirmed.
These include wood chopping, whip cracking, Brophy Bros Wild West Circus, Peter Hodge Camel Rides, Trackless Train, Australian Ride on Lawn Mower Racing Association races, Real Dinosaurs, Wild Action animal encounters, Muster sandpit, pedal go karts, zorb balls, wheel of death acrobatics, rock climbing wall, helicopter rides, Berkley Supertank, Ranger Nick, bogan bingo and the ever popular Carnival Corner and Decentralised Demountables Family Centre.
General admission tickets for the event are available at www.deniutemuster.com.au, or from Muster HQ in Hardinge St, Deniliquin.