The man who was ‘too old to dance’ inspires Australia’s First Over 40s’ Rock Concert
Announcement posted by Not too old to Dance 28 Jun 2012
not2old2dance.com.au
A North Queensland man who was told he was "too old to dance" at a Cold Chisel concert has had the last laugh today, with the announcement that his aisle-dancing antics have inspired Australia's First Over 40s' Rock Concert.
The concert, Not too old to Dance, is expected to draw more than 3,000 ageing air guitar enthusiasts to Townsville in October, exactly one year and two days after Richard Fuller's double fist-pumping earned him a court hearing, a $450 fine and national media attention.
Mr Fuller said he is thrilled at the idea of an outdoor concert staged specifically for the mature market.
"I think Not too old to Dance is a brilliant concept," said Mr Fuller.
"If my experience last year taught me anything, it's that there are hoards of 'oldies' like me around that still want loud music, a few cold beers and the freedom to dance when the mood strikes them.
"There are always plenty of gigs on for the younger crowd and crooner fans -- especially here in regional Australia -- but this is the first I've heard of a day-long event custom made for the old rockers."
Not too old to Dance is the brain child of events organiser Margie Ryder. As the driving force behind award-winning events such as the Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival and the McDonald's Townsville Running Festival, Mrs Ryder knows how to stage a crowd-pleaser.
"Being an over-40 myself, I know that entertainment options for older people can be hard to come by – but that doesn’t mean we’re ready to sit down in our rocking chairs and take up knitting!
"Not too old to Dance will give us oldies the chance to get out and spend a day indulging in the things we love – not what the kids want, or the boss needs, or the yard is begging for. The concert will be all about the music we lived for – Cold Chisel, AC/DC, Hunters and Collectors, INXS – performed by some of the best cover bands Queensland has to offer including Back n Business and the Godfathers of Funk."
While the concert is sure to provide a fabulous duck walk (a la Angus Young) down memory lane, it also has a serious side with $10 from every ticket sold being donated to beyondblue.
"Depression and anxiety can often hit people as they reach their 40s," said Mrs Ryder.
"Life stressors such as being over-worked; the loss of loved ones; or simply the challenges of juggling life, work and family can be prominent as people reach their mid-40s. We simply want people to take some time out for themselves, get away from the hassle of every day challenges and just relax with friends.
"Not too old to Dance will be a fantastic event for Townsville -- not only for those music lovers who will rock up on the day, but for all those local businesses and community organisations that we will need to engage to pull off an event of this scale: sound, lighting, security, food vendors. We're particularly excited to be the first cab off the rank for soon-to-be-launched local ticketing agency – www.townsvilletickets.com.au," Mrs Ryder said.
But while everything is in place to deliver Not too old to Dance in October, sponsorship is still being sought to help bring Mrs Ryder's idea to life.
"I'd love to see organisations such as funeral insurance companies and health providers embrace the tongue-in-cheek spirit of this event by coming on board as sponsors. It's certainly a unique opportunity for brands to get in front of the busy decision-makers for a whole day and put on an event that they'll never forget…. At least not until the Alzheimer's sets in."
For more information and to join the Not too old to Dance mailing list go to www.not2old2dance.com.
The concert, Not too old to Dance, is expected to draw more than 3,000 ageing air guitar enthusiasts to Townsville in October, exactly one year and two days after Richard Fuller's double fist-pumping earned him a court hearing, a $450 fine and national media attention.
Mr Fuller said he is thrilled at the idea of an outdoor concert staged specifically for the mature market.
"I think Not too old to Dance is a brilliant concept," said Mr Fuller.
"If my experience last year taught me anything, it's that there are hoards of 'oldies' like me around that still want loud music, a few cold beers and the freedom to dance when the mood strikes them.
"There are always plenty of gigs on for the younger crowd and crooner fans -- especially here in regional Australia -- but this is the first I've heard of a day-long event custom made for the old rockers."
Not too old to Dance is the brain child of events organiser Margie Ryder. As the driving force behind award-winning events such as the Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival and the McDonald's Townsville Running Festival, Mrs Ryder knows how to stage a crowd-pleaser.
"Being an over-40 myself, I know that entertainment options for older people can be hard to come by – but that doesn’t mean we’re ready to sit down in our rocking chairs and take up knitting!
"Not too old to Dance will give us oldies the chance to get out and spend a day indulging in the things we love – not what the kids want, or the boss needs, or the yard is begging for. The concert will be all about the music we lived for – Cold Chisel, AC/DC, Hunters and Collectors, INXS – performed by some of the best cover bands Queensland has to offer including Back n Business and the Godfathers of Funk."
While the concert is sure to provide a fabulous duck walk (a la Angus Young) down memory lane, it also has a serious side with $10 from every ticket sold being donated to beyondblue.
"Depression and anxiety can often hit people as they reach their 40s," said Mrs Ryder.
"Life stressors such as being over-worked; the loss of loved ones; or simply the challenges of juggling life, work and family can be prominent as people reach their mid-40s. We simply want people to take some time out for themselves, get away from the hassle of every day challenges and just relax with friends.
"Not too old to Dance will be a fantastic event for Townsville -- not only for those music lovers who will rock up on the day, but for all those local businesses and community organisations that we will need to engage to pull off an event of this scale: sound, lighting, security, food vendors. We're particularly excited to be the first cab off the rank for soon-to-be-launched local ticketing agency – www.townsvilletickets.com.au," Mrs Ryder said.
But while everything is in place to deliver Not too old to Dance in October, sponsorship is still being sought to help bring Mrs Ryder's idea to life.
"I'd love to see organisations such as funeral insurance companies and health providers embrace the tongue-in-cheek spirit of this event by coming on board as sponsors. It's certainly a unique opportunity for brands to get in front of the busy decision-makers for a whole day and put on an event that they'll never forget…. At least not until the Alzheimer's sets in."
For more information and to join the Not too old to Dance mailing list go to www.not2old2dance.com.