This January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, three of Australia's most compelling songwriters are bringing their Guitars, Banjo’s, Mandolins, Dobros and whatever else they find and hit the stage at The Listening Room for a completely unscripted, Side-By-Side concert.

No rehearsal. No set plan. No safety net—just three mates swapping songs, weaving stories and letting the night flow wherever it takes them.

Who’s on stage?

Chris Matthews – Hailing from Kununurra, Chris is a touring troubadour in every sense of the word. Having crossed the country over 30 times with 4,000+ shows under his belt, his mind-bending guitar style, rich storytelling, and genre-defying roots music make him a force of nature live. There’s no doubt that he’s one of the country’s top performers, combining impeccable musicianship with some absolutely memorable songwriting, and wrapping it all up with a voice that can only be described as his own.

Jimmy McGrath - Impeccably combining that rare blend of emotional honesty, soulful melodies and sharp intelligence. Sitting in on a Jimmy McGrath set is one heck of an experience both musically and emotionally. With a voice that hits you right where it counts and a rare knack to hone in on the most intimate moments of life in his songwriting, he’s absolutely one of our finest.

Ricki Wood – Creator of the Side By Side series, has been through a lot in his 37 year music career. From amazing highs touring the world to the deep lows (and we mean low), Ricki lays it all out in his songs. Weaving through light and dark spaces with stories and songs that take you for the ride. "Ricki Wood, one of the best songwriters in Australian music”. Melody Moko, ABC Country. 18, April 2026

Because of the small size of the room, this will be an intimate, quiet, and deeply personal evening of music. If you love authentic songwriting, spontaneous collaboration, and great stories told in a warm room, grab a ticket and come sit in.