By Luke Voogt
Geelong’s Best Kid Busker will take centrestage in backyards and streets across the city these school holidays with COVID-19 restrictions forcing the event online.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said 2018 winner Tom Meadows.
“It helped my confidence and my ability to connect with people, and it’s certainly a good thing to put on the resume.”
The Kardinia College student played at the lighting of Geelong’s floating Christmas tree that year and scored plenty of extra gigs following the win.
“Sometimes, I’d get to a gig and they’d say, ‘I saw you win Geelong’s Best Kid Busker, so I booked you for this’,” he said.
Like so many musos during the pandemic, the Highton 17-year-old has gone online to post clips of himself playing and “up the level of my music”.
So he is fully behind the busking competition’s online format this year.
The competition begins tomorrow, with COVID-19 restrictions preventing the council-run event from taking place in Little Malop Street mall.
Organisers instead encouraged young musicians to send in a video of them busking outside, or even in the backyard, with $500, $250 and $100 music voucher prizes up for grabs.
The final could still take place in central Geelong, dependent on future restrictions.
Tom encouraged Geelong’s young aspiring musicians to enter to develop their craft, expand their horizons, entertain others and, most of all, have fun.
“Just give it a go,” he said.
“It’s something that can bring great happiness to you and everyone around you.”
For details visit facebook.com/geelongsbestkidbusker or email organiser Steve Thew at stevethew@ymail.com
