Heavyweight indie group Boy & Bear love regional Australia so much, they have created a beer brew in its honour.
Teaming up with the Akasha Brewing company, the band will take the beer with it on its upcoming regional tour, with all proceeds going to the Buy a Bale charity, which helps drought-stricken farmers.
Most of the venues that host the band will have the beer on tap.
Drummer Tim Hart said the plight of local farmers in regional Australia was a cause close to the band’s heart.
“(Akasha Brewing) is outside the box, not all about the bottom line kind of vision, and that was exciting to us. We came up with a beer together that would be reflective of the regional touring we are going to do, so we came up with the All Australian Ale,” he said.
“How it ties in with the music is we’ve been doing regional touring since we started Boy and Bear and it’s something that’s important to us. People in regional areas get Triple J and that’s amazing and ABC Local, but they needs bands to support that.
“Why should people have to travel to the city to see a show?”
He said the band hadn’t done any collaborations before with brands, so was a bit hesitant at first until they realised the good intentions behind the project.
You play a show and people are singing along on the other side of the world, and that’s pretty crazy and a pretty cool thing.
- Tim Hart, Boy & Bear drummer and vocalist
“At the heart of it we wanted to give something, we wanted to give the money away and help farmers in regional areas, a little bit, and to raise awareness,” he said.
”I’ve got friends and family that are farmers, in northern NSW. It’s a tough life, it’s a gamble – you can have six or seven bad years in a row, and there are mental hardships.”
Speaking from Los Angeles before playing a show on Broadway, Hart said he’d never thought as far ahead that the band would be so successful in America.
“When you’re in the mix sometimes it’s a bit draining because you’re playing lots of shows and travelling lots, but then you play a show and people are singing along on the other side of the world, and that’s pretty crazy and a pretty cool thing. I feel pretty lucky.”
Boy & Bear will kick off their regional tour on November 9 at Ballarat’s Regent Cinemas.
Tickets at www.regententertainment.com.au
