Matt Shields is a seasoned entertainer, experienced police officer and one heck of a talented busker as Stanthorpe found out last year.
The man known to his mates as Shieldsy took out the Busking Stanthorpe Title in 2022 making to the finals late last year where he came within a whisker of taking the Australia Title in Cooma.
He’s back at Busking Stanthorpe on 4 March – but those intending to take part in the event (which carries more than $8,000 in prize money) need not worry – he’s only doing exhibition gigs and helping out.
“I came second in the final in Cooma which was quite a lot of fun,” the man who writes comedic tunes these days (after stints as a rock muso and children’s performer in his younger days).
“I was beaten by a duo called the James Brothers, they were from the Hawksbury Region of NSW and they were very good. They did a mix of covers and originals but in the final shoot out they did an original song and they played totally acoustically, there’s two of them one plays banjo and one plays guitar. They were very good, the judges liked them.”
They obviously liked Shieldsy and his humour too if he finished second, right?
“Yeah, they liked me too,” he chuckled.
“The Stanthorpe committee members who were there said you were ripped off, you should have won but they’re biased, just a little bit.”
Second was quite an achievement in 2022 in particular with the previous year’s state finalists also taking part in the event after their own final fell victim to Covid.
“So, winners from the previous year were invited to compete as well so it was almost like a final of two year’s of competition,” he said.
“So in the open category there might have been about 15 entrants when there are only about eight or nine heats around the country.
“So yes it’s a great year to come second, considering I entered the previous year here in Stanthorpe where I got third and the artists that won it were also in this final in Cooma so I beat them. Getting third to them the year before to beating them in the actual final it was pretty cool.”
While the music journeyman, who started a rockband at high school in Tasmania and performed kids songs on the Gold Coast before becoming a police officer, believes he is probably too old to make it as a musician again this time around, he admits he is loving being back writing and playing (though he admits it’s hard with his still of comedic music to get gigs even in his home region.
“It’s just fun to be involved in music again,” he said.
He played bass guitar in ‘Devils in Heaven’ with a bunch of school mates back in the 90’s, had a top 100 hit in the 1992 with original composition, ‘Say a Prayer’ and toured overseas.
“I’ve been there I retired from music before, I got back into it again doing an original kids show, threw in the towel again, this is my third go of oh that’s right I play guitar I might pick it up and write some songs.”
If you’re a budding singer, or in a band and want to find out more, go to the Apple and Grape website and look up Busking; www.appleandgrape.org
