There’s a saying you may know: familiarity breeds contempt. Please be advised that the familiarity you develop with Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley at ‘The Wang’, their property inland from Forster, NSW, will breed the exact opposite. You may arrive a fan and leave a superfan. Or arrive a superfan and have your fandom locked in forever.
And that’s because this couple – respected and established artists in their own rights (McClymont with her band The McClymonts and Eckersley with his eponymous band) – have turned their joint musical enterprise into a life enterprise that has outlasted its pandemic origins to become something unique in the Australian music scene.
Originally The Wang came about because the pandemic grounded these touring artists at home. It started as a collection of tents on the McClymont-Eckersley property, where the couple would greet guests, hang out with them and play music. Now in the place of the tents are twenty cabins that can sleep two people each, and the pair have staff and a system in place to provide their unique experience.
Upon arrival you’re greeted by both artists, and it’s no cursory hello: they come to have a chat then they keep chatting as the afternoon turns into the night. Around three huge fires – tended to, as he tends most things, by TJ, who keeps an eye on details throughout the stay and ensures that everything runs the way its meant to.
Brooke and Adam circulate separately, and stay for conversations. Proper conversations, not surface chitchat. And this is a persuasive reason, no doubt, that they have ‘Boomerwangers’ – people who have been more than once, because they’re terrific company, these two. Open and gregarious and funny and smart, both of them. Willing to talk about all manner of things.
The concept of The Wang hinges on them having these personalities, of course – any musician could invite you to their place for a small concert but only these two, I think, could make it feel like you’re not only in their home but that you’re welcome and they want to make sure you have a great time.
There’s a caterer who provides for all manner of dietary requirements, and not a snowflake’s chance in hell of anyone going home hungry with the amount of courses that came out.
The main reason to be there, of course, is the music. To have the opportunity to see Brooke and Adam play live in an intimate setting, knowing that the music is likely to be excellent, especially if you’ve seen them live before.
Above: The author with Brooke McClymont
I’ve seen The McClymonts live more times than I can count; I’ve seen Adam play with his band; I’ve seen Adam and Brooke together as a duo and with a band. It was in this Wang setting, however, that I truly appreciated what great singers and guitarists they are. While Adam is the guitar virtuoso, Brooke is no slouch, and her voice has the most glorious tone when you can hear it up close in their space.
The two sets of music came with plenty of chatter, some of it raucous – which you’d expect – and hilarious – which you’d also expect – but the music was always the focus. They played some new songs, and it was such a treat to hear those. And when they play you can tell they are completely immersed in it. It’s music that brought them together as a couple; it’s music that brought us to them. And they really deliver it, in high quality.
After the second set was over there was the chance for Wangers to stay up till all hours, buoyed by the sense of community that Brooke and Adam have created. They stayed up too, but this Wanger went to bed before most of the others.
In the morning the caterer was back with a hearty breakfast, to send us on our way down the gravel road that leads from the highway to the property.
I missed the whole experience before I’d even left, and completely understood why people come back. It’s because there’s art in that place, both in the music and the way Brooke and Adam have created and continue to run the experience. Plus there’s nothing like it anywhere else – possibly in the world – and so few opportunities in this life to take part in something special and so memorable.
Having said that, The Wang is booked out well in advance! If you’re interested in going, the details are here: https://www.brookeandadam.com/hatw
