Tim Freedman at Better Music

A new music store (Better Music) opened about 10 minutes from where we live. As part of the opening day the shop had invited Tim Freedman (lead singer of Australian band The Whitlams) to attend (promoting Yahmaha keyboards) - he's a great pianist.

After swimming the four of us went along and got front row seats!

Tim had played a solo tour last year and we met him in Canberra but this time it was a different experience as we were only about 5 metres from him.

He played a short set - we often play The Whitlams in our car and as he played Tim looked a few times at Audrey on the front row singing his lyrics. One of his songs has an 'F' word in it and he removed it from this rendition and commented that he had done it entirely for Audrey's benefit.

As his set concluded he offered up a chance for requests and Eli shouted out "Gough" - his favourite Whitlam's song. The song is about former Australian PM, Gough Whitlam and it amused Tim Freedman that one so young had requested a song about a PM - "You weren't even born when they'd made the documentary about him" said Tim as he struck up the first chord.

We met him afterwards. Being a music store it wasn't your usual post-concert scramble. Tim Freedman seems a lovely bloke, very unassuming. He chatted with the kids when they ran over to him and he said that he knew that they'd heard his songs a lot before (not least as Audrey had sung most of them) but also as they'd sat patiently throughout the last 30-40 minutes.

It was a great way to spend an afternoon. I hope Tim Freedman (and of course Better Music) continue to prosper.