IT’S only around two weeks until the third Red CentreNATS in Alice Springs, taking place over the Father’s Day weekend 1-3 September. As always, it’s going to be huge, with some of the country’s best street machines, show cars, hot rods and classics on show, as well as burnouts, drag racing, dyno comp and much more. And let’s not forget the temporary rego that allows insane blown burnout and drag monsters to legally cruise the streets of Alice for the event’s duration!

If all the car action isn’t enough, there’s plenty of other entertainment to enjoy. On the Friday night, for example, former Australian Crawl frontman James Reyne will headline the Sun 969 Rock N Rumble event, as part of his All Crawl national tour. That’s right, James will be playing nothing but Oz Crawl classics at Red CentreNATS – we’re talking Reckless, Beautiful People, Boys Light Up, and so many more.

Speaking to Street Machine after the first couple of shows on the tour, the man himself is looking forward to RCN, though he admits he’s not a big car guy.

“Well, I can drive one; I think I’m a good driver! But I’m not a real car nut,” he says. “I’ve got some friends that are. Not that I don’t like cars, but I’m not the sort of guy who spends his weekends under a bonnet. Where I grew up [on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula], it was more coastal culture, based more around music and surfing and all that sort of stuff.

“But I’ve certainly played car shows before, and we’ve played Alice Springs before – I don’t think I’ve ever played a car show at Alice Springs, though!” he laughs. “I haven’t been to Alice for a while so I’m looking forward to getting back there.”

While James may not have petrol flowing through his veins, everyone remembers their first car. “My grandfather sold me his Hillman Minx,” he recalls. “He’d bought it brand new in the 50s and he’d kept it in absolute mint condition. I paid him a nominal sum and inherited what was basically a brand new Hillman Minx in perfect nick.”

James regularly plays several Australian Crawl tunes in his normal gigs amongst his many solo hits, but performing a set of nothing but Oz Crawl at Red CentreNATS offers him the chance to revisit some of the deeper cuts in the band’s catalogue.

“There are definitely a few songs that I haven’t engaged with for a long time,” he says. “You always find something in these older ones. I’d forgotten about some of them. And you play them and go: ‘Oh, I remember this bit, this is all right!’

“So come along; you’ll have a great time, and you’ll know all the songs!”

JAMES Reyne headlines the Sun 969 Rock N Rumble event at Red CentreNATS on Friday 1 September. For tickets and more information, visit redcentrenats.com.au.