Indigenous singer Uncle Frank Yamma will perform at the Illawarra Folk Festival in January. Photo: Supplied.
Multiple shows by most of the 88 performers during the 39th Illawarra Folk Festival’s four-day program from 15 January is solving the age-old problem of festival regret: missing your favourite act.
The just-released program promises a choose-your-own musical adventure at Bulli Showground this January, with headline artists appearing multiple times so audiences can soak it all in — no clashes required.
Presented by the Illawarra Folk Club, the festival will launch with the traditional charity concert on Thursday 15 January, featuring some of the festival’s most exciting acts, including Brisbane-based Celtic powerhouse Cigani Weaver, Emmy Ryan and the Hard Times and Whiskey Dram.
From Friday 16 January at 3 pm, punters can expect a packed program on seven stages, while the Saturday shows will use all nine stages, with an early morning yoga session at the Tivoli, Morning Poets at the Grandstand Bar and Ken Hoot’s Hoot Band in the Black Diamond Marquee.
Australian folk-country duo Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham are expected to attract a large audience to their Saturday afternoon show at the Black Diamond Marquee, with Urquhart a Golden Guitar and ARIA-winning country music star and media personality, while Cunningham is guitarist in leading Australian indie band The Waifs.
Partners in music and life since 2020, the duo will perform their second show on Sunday at the Slacky Flat Bar.
Festival director Shane Moon said scheduling conflicts to see your favourite artist wouldn’t be an issue.
“The festival program has been designed so that no-one should miss out on an act they really want to see because of a scheduling clash,” she said.
“We are really excited that the majority of performers will be on stage at least twice and sometimes more than that, so audiences will have a chance to really plan their festival and see as many different performers as possible.
“I really recommend that people have a look at the full festival program on our website and have a look at the amazing variety of artists who will be performing at the festival.”
Friday highlights include Cigani Weaver at the Tivoli stage, Canadian-Irish trio Grosse Isle at the Horse Shoe stage, Rufous Whistler at the Slacky Flat Bar, legendary Indigenous singer Uncle Frank Yamma at the Slacky Flat Bar and Irish singer Maggie Carty at the Tivoli.
The night will end with One Spirit Africa at the Slacky Flat Bar and Handsome Young Strangers at the Tivoli.
Another Saturday feature is the Koori Voices show at the Black Diamond Marquee, featuring Indigenous singers Alara Livingstone, Nicole Smede and the Mudjingaal Yangamba choir from the South Coast, which performs in the local Dhurga language.
Shellharbour-based Indigenous singer Kyarna, who impressed in the Koori Voices show at the last festival, has her own stand-alone spots this year on Saturday at the Grandstand Bar.
Alice Springs singer and acclaimed photographer Barry Skipsey will present his multimedia Red Centre Show on Saturday at the Grandstand Bar, with songs and more than 400 projected images of the Northern Territory spanning Barry’s four decades taking photographs of life in the Red Centre.
Other Saturday highlights include Canadian Old Man Luedecke at the Black Diamond, Kiama bluegrass band The Water Runners at the Folk Grand, legendary Indigenous duo The Stiff Gins at the Slacky Flat Bar and one-man band Alex Kosenko at the Folk Grand.
Two up-tempo bands, Brisbane’s Amaidi, featuring Illawarra’s own Sam De Santi and circus party Ungus Ungus Ungus will end the night program with performances at the Slacky Flat Bar and the Tivoli respectively.
Sunday’s program again starts with early yoga and the Morning Poets, while popular festival tradition Folkin’ Funny Songs, hosted by well-known local Russell Hannah and featuring various artists, is on in the Grandstand Bar.
Other highlights include long-time festival artistic director David De Santi marking his 40-year career as a musician by revisiting favourite songs with guest singers, Maurie Mulheron and Peter Hicks’ show When Woody Met Pete exploring the music of folk icons Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger and the finale concert at the Slacky Flat Bar.
Tickets are on sale for the Illawarra Folk Festival, from 16 to 18 January, at Bulli Showground. Entry for the Charity Concert on Thursday 15 January will be by $15 donation.
