The first two acts for MountainGrass 2021 have been revealed – Bluegrass Parkway and Corn Nut Creek.
The festival is run by the Australasian Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association (ABOTMA) and will run 19 to 21 November in Beechworth, regional Victoria.
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Organisers of the Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival have three concerts coming in June and July – Mic Conway & Robbie Long, The New Graces and Charlie & Jensen.
The New South Wales festival itself is timed for 22 to 24 October 2021.
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Festival organisers are going through all applications for the 2022 Cygnet Folk Festival.
Due to ongoing border restrictions for international travel predicted to remain until at least mid-2022, the event will be featuring the best of Australian and New Zealand performers.
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Historian Warren Fahey is working on a themed concert to celebrate the Folk Federation of NSW’s 50th Anniversary (which was actually last year).
He would particularly like to receive scans of early photographs, programs, singers, bands, advertisements, T-shirts etc that could help tell the 50-year story. Early photographs of performers especially appreciated. They do not need to be Sydney specific. Videos of performers, clubs etc would also be welcome.
You can contact Warren on his FACEBOOK PAGE.
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The new album from Miriam Lieberman ‘Just Transforming’ was released last month to critical acclaim.
A film clip of one of the songs “Infinite We Are” (animated by Aidan Judd) is available below:
Miriam is touring nationally with the new material – DATES HERE
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Lucy Wise is a folk musician based in Victoria who has just released a new video for a song called “Cold Winds”. The clip was filmed by Shoelace Creative.
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Following the success of the debut Global Music Match in 2020, the worldwide music matchmaking program returns from June 7, featuring 78 artists from 17 countries – including 13 from Australia.
Artists from Australia, Brittany in France, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Taiwan, USA and Wales are set to collaborate over the coming three months, in what is thought to be the world’s largest online musical matchmaking program.
This year’s iteration follows 2020’s world-first collaboration, which was created by founding partners Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association in a bid to continue developing profiles for folk-based artists in international music markets within the challenging and unprecedented parameters of COVID-19.
The 13 Australian folk artists participating in this year’s Global Music Match are: Andrea Kirwin, Emma Swift, Ernest Aines, Francesca de Valence, Georgia State Line, Gretta Ziller, Joel Havea, Melanie Horsnell, Monique Clare, Musketeer, Rich Davies, Ruth Hazleton and Tom West
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Nominations are now open for the following 8 Awards.
Nominations closing on 31 July.
Dr Lou Bennett receives Red Ochre Award for Lifetime achievement under the First Nations Arts Award from the Australia Council for the Arts.
Dr Bennett is one of the finest, most creative, experienced, progressive, and accomplished Aboriginal composers of our time. Lou is also an incredible performer and artistic director.
As well as her own performances and collaborations, Lou has become a mentor to now internationally acclaimed vocalists Deline Briscoe, Emma Donovan, Ursula Yovich, Leah Flanagan, Mindy Kwonton, Dan Sultan and Eric Avery.
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Melbourne folk duo The Maes were in the middle of their Victorian tour to support their new single “Make a Baby” while the current COVID circuit breaker lockdown in Victoria.
The duo have now announced rescheduled dates, to start later this month.
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