|
I just spent the weekend at the Illawarra Folk Festival and feel thoroughly recharged. It's amazing how much talent is out there and how wide ranging 'folk' is these days.
My 'band of the festival' goes to The Northern Folk from Albury with Sissybones (Brisbane) and The London Klezmer Quartet as runners up. As it happened TNF were the first and last act I saw. I arrived on Sat a bit tired and grumpy after enduring the stinking hot night before but they picked me up and got me smiling. Then, on the Sunday afternoon when my energy was waning, they actually had me up and dancing - something that rarely ever happens when I'm sober. The average age of the band is 22, so I hope they have a bright future.
My bravery award, though, goes to Harman and Hellens, a five piece straight ahead bluegrass band, who were playing in an old stable, under a tin roof, when the heavens opened on Sunday morning. Very quickly, the band couldn't hear each other (they play without foldback) and then the audience could hardly hear the band. The musicians had to move closer to hear each other. They played 'Cold Sheets of Rain' when it started but then had to play their most foot-stompin numbers.
The festival is very well run with a friendly atmosphere. There are 11 stages plus a kids venue, so there is always too much to chose from; the biggest disappointment is always the acts you miss. That's why I go every back year!
|