Charity show a great way to ‘taste’ festival
The 39 th Illawarra Folk Festival at Bulli Showground officially gets underway on Thursday, January 15 with the traditional charity concert, featuring some of the festival’s most exciting acts.
Brisbane-based Celtic powerhouse Cigani Weaver, Emmy Ryan and the Hard Times, Whiskey Dram, Penelope Church, Shalani, The Other Noonans and Marco and Rusty will provide the entertainment.
Penelope will kick off the action at 6pm and non-stop performances from the other artistsuntil the night winds up with a Session starting at 10pm.
Brisbane-based Celtic powerhouse Cigani Weaver
This year the charity night performances will be on two of the festival stages – the Grandstand Bar and the Tivoli Dance Hall – after being held off-site last year. There will be two food stalls and a coffee cart, while the Festival Bar will also be open to ensure everyone is well fed and watered.
Entry will be by $15 donation (or more if you like), and proceeds going to Community Outreach Illawarra, which focuses on helping survivors of domestic violence, and Cocky Guides, which provides sensory adventure experiences for people who are blind or have low vision.
Festival Director Shane Moon said: “The charity night is a great way to kick the festival off. We’re raising money for two really valuable organisations in our community while showcasing some of our performers. People who may not yet have committed to buying a festival ticket can come along and get a taste of what the festival will be like. Hopefully that will convince them that they need to be there for the rest of the festival too, and they’ll buy a ticket for the weekend. “We’re really grateful to the performers who putting on these extra performances.”
Here’s what you can expect from each act at the charity show:
Cigani Weaver: Cigany Weaver started as a Gypsy Jazz band, and has evolved into a variety of soft yearning folk music, cinematic instrumentals, Romani and Balkan energy, and classic swing. Powered by Jo Davies’s soaring vocals, fiery violin, Pompe-ing guitars, and driving rhythm section. Cigany Weaver create a purely acoustic group that effortlessly navigates the musical nexus between intimacy and raucousness.
Emmy Ryan and the Hard Times: Emmy’s music carries the weight of solitude and the warmth of solidarity, with soul-stirring vocals, intricate guitar and mandolin playing, and lyrics that land straight in the heart. The Hard Times (aka AFMA 2024 ‘Duo of the Year’ finalists Broken Creek) join Emmy to create a sublime blend of traditional and contemporary song.
Emmy Ryan and the Hard Times
The Other Noonans: Naughty and nice, profane and profound, The Other Noonans blend dark humour and environmental and political satire with moving songs and sharp social insights. Known for witty onstage banter, they’ll make you think, cringe or cry.
Marco and Rusty: Marco and Rusty are acoustic musicians who share a love of the singer/songwriter and Americana traditions. Their rich vocal harmonies and down-to-earth instrumentation on guitar, banjo, dobro and acoustic-bass bring to life timeless songs in their presentation of ‘An Americana Songbook”.
Penelope Church: Illawarra songwriter Penelope Church pairs soaring vocals with acoustic guitar, crafting songs inspired by her coastal home and contemporary women songwriters, and is currently writing and recording her debut EP.
Whiskey Dram: Bring a refreshing blend of full-bodied pirate folk, with a peaty profile of Irish trad, Australian Americana, Blues, bluegrass, a briny punk palate and a burnt tonewood finish.
Entry will be by $15 donation (or more if you like), and proceeds going to Community Outreach Illawarra
