Sparkling Lineup For Folk Festival’s Ruby Anniversary
Illawarra Folk Festival organisers are planning to “paint Bulli Showground red” when they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the annual music festival on January 14-17.
“It’s our Ruby Anniversary, which is amazing, and we are so excited about the fabulous performers who are going to help us celebrate that milestone,” festival director Shane Moon said. “We’ve got almost 90 acts, including 13 from overseas. Some of those international acts have played at some of the world’s biggest festivals, like Glastonbury in England, so we’re thrilled to have them coming to Bulli Showground for our 40th festival.
“We’ve got all kinds of celebrations planned, including a Le Ruby Ball late on the Friday night, when we’ll be encouraging people to come to the party dressed in red.” Ms Moon said the Illawarra Folk Festival’s 40 years was a testament to the foresight of the Illawarra Folk Club, which stages the festival, and the dedication of the army of volunteers who have nurtured and built it up over the years.
“It’s amazing to think that back in 1985 the folk club thought it would be worth trying to put on its first festival, how its grown over the years, and now we’re celebrating our 40th anniversary,” she said. “We survived COVID – when we couldn’t hold the festival in 2021 and 2022 – but we came back from that setback with renewed enthusiasm.
“At a time when a lot of festivals around the country have fallen by the wayside, we are very proud to still be doing what we’ve always done – bringing together fantastic traditional and contemporary music, dance and spoken word in a family-friendly festival for the whole community.”
Announcing the 2027 festival program, Ms Moon said the artistic team had put together a fabulous line-up to appeal to a wide range of musical tastes. “We’ve got fabulous World music, from Africa to the Balkans, traditional folk and Celtic musicians, indie-folk bands, punk-folk, Americana … and bands like The Royal High Jinx who are going to have people dancing late into the night,” she said.
“We’ll also be giving a nod to our past, with festival stalwarts David De Santi and Russell Hannah both hosting retrospective concerts that reflect some of the outstanding acts that have graced our stages since 1985. David is doing two sessions of his ‘Ruby Songs’ show over the weekend, and Russell’s ‘Immortals Concert’ on Sunday afternoon should be something special.” The annual folk school is on again as part of the festival, while the Tuck Shop Ladies will be holding a special song-w-ring workshop.
The festival’s international acts include six acts from England, two from Scotland, two from Canada, two from the US and one from Ireland.
International Highlights include:
UK indie-folk band Good Habits, which has performed at the legendary Glastonbury Festival and toured extensively in Europe and Australasia. BBC Radio has praised their 21 st century musicianship as vocals, synth, accordion and drums combine in a sound inspired by Kate Bush, the Who and Penguin Café Orchestra
UK singer-songwriter Katherine Priddy, who has toured with the incomparable Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention fame, and supported such world-class acts as The Chieftains and Loudon Wainwright III
Dandelion Delivery Service, who hail from Wisconsin’s bluegrass scene and deliver “a rodeo of original Balkan honky-tonk and feral faerie-SpaceRock, lassoed together by timeless harmonies and haunting melodies”
Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, a Canadian band featuring haunting three-part harmonies combining roots, Americana and Celtic influences.
The national acts include:
Wollongong-raised acoustic guitar virtuoso Michael Fix, who is known across the world for his distinctive arrangements and highly evocative performances
The Tuck Shop Ladies - Rosie Burgess and Sam Lohs, armed with ukuleles andrazor-sharp wit to turn life’s everyday absurdities into hilarious songs
The Royal High Jinx – described as the “Balkan Abba” for their catchy songs and glamourous live performances, that have delighted audiences across Australian and on the band’s forays into Europe
Micro Wave Jenny - Tessa and Brendon Boney’s Australian pop duo, known for their dynamic live shows and songs that have featured across Australian television and film soundtracks. They have toured nationally and internationally, including to the UK and Taiwan.
Irish-Australian folk singer extraordinaire, Enda Kenny, with his heartfelt songs and lilting melodies.
Popular Illawarra acts include:
Kiama-based bluegrass band The Water Runners
Singer- songwriter Kay Proudlove (who doubles as the festival’s artistic director)
Festival favourite Shalani Thomas and her new band The Flower Pots
Nick Rheinberger and Tia Wilson’s musical comedy show
The Bard Club – Dr Kathryn Roberts Parker’s project to bring Shakesperean folk music to life with participatory dance tunes and songs from the 17th century
The annual Koori Voices concert, featuring local Indigenous performers
and Adara Enthaler’s Enough Said Poetry Slam.
Music starts on Thursday, January 14 with a charity concert, while the festival itself runs from the Friday afternoon to Sunday night.
The Illawarra Folk Festival is presented by the Illawarra Folk Club. Early Bird tickets are available at illawarrafolkfestival.com.au
Festival director Shane Moon is available for interviews on 0414 937 270
Issued by festival publicity officer Nick Hartgerink 0418 424085
Full festival lineup
International
Good Habits, Katherine Priddy, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Beans on Toast, Clare Sands, Mimi O’Bonsawin, Rain of Animals, Ken Field’s Hoot Band, Barry Nisbet, Steve Turner, Dandelion Delivery Service, Community Service with Seamus Carey, Wesley Bennett.
National and Illawarra
Wolfefolk, Super Mande Percussion, Homebru, Bobby Alu, Zumpa, The Royal High Jinx, Tuck Shop Ladies, Chameleon, Enda Kenny, Koori Voices, Microwave Jenny, The Imprints, Kavisha Mazzella, andie, The Sako Dimension, Tim Scanlon and Mana Okubo, Valley Road, Woody’s World, Rhys Crimmin, Glenn Skuthorpe, Penny Davies and Roger Ilott, Sacana Nation, Tracey Bunn, Michael Fix, Shanty Club, The Bard Band, The Hootie Tooties, High Sierra, Marco and Rusty, PerSisters, Crooked Compass Club, Devils in Disguise, FJ Steele, Kay Proudlove, Shalani and the Flower Pots, The Water Runners, Timbermoth, Medusa’s Wake, Black Joak Morris, Gobsmacked!, Rheinberger and Wilson, The Beatmeisters, Wollongong Carnival Band, Robyn Sykes, Enough Said Poetry Slam, Gray and the Good Medicine, Abalenga, Once a Jolly Swagman, Penelope Church, A Small Circle of Friends, No Apologies Ensemble, Steampunk Vagabonds, Super Kenny and Magnificent Manda, Zoe Elliot, Tribal Jewels Dance, Bush Music Club, Combined Music Choirs, Concertina Convergence, Don’t Be Too Polite Girls, Dru Yoga with Erika Steller and Fiona Davis, Good Tunes, Klezmer Valley Girls, Saplings, Slippery John Sausage & The Big Bayou Bonanza, Soul Flamenco Illawarra, Southern Cross Bush Band and Friends, The Butter Trackers, The Swingaleles, Two Things Can Be True, John Tubridy.
