program and artist profiles

DRAFT
PROGRAM AND ARTIST PROFILES
GOLD COAST FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL, 20-21 September 2014
Country Paradise Parklands, 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road
The Gold Coast Folk Music Festival, sponsored by Coast Acoustics and the City of Gold Coast, will be held
on 15 hectares of rural property in the Gold Coast Hinterland. There will be over 20 bands performing on
4 stages plus workshops on guitar, banjo, ukulele and songwriting.
Headline acts include Wes Carr, John Schumann, Round Mountain Girls, Coolgrass, Hat Fitz and Cara,
Michael Fix, The Company and more. Music starts at 12 pm Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free
SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
Time
Act
12.00
SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Stage
Time
Act
Rex Miller
2
12.00
Jonnelles
1
12.30
Welcome to Country (Yugumbeh)
1
12.00
KK guitars
3
12.30
Mama Juju
3
12.30
Peter Van Herk
2
12.45
Have a Go Circus
4
1.00
The Company
1
1.00
Michael Fix
1
1.00
Songwriting (John Schumann)
4
1.45
Out of Abingdon
3
1.30
Leaping Lizards
3
2.00
Erwin Zerbe
2
2.00
Balyana
2
2.00
Ukulele workshop (Mama Juju)
4
2.15
Have a Go Circus
4
2.30
Coolgrass
1
2.30
Wes Carr
1
3.15
Old Man Friday
3
3.15
Quatro
3
3.30
Guitar workshop (Michael Fix)
4
3.30
Frank Stoove
2
3.30
Callista
2
4.00
Hat Fitz and Cara
1
4.00
Round Mountain Girls
1
4.45
Owl Valley Bluegrass
3
5.00
Milan Martin
2
5.00
Banjo Workshop (Coolgrass)
4
5.30
John Schumann
1
6.00
Open mic
4
6.15
Quatro
3
6.30
Fuglissimo
2
7.00
Bush dance (Leaping Lizards)
1
7.30
Coolgrass (Town and Country)
T&C
CONTACT
Rob Saunders, Festival Director
Phone: 0420861911,
Email: Balyana@bigpnd.com
www.coastacoustics.com.au
Stage
SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER
MAMA JUJU
12.30 Saturday
REX MILLER
12.00 Saturday
Americana Country/Folk singer/guitarist
influenced by the likes of Guy Clark, Towns Van
Zandt, Kris Kristofferson and John Prine.
WELCOME TO COUNTRY AND YUGUMBEH
CHOIR
12.30 Saturday
With a powerful voice, a deftly plucked uke and
a harmonica, Mama Juju hollers the blues and
sings sweetly of old timey romance, drinking,
murdering and man stealing. Mama Juju will
feature on stage with Slim and also at the
ukulele workshop.
Yugumbeh will open the festival with a welcome
to country and performances by the Yugumbeh
Choir and Didgeridoo Orchestra.
The Yugambeh Youth Choir consists of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth
singing in Yugambeh language. Their songs
reflect local stories and include the National
Anthem. Led by Kombumerri woman, Candace
Kruger, the group were officially launched at the
Yugambeh Mobo Festival on 1 June 2014.
The Yugambeh Didgeridoo Orchestra is made up
of boys and men living on Yugambeh country who
are passionate about playing the didgeridoo.
Aiming to build and feature at the
Commonwealth Games 2018 the group welcomes
all men with basic playing skills and a passion to
connect. Coordinated by local Yugambeh man,
Mark Watego, the group recently featured as
part of a special composition and finale concert
by Yugambeh Mobo Ambassador and Creative
Director, William Barton.
Although she has played guitar for many years,
the portability and sweet sound of the ukulele
has been an inspiration for recent performing
and songwriting. “I can take the uke anywhere
and write and play things on it that I would
never dream of doing on a guitar”. Based in
Brisbane, Juju has played at festivals from
Tassie to far North QLD. She will be joined for
this performance by the debonair Sugar Cane
Slim on smoking fingerstyle guitar. Vintage style
Jazz, Folk, Americana and Blues with attitude.
The ukulele is part of a worldwide musical
revolution, it is accessible, portable, easy to
learn and an entry level instrument is not
expensive in comparison to many other
instruments. It is easily the most popular and
highest selling instrument in the world today and
can be enjoyed by all ages, young and old. In
Canada and now in Australia the ukulele is rapidly
replacing the recorder in school classrooms.
Although she has played guitar for many years,
the portability and sweet sound of the ukulele
has been a real inspiration for recent
performing and songwriting.
“I can take the uke anywhere and write and play
things on it that I would never dream of doing on
a guitar”.
HAVE A GO CIRCUS
1.45 Saturday
Circus fun with Louise Moriaty invites everyone
to stretch their possibilities. Her simple,
colourful setup makes everyone feel like they
have run away to join the circus. Louise has over
25 years experience in running circus workshops
incorporating games, juggling, hoops, spinning
plates and more.
MICHAEL FIX
1.00 Saturday
Michael began performing in his home town of
Wollongong at the age of 12, and in his early
twenties moved to Sydney, where he was
discovered by the legendary Tommy Emmanuel.
Emmanuel became a mentor to the young
guitarist and spent several years teaching and
working with him.
In 1999, Michael was recognised with his first
Instrumental of the Year Golden Guitar, for the
catchy ‘Mr Wonglepong’. He went on to win the
award the following year with ‘Walkin’ the Walk’,
and took it out again in 2003 with ‘Mulga Dan’.
Michael’s distinctive, eclectic yet accessible
style make him a popular concert performer at
everything from guitar festivals to jazz and
blues festivals, folk festivals and country music
events.
Michael Fix is widely acclaimed as one of the
world’s finest acoustic guitarists.
He has won three Golden Guitars and numerous
other awards in Australia, and tours widely
throughout the world, particularly in Europe.
Over the past two decades, he’s released 13
albums, together with several singles, DVD's,
songbooks and EPs, and has established himself
globally as a leading festival and concert
performer.
He’s also toured with artists as diverse as
Albert Lee, Christine Anu and Anne Murray, as
well as appearing with the world’s greatest
guitarists, including Tommy Emmanuel, Leo
Kottke, Joe Robinson and Martin Taylor.
Michael regularly presents guitar workshops, and
tutors at music camps to aspiring musicians who
are captivated by his expertise on the guitar,
and his insightful seminars on performance and
stagecraft.
OUT OF ABINGDON
1.45 Saturday
His latest release is the evocative Time Lines,
featuring a collection of exquisite new pieces,
inspired by Michael’s travels over the past few
years as well as experiences closer to home,
together with unique arrangements of some of
the songs that have inspired him over the years.
As a Maton guitar endorsee (with his own
popular signature model guitar), his guitar
workshops are in high demand all over Australia
and internationally.
When you put a guitar into Michael's hands, the
emotional possibilities of music are suddenly
released. He has the power to create myriad
sensory experiences through his music – it
captures and conveys emotions, experiences and
images with ease.
Over the last 5 years, with hundreds of
performances branching out from Brisbane,
Australia to Europe, the United Kingdom and
India, duo Warwick Hargreaves (Guitar and
Vocals) and Tina Fullerton (Double Bass and
Vocals) have developed a sound both sensual and
sumptuous.
Their music grooves, soothes and seamlessly
weaves together their combined instruments and
influences, creating unique interpretations and
passion-fuelled original tunes.
Toad Rage (2004), Jaguar Breakdown (2006),
Never Put The Banjo Down (2009) and Most
Peculiar (2012).
OLD MAN FRIDAY
3.15 Saturday
Theirs is an understated elegance that draws
the listener in…. ‘Remarkably smooth
contemporary jazz…this duo create a soulful
atmosphere where unpretentious musicianship is
firmly centre stage’ - Lewis Wade
ERWIN ZERBE
2.00 Saturday
60's & 70's Folk Rock, Simon & Garfunkel,
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens,
Mamas & Papas plus some good old Rock &
Roll. Erwin is a regular at Coast Acoustics, Folk
Redlands, Red Hill Folk, The
BUG and the Artist Tree.
MAMA JUJU
2.00 Saturday - Ukulele workshop
COOLGRASS
2.30 Saturday
Like all good surf bands Old Man Friday was
conceived whilst having a chat between waves on
a Friday morning surf session.
Influenced by surf music new and old they
explore various styles from down the line rock to
ukulele based island songs and even harmonica
and lap slide blues.
In the short life of the band they released their
self titled debut album, played in beautiful ocean
side locations, featured on radio programs and
were the ABC Gold Coast Exhumed winners.2014
looks to be an exciting year with new material
being released, songs being used in film and surf
clips, and continuing the dream of playing in
exotic locations.
MICHAEL FIX
3.30 Saturday - Guitar workshop
ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS
4.00 Saturday
Coolgrass win and delight audiences with their
hilarious take on bluegrass, and are favourites at
major festivals throughout Australia and New
Zealand. See their performance and banjo
workshop.
They have been featured at Australia’s National
Folk Festival, the Auckland Folk Festival, Port
Fairy, the Harrietville Bluegrass Convention, the
Redlands Bluegrass Festival, the Fairbridge Folk
Festival, the Tamworth Music Festival and many
more, plus many folk clubs, wineries, town halls,
arts councils, pubs and so forth across Australia
and New Zealand. They have recorded 4 CDs –
Demand for performances at all the major
festivals and a stack of awards means there
must be something special about this
conglomerate of offbeat musicians. Nothing is
sacred and no genre safe from the RMG mincer
and until you have witnessed their joyous,
uplifting live show you won’t have realised that
you were missing something in your life.
Their music is infectious, raucous, passionate
and tender in equal measure, and is delivered
with an energy and musicianship few other bands
can muster. It’s a rare and unique combination
and one that has served them well in the quest
to stand out from the crowd. “They play like
they own the place, never has a band seemed so
comfortable up on a stage” Sam Fell, Rhythms
Magazine
CALLISTA
3.30 Saturday
Callista is made up of active members of Coast
Acoustics with a line up including guitar, banjo,
woodwind and vocal harmonies. They perform
old and not so old covers with a sprinkling of
original music and are bound to get you singing
along and tapping your feet to music that you
know and love.
A young musician from Murwillumbah, Milan
regularly plays guitar, didgeridoo, stomp box and
harmonica around Tweed and Byron. His
highlights include performing at Splendour in the
Grass, the Sea Sheppard with Bobby Alu, OKA,
and Xavier Rudd and touring with Wes Carr.
COOLGRASS
5.00 Saturday - Banjo workshop
JOHN SCHUMANN
5.30 Saturday
OWL VALLEY BLUEGRASS
4.45 Saturday
Formed in 2012, the members of Owl Valley have
played in various award winning bands for over
20 years. Influenced by American Bluegrass
icons Earl Scruggs, Lester Flat, Bill Munroe and
Doc Watson, Owl Valley creates their own blend
of Bluegrass.
MILAN MARTIN
5.00 Saturday
John Schumann is one of the very few
songwriters who have changed the way a nation
thinks. He is best known for his leadership of
the legendary folk-rock band Redgum, and his
Vietnam veterans’ anthem, I Was Only 19.
John Schumann has recorded ten albums and,
with Redgum, toured the UK, Europe and Ireland
where his songs are still played. In nearly 30
years in Australian music, as a member of
Redgum and as a solo artist, John Schumann has
received almost every award the industry has to
offer – some twice over.
The Vagabond Crew features John’s close mate
from Redgum, Hugh McDonald and music
industry keyboard legend, Mal Logan. Special
guest artists featured on the Lawson album
include his mates Rob Hirst (ex Midnight Oil),
Shane Howard and Russell Morris. This weekend
John will be appearing with The Vagabond Crew’s
violinist, Alex Black and Adelaide guitarist,
Anthony Thyer.
QUATRO
6.15 Saturday
Signed to his new label ABC/Universal Music in
2007, John released Gelignite Jack - The John
Schumann Collection and Behind The Lines,
recorded with The Vagabond Crew.
Packed venues and standing ovations
demonstrate how, in a very short time, John
Schumann & the Vagabond Crew have earned for
themselves a stellar reputation on the festival
circuit as an inspirational, intelligent and
defiantly Australian concert act.
John Schumann and The Vagabond Crew have
played at a host of important and high-profile
events including the Australia Day Concert in
Canberra, the Anzac Day Match at the MCG and
the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan
in Vietnam. John and the Crew have also
travelled to East Timor, Afghanistan, the
Solomon Islands and Tanzania to entertain the
Australian forces deployed there.
Described by rock historian Glenn A. Baker as
“One of the finest songwriters this country has
produced”, John’s songs have been paid the
ultimate compliment by becoming the property
of the people and the country they were written
about. His lyrics are on reading lists in schools,
colleges and universities throughout Australia.
Quatro is a dynamic young female group of
talented musicians from rural Queensland. All
the girls are highly musically trained winning
countless awards and accolades.
The lead player Amity has performed with the
likes of Little Brittan, Bindi Irwin, Totally Wild
and Outback 8. Incorporating this stage
experience with music and joining forces with
equally artistic Claudia, Vanessa and Radha
bringing a colossal energy to the group.
The Group was chosen by Jonny Young from over
30,000 auditions Australia wide to be the first
contestants on the new young Talent Time Show
at Channel 10.
FUGLISSIMO
6.30 Saturday
In January 2014, John Schumann was awarded
an OAM for services to Australian music and
victory community.
His song, “I was only 19”, has recently been
published as an illustrated children’s book by
Allen and Unwin - with amazingly emotive
illustrations by Craig Smith. It has proved to be
one of the best selling releases of the year thus
far
John Schumann still lives in Adelaide. He has
upset many people in positions of importance
both there and interstate. He claims not to care.
Hailing from the Gold Coast Fuglissimo are a 4
piece band of UK Ex-Pat’s who skilfully blend a
mix of Blues, Soul and Rockabilly classics
guaranteed to lift your spirits and get your feet
tapping.
Fuglissimo is a word normally used to describe
gaudy Italian fashion that is both ugly and loud;
however, there is nothing ugly about the bands
lead singer Chrisc. As the daughter of a Trained
Opera Singer, it wasn’t long before Chrisc was
following in her mother’s footsteps and wowing
audiences on the English pub and club circuit
with her powerful and wide-ranging vocal
abilities. As luck would have it Chrisc also
managed to pass on her musical talent to her son
Christian who performs the role of band
drummer and sound engineer. Although the
youngster in the band, Christian brings a wealth
of experience from the UK music scene and is
both a professionally qualified sound engineer
and practicing music teacher.
Completing the rhythm section is the bands bass
player Gary a veteran of the Glasgow and London
circuit who has played in a multitude of bands
over the years including Ceilidh, Blues and Celtic
Rock. Gary provides a driving and melodic
backing via his minuscule Ukulele Bass which has
to be heard to be believed. Completing the lineup is the bands lead guitarist Jon. Jon describes
himself as a self taught and musically illiterate
guitarist who learnt his craft on the Pub Band
circuit playing for crisps and beer; however,
those who have heard him and his Clapton-esque
guitar licks know that what he may lack in
musical theory is more than made up for in raw
talent.
LEAPING LIZARDS
7.00 Saturday (Bush dance)
The Leaping Lizards are truly one of the most
experienced ambassador bands of their time.
Multiple award holders and first choice in Aussie
cultural entertainment to greet thousands of
local and overseas gala corporate and community
events.
2014 marks the 30th anniversary of the Leaping
Lizards as a band! From good foundations set in
1984, the band has since had the perseverance,
persistence, fortitude & resilience to adapt and
roll with the punches. Here in 2014, the Leaping
Lizards add an influentially edgy and
determinate weave to the Australian musical
fabric of our times.
Don’t miss the Leaping Lizards Bush Dance from
7 pm Saturday.
COOLGRASS
7.30 Saturday at the Town and Country Motel
SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER
THE JONELLES
12.00 Sunday
60s, Country, pop and roots.
BALYANA
2.00 Sunday
KK GUITARS
12.00 Saturday
Father and son duo
PETER VAN HERK
12.30 Sunday
Urban Folk
THE COMPANY
1.00 Sunday
The Company are a Brisbane-based bluegrass
band with a passion for high-energy original
acoustic music. From fast finger-picking to
soulful songs with sweet harmony singing, these
blokes do it all.
They've appeared at many of the major festivals
in Australia (Woodford, Port Fairy, National Folk
Festival) and the UK and are highly regarded for
their fervour and originality in the genre.
Boasting two Australian Bluegrass champions on
guitar, fiddle and banjo - this band has the
credentials, not to mention numerous other
major music awards to their names. The Company
includes George Jackson (Fiddle/Banjo), Michael
Patrick (Mandolin/Fiddle), Markus Karlsen (Bass)
and Jamie Clarke (Guitar). Their latest album is
out now featuring all original material from the
band.
JOHN SCHUMANN
1:00 Sunday – Songwriting workshop
LEAPING LIZARDS
1.30 Sunday
“Folk Surfin bluegrass”
Balyana is Rob and Jackie Saunders and friends.
Rob and Jackie established the popular Gold
Coast Acoustic Music Club “Coast Acoustics” in
2005 in an effort to find some friends to jam
with. After almost 10 years, over 800 musos
and music lovers have become members and the
lounge room jam sessions have grown to become
open mic, concerts and jams every month at
Country Paradise, culminating into the Gold
Coast Folk Music Festival each year.
In 2013, Balyana secured a spot in the ABC
Exhumed finals with their single “Surfin on My
Waves”, which laments over lonely waves.
Balyana draws inspiration from Neil Young, Bob
Dylan, Van Morrison, Paul Kelly, Bill Munroe and
Hank Williams, blending Bluegrass with the music
of the 70s surf culture.
Balyana can be found at festivals and folk venues
around the South East Queensland. They have
performed at the Gold Coast Acoustic Festival,
Bring on Spring Festival, GC Music in the Parks,
Dorrigo Bluegrass festival (NSW), Redlands folk
festival, Illawarra Folk Festival (NSW) Maleny
Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival
(Tasmania).
HAVE A GO CIRCUS
2.15 Sunday
WES CARR
2.30 Sunday
Frank plays grooving original songs that have a
way of making you move to the beat. He mixes it
up with funny material and is a very entertaining
character. Frank can often be found in the West
End cafe scene and other music venues around
Brisbane.
Festival appearances include Coast Acoustics,
Redfest, Cygnet, Tamar Valley, Inigi Day Out
and Wintermoon.
HAT FITZ AND CARA
4.00 Sunday
From his early days fronting Silverchair
offshoot Tambalane, to his well‐publicised
success on Australian Idol, Wes has well and
truly paid his dues and already lived several
musical lifetimes before reaching the age of 30.
Buffalo Tales sees Wes return to his organic
singer/songwriter roots and is an intimate and
natural fit with folk and alt country overtones
that lets his music speak for itself.
“Here is something universal and raw in Carr’s
sound as he negotiates life from his rural
hometown in South Australia via Sydney and
ultimately to the big lights of L.A. Blood & Bone
is a pensive reflection that plays like a series of
diary entries tracing his journey through the
past while remaining grounded in optimism and
the present – Natalie Salvo, The 59th Sound.
This dynamic duo has skillfully combined their
hill style country blues with old time folk.
This song gave me the chills the first time I
heard it - Kate Winch, moscamedia.com.au
“Hat Fitz and Cara make beautiful, raw, exciting
music that never fails to grab me” Jeff Lang,
Australia
QUATRO
3.15 Sunday
“They pack more energy, emotion and sheer
musical exuberance into one song than most
manage in a whole career”. Spiral Earth, UK
FRANK STOOVE
3.30 Sunday
Hat Fitz & Cara have just finished recording
their new album “Do Tell” engineered and
produced by the great Jeff Lang. After just 2
days of being released in Europe, the album was
picked for the Amazon Charts.
Hat Fitz and Cara have featured at Byron
Bluesfest, Woodford Folk, Apollo Bay, Port
Fairy, Belfast Royal Opera House (Ire), TF Royal
Theatre (Ire) Electric Picnic (Ire), Shetland
Islands Folk Fest (UK), Port Eliot Fest (UK),
Cambridge Folk Festival, largest in (UK), Cognac
Blues de Passion (France).
Draft – subject to change
GOLD COAST FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL 20-21 SEPTEMBER 2014
Saturday 20 September
Time
1.The Barn
12
pm
12.15
12.3
12.45
1 pm
1.15
1.3
1.45
3. Coffee shop
4. Workshop
Rex Miller
Welcome to
country
Mama Juju
Have a Go Circus
Michael Fix
Out of Abingdon
2 pm
2.15
2.3
2.45
3 pm
3.15
2. Club stage
Erwin Zerbe
Uke with Mama Juju
Coolgrass
Old Man Friday
3.3
Callista
Guitar with Michael Fix
3.45
4 pm
Round Mountain
Girls
4.15
4.3
4.45
Owl Valley Bluegrass
5 pm
5.15
5.3
5.45
6 pm
6.15
6.3
6.45
7 pm
Milan Martin
Banjo with Coolgrass
John Schumann
open mic/jam
Quatro
Fuglissimo
Bush dance with
Leaping Lizards
7.15
7.3
7.45
8 pm
Coolgrass plays at the Town and Country from 7.30 pm
Sunday 21 September
Time
12 pm
1.The Barn
2. Club stage
3. Coffee shop
4. Workshop
Jonnelles
KK Guitars
12.15
12.3
12.45
1 pm
Peter Van Herk
1.15
1.3
1.45
2 pm
2.15
2.3
2.45
3 pm
3.15
3.3
3.45
Wes Carr
4 pm
Hat Fitz and
Cara
4.15
4.3
4.45
5.pm
Songwriting with John
Schumann
The Company
Leaping Lizards
Balyana
Have a Go Circus
Quatro
Frank Stoove
Open mic/jam