By Nick Hartgerink, honorary publicity officer for Folk by the Sea
Darren Coggan has performed at famous venues around the world, but the headline act for this year’s Folk By The Sea festival in Kiama in September says he is thrilled to be part of a great community event.
Coggan, a former Riverina boy who calls Corrimal home these days after 20 years in Helensburgh, is one of Australia’s premier performers – a Golden Guitar-winning Country singer-songwriter who also tours celebration shows honouring iconic artists like Cat Stevens, James Taylor and John Denver.
Coggan has performed his critically-acclaimed Peace Train, a portrait of Cat Stevens, on some of the world’s grandest stages, from the Sydney Opera House to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall in Scotland and Liverpool Philharmonic in England. Stevens, also known as Yusuf Islam, even paid Coggan the ultimate compliment when he invited the Australian to London to meet him in 2008.
Coggan promises to bring a selection of his favourite songs from Peace Train and his other celebration shows to Folk by The Sea, based at Kiama Showground Pavilion on September 12-14, but festival patrons will also get a preview of Coggan’s new album, due for release in early 2026.
“I am so thrilled to be part of Folk By The Sea,” Coggan said. “It’s a great community event, and I don’t often get the chance to showcase my own songs, because I am usually so busy doing the celebratory shows honouring other artists. And as I bonus, I’ll be able to drive home after the show!
“I have a new album of original songs coming out early next year called Another Breaking Wave, featuring songs I have been accumulating for the past few years. At Kiama I’ll be performing some of those songs for the first time, so will be very interested to see how the audience reacts to them.
“Of course, I will also be performing a smattering of songs from my celebratory shows, because I love those artists and I love to honour them and their songs. For example, I always play Cat Stevens’ Father And Son, so you definitely expect that in my show at Folk By The Sea.”
Coggan, who originally hails from Wagga Wagga, says his 21 years living in the Illawarra – first at Helensburgh and now in Corrimal, had greatly influenced the songs on Another Breaking Wave.
“There are songs about the Dharawal Nation and the beautiful Illawarra coastline - lots of water and ocean references – and songs about my family. There’s even a song called 2508 – Helensburgh’s postcode – which is a homage to that town.
“There is no question that the Illawarra has played a huge role in our lives,” he said. “We had 20 great years in Helensburgh, then the chance came to move to Corrimal last year. We love it here.”
Coggan’s daughter Olivia, 21, is an emerging singer-songwriter who is forging a successful path of her own, while his son Gabriel, 24, is a professional videographer. Not surprisingly, Gabriel produces the videos for his father and sister’s songs, which can be seen on his website darrencoggan.com. “It’s a very handy skill to have in the family,” Coggan jokes.
Coggan will be performing on the main stage at Kiama Pavilion at 9pm on Saturday, September 13.
He is part of a festival line-up of 40 acts and around 100 shows over the weekend.
Folk By The Sea is presented by the Illawarra Folk Club. It kicks off with a charity preview concert at Kiama Leagues Club on Thursday, September 11, with all proceeds going to Lifeline South Coast.
The ticketed festival starts on Friday evening at Kiama Showground and continues until Sunday afternoon. It will wrap up with a free concert at Kiama Bowling Club on Sunday evening.
The full program and ticket information is available on the festival website
Artists at Folk By The Sea
Alex Randles (ACT), Ally Row (VIC), Balkan Boogie, Charles Maimarosia (VIC), Charley Castles and the Boys In The Well, Chloe and Jason Roweth, Darren Coggan, Fly Little Sparrow (QLD/NSW), Grace Barr, Graeme ‘The Scotsman’ McColgan, Hand Over Hammer (VIC), Good Tunes, Humbuckin' Pickups, Jessie Lloyd’s Sing on Country, Kane Calcite, Karen Law (QLD), Kiama Blowhole Buskers, Kiama Pipe Band, Kiama Sea Shanty, Louzco Fouzco, Marco and Rusty, Noel Gardner and Alex Bridge (QLD), Oceanique (VIC), Oliver Roweth, Robyn Sykes, Rhys Crimmin (VIC), Russell Hannah, Sam Fletcher Trio, Scupriri, Slippery John Sausage and his Bayou Boys, Southern Cross Bush Band, Square Pegs, Stonybroke, The Butter Trackers, The Con Artists, The Lofty Mountain Band (SA), The Water Runners, The Weeping Willows (VIC), Whistle, Wood n' Hide.
