FOLK BY THE SEA PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Folk By The Sea organisers have released a packed program for the 10th running of Kiama’s annual folk festival, with a number of the headline acts performing multiple times over the festival weekend of September 20-22.
Heading the list is “the Balkan Baritone” Mikelangelo (Michael Simic), who will perform four shows over the weekend, including a festival highlight on the Saturday night with his tribute show to the legendary Shane MacGowan, lead singer and songwriter of Irish band The Pogues, famous for fusing traditional Irish music with punk. MacGowan died last November, but his legend lives on through such classic songs as Fairytale of New York, A Rainy Night In Soho and Rock’n’Roll Paddy. Mikelangelo and a festival all-star band will perform their Fairytale of Shane MacGowan show on the main stage at the Kiama Pavilion at 10pm on the Saturday night. Mikelangelo will also be appearing on the Friday opening night program at 9.30pm, Saturday at 5.15pm and Sunday afternoon at 3.30pm.
Canberra-based diplomat-turned folk singer Fred Smith and his band will perform three shows – Friday at 8.30pm, Saturday at 1.30pm and Sunday at 1.30pm.
Festival Director Neil McCann’s personal pick as the festival’s must-see act, Indigenous violin maestro Eric Avery/Murrawuy, will perform twice – on Saturday at noon on the main stage and again that evening at 7pm in the nearby Anglican Church Hall.
Powerhouse vocalist Kelly Brouhaha, whose repertoire traverses folk, country, blues and jazz, will perform three times, including hosting the traditional Sirens of the Sea concert at 3pm on Saturday, showcasing some of the festival’s female singers.
Neil McCann says with a packed festival program featuring 44 acts and around 100 shows at nine venues, programming multiple shows for many of the acts gives audiences the chance to see as many performers as possible over the weekend.
“It really gives people options. With nine venues, there will inevitably be clashes between popular acts,” Neil said.
“However, with many of the artists doing more than one show, it gives people a chance to really plan their festival experience so they don’t miss the acts they really want to see.
“There is even an option of just buying a Saturday (9am-11pm) pass, which will give people the chance to see most of the headline acts. This is aimed at those who don’t have the time to commit for the whole weekend, or perhaps haven’t visited our festival before and want to see what all the fuss is about.”
Folk By The Sea will be based at Kiama Showground and nearby venues on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday until 4.30pm, when it moves to the Kiama Bowling Club for a finale concert hosted by Nick Rheinberger and Tia Wilson, and featuring the Carefree Road Band, Fiddledance, The Go Twos and The Groove.
