Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival

Recent feedback from  2011 Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival:

Thank you for an excellent Folk and Bluegrass festival last weekend. This is the fifth festival I have attended and each time it’s become bigger and bigger. I was impressed by the great variety of performers and the way the timetable was planned, which enabled us to catch everything. How great it was to see the Perch Creek Family Jug band all grown up and performing on their own (I saw them on their first stint there). Also, what a coup to have the Bushwhackers and Bluegrass Parkway all on the one weekend, as well as the other great performers.

I must particularly compliment you on the fantastic effort put into organising and running the festival. This includes the ticket sellers, catering and canteen staff as well as those who were there first to set up, and last to pack up. That the acts were set up and ready to go on time was a great effort. I must also acknowledge the sound people, who were able to provide such impressive sound for every act. I notice the performers rightly acknowledged their efforts. We as spectators are probably unaware of the number of individuals who work behind the scenes, but I can assure you it is very much appreciated. I think the festival’s uniqueness is due to the tight community spirit that pervades throughout.

I look forward to attending future festivals and will recommend it whenever the chance arises.
Thank you once again.

Michael

"Just have to say how much I enjoyed the Dorrigo festival recently. Our family have been going along for a few years now and we always come home feeling like we've won the lottery. It's so much fun, the music is fabulous and the campgrounds very beautiful. Everyone talks about the food , of course, and it's all delicious. Thanks for organising a wonderful weekend. Really appreciated."  - Marie

2010 Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival - Review Story by Bronnie Ware

The folk festival scene is such a joyous thing to experience. And the amount of fabulous talent out there continues to inspire me. Having just returned from another Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival, I am still riding the waves of enjoyment and inspiration that come after any good festival.

The hard work of Bridget Sommers is to be absolutely commended, as is her knowledge of the Australian music scene. The line-up at this year's festival was phenomenal. And the high calibre of music flowing from the stages did not falter for a moment.

Dorrigo itself is a lovely town in a beautiful setting, high on a lush, green plateau with rainforests, waterfalls, and dairy farms. The rain came and went, but did not hinder things at all. When it rained, the halls were full of happy, friendly people soaking up the fantastic music. The sun made plenty of welcome appearances too though, always around long enough to keep the ground reasonably dry, to have the ice-cream stall owner glad he had set-up, the sun hats were put on again, and impromptu jamming continued in the general areas in an instant.

The lack of alcohol at this festival is a distinct and favourable aspect. While alcohol may no doubt have been consumed in the camping area, the festival's main area was both smoke and alcohol free. The lack of both enhanced the festival immensely, rather than hindered it. And I say this not only because I am a non-drinker. Speaking with many others about it over the weekend, it was obvious that this element was very favourably received and enjoyed.

It meant that everyone was there for the music alone, not the partying or excess that can come with bars or those hell-bent on writing themselves off at festivals. People were more present and with everyone in a similar headspace, it created an atmosphere of natural friendliness and open communication. It also meant that the music was heard and remembered, which is much preferred! It didn't stop the music continuing to flow well either after the official concerts had finished each night, with fantastic tunes still floating through the night into the wee hours.

Another positive sign of the times at many festivals now is the availability of healthy food. Gone are the days when the only thing you could get to eat at an Australian music festival was a meat pie, a steak sandwich, a bucket of greasy chips, or something that may have once resembled some kind of sausage, cleverly disguised in three inches of batter, put on a stick and drowned in tomato sauce.

For those who love to live well and eat healthily, going to festivals used to always be a sacrifice in the food department. But the last few years have seen changes at many festivals and certainly for the better. Dina, who ran the kitchen at Dorrigo festival ensured that no health would suffer there at all, bless her. In fact, I am sure many punters ate better than they had in years. Fresh, wholesome and delicious food was available all weekend and with the dining hall being one of the two main venues, it was a pleasurable place to be.

Likewise the coffee vendors kept all happy, with delicious chai, herbal teas, coffee, cakes and fresh juices. They did balance things out a little though, for those who needed a dose of something slightly less healthy, by making hot chips available too. The festival also spilled into the town's cafes for breakfast each morning, where diners could enjoy some of the more acoustic acts in the line-up.

On Saturday afternoon, when ducking back to the van for some fruit, I was blessed to hear some fine tunes coming from the neighbours in the campground, as they rehearsed for their gig as the Slickville Pickers. So I lay in the back of the van with the back open, looked out at green paddocks and a big, country sky, and enjoyed my own private concert, all the while thinking what a beautiful gift music is. Over the years, I have definitely come to appreciate the music that flows from the campgrounds. Whether the musicians are performing in the official line-up or not, the talent hidden in festival campgrounds are always well worth avoiding the comfort of motels for.

And there was certainly no end of fine talent at Dorrigo this year, in the campgrounds or in the official line-up. My personal favourites from the main venues again were The Junes. The stage presence and combined wit of Suzannah Espie, Gleny Rae and Sarah Carroll, joined with their own musical talents and that of Dougie Bull and Chris Tabone, never fails to leave their audience uplifted and delighted. I am yet to ever see an audience member leave a Junes gig without a smile on their face.

Innes Campbell and Present Company blew me away over dinner on Friday night, with their talents and fantastic music. Melanie Robinson and the Miles to Go trio had me wanting to learn how to play the cello. Bluestone Junction took me back to my childhood where endless hours were spent listening to my father's vast collection of old-time bluegrass 78s. And The Ewan Mackenzie Duo did Django Reinhardt true justice and left me wanting to watch the movie Swing again this week. (I highly recommend this movie to lovers of gypsy guitar if you've not yet seen it. In fact, it is such a lovely movie, I recommend it even if you don't like gypsy guitar).

Nardi Simpson and Kaleena Briggs, better known as the Stiff Gins, blessed the audience with positive, honest tunes and uplifting harmonies, showing how having the resilience to stick with it for more than a decade has created a beautifully, natural flow of their combined musicianship.

And the list goes on. Every artist who performed at Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival this year is to be commended for bringing such quality music to the weekend. And of course, Bridget Sommers who has managed to turn her ideas into such a delightful festival, bringing pleasure to the hundreds who were there, is one very remarkable person. All of those involved in helping to organise the festival also deserve great thanks for making performers and festival goers alike feel so welcome.

Regardless of where you live, if folk festivals are not a part of your social life, do yourself a favour and try a few out. New friendships await, as well as an immense amount of great music. Or try a workshop or two, whether it be singing, learning about an instrument or trying out a new kind of dance style.

Folk festivals are friendly places to experience and well worth stepping out for, doing something new. Whatever your taste in music, most festivals have something for everyone these days. But folk festivals are by far the most welcoming I have found. Maybe it's just the nature of acoustic music.

Thanks to all who make festivals possible everywhere. Your efforts transform lives and bring great joy. Thank you all. Let's keep the music coming.

Bronnie Ware       http://www.bronnieware.com/

Review of 2010 Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival by Vanessa Lahey - Le Critique:

"Set in a town infamous for potatoes, the annual Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival celebrated its ninth year on October 22, 23 and 24. The three day camping festival held at the town’s showground showcased some of the country’s best and undiscovered folk and bluegrass acts.

Attracting growing crowds each year, the festival is a national gathering of folk, bluegrass musicians and many variations thereof. Reminiscent of a medieval fare, the Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival is one of the few festivals without any airs or graces but the talent required to make it a success.

This year, opening night alluded to the festival being a total washout as storm clouds gathered over the mountain, but all that was dampened was the feet not the spirits of those who traveled to participate in the event.

Shared between two humble stages housed in the showground’s original wooden halls – the main and lunch pavilion – Australian greats such as The Stiff Gins graced the crowd with their inimitable presence that has been fine tuned and mastered over the years.The festival is all about grass roots music… music that tells stories such as folk, whether that be of the Gauls or the Anglos whom traveled to pioneer America, bluegrass or an interpretation of one or the two.

Over three days the festival witnessed some wonderful music pedaled by largely unknown or off the beaten track musicians. An example of this was outstanding return act for 2010 The Junes; a titillating group headlined by three quirky women. The multi-instrumentalist divas brought the house down with a satirical set list of bluesy/country swing songs and anecdotes.

Another gem hidden within the festival program was the appearance of Parvyn Singh, daughter of Dya Singh and member of his World Music Group, alongside guitar virtuoso Josh Bennett. The duo have combined a spicy mix of classical Indian, Brazilian and bluegrass sounds and made a masterpiece. If standouts are being mentioned then the Ewan Mackenzie Duo and Miles to Go Trio are definitely worth an accolade. Renowned gypsy/jazz musician Ewan Mackenzie brought a marvelously manouche touch to an otherwise Celtic and Appalachian affair.

Off stage, the festival’s biggest draw card has always been the musical workshops. Held over the weekend were ‘bluegrass’, ‘flatpicking’ and ‘clawhammer’ workshops on instruments such as banjo, mandolin, fiddle, cello, harmonica and dobro (to mention a few) conducted for those wanting to deepen their understanding of the music.

Meanwhile children were kept amused with workshops of their own in Bollywood dance, singing and storytelling. After the workshops ended, musicians sat underneath the tree canopy at the showground sharing hints and tips in informal jam sessions providing another layer to the relaxed festival aura.

Resonating among members of the audience was a shared belief that what made this festival special was the intimate atmosphere and its size. And for a festival of its size, it packs a lot of punch and stands up as a contender for future notoriety."

Vanessa Lahey
http://www.australianstage.com.au/201010283984/news/industry-news/dorrigo-folk-and-bluegrass-festival-2010.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Artistic Director: Bridget Sommers 02 6657 1224

Media Contact: Julie Ward 02 6657 1180

2009 Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass  - doing what we love!

Last weekend people came to Dorrigo from all over Australia and even from Arizona for the 8th Festival which organisers have declared the best ever! A few rain clouds and afternoon storms didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm and all performers were highly appreciative of the receptivity of their audiences - and the skills of the sound crew.

There were many highlights with fantastic performances from world class performers and local talent too. The multi-award winning Davidson Brothers wowed the crowd with their "hard and fast" style bluegrass and sweet renditions of Western Swing. Anne Kirkpatrick performed with her band and also judged the Slim Dusty Competition - local youth performing their own interpretations of Slim's songs and won by James Darley & Garth Burley - singing "Duncan" of course!

A unique element of this Festival was the "Tallowoods & Tollywongs" Living Memory project presentation. It started with a real punch - a young band with a current take on Dorrigo life called "Smurfing", included yodelling by our own Betty Sawtell, poetry, students performing their own original compositions and the guys from the Lonely Horse Band tying it all together with their poems and songs about "the Dorrigo".

If you weren't there you missed something quite inspirational!

So many great performances - we can't detail them all! Every band and artist showcased different aspects. Folk - from bluesy roots to stunning 5 part harmonies, Bluegrass - traditional and contemporary, Old Timey - for dancing and listening, Traditional songs - Gospel, Celtic and Indigenous. The many workshops were fun and educational and were especially well attended. The Luncheon Pavilion was bursting at the seams - great acoustic performances and delicious, fresh local food. The Blackboard spots were opportunities for aspiring performers as well as reprise concerts by great bands such as "The Junes".

In the Main Pavilion seats were hard to find - right until the very end of the Festival. The closing act, Ami Williamson, in her third appearance, once more mesmerised, charmed, amused and entertained with her original songs and her amazing voice. It's   seems unique to bring a capacity audience to their feet with a performance from "The Barber of Seville" at a Folk & Bluegrass Festival - but Ami did!

The Festival wouldn't happen without the volunteers and sponsors who give their time or money - the organising committee do really appreciate every contribution! In the words of Hully from "The Passion of Dorrigo" ...

Have you really made a difference when push has come to shove

Did you love the thing you do, did you do the thing you love?"   (Andrew Hull 2009)

Many thanks to everyone who assisted in this fantastic festival.

The Australian Government is proud to be associated with The Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival. The Living Memory project "Tallowoods & Tollywongs" was made possible by Festivals Australia, an Australian Government program which supports cultural activity at regional and community festivals.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Artistic Director: Bridget Sommers 02 6657 1224

Media Contact: Julie Ward 02 6657 1180

2010 Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass  - a little damp but GREAT!

The weekend of October 22-24 saw the ninth Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival which yet again was “a great little Festival”. Each day brought some afternoon storms but these didn’t didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm. The performances were wonderful, the workshops entertaining and instructive, the food delicious and the indoor venues (mostly) dry!

So many highlights with fantastic performances from world class performers and home grown talent. The multi-award winning Stiff Gins - Nardi Simpson & Kaleena Briggs - delighted audiences with their beautiful vocal harmonies, and the sharing of the the stories that went with them. They brought a special something to our part of the country and so loved Dorrigo they plan to return next March for some workshops and a concert to promote their new CD.

The Junes - that sassy country swing super group highlighting the diverse but complementary talents of Sarah Carroll, Suzannah Espie and Gleny Rae Virus - wowed audiences in both pavilions and had the crowd howling for more.

Cath Mundy and Jay Turner, melded a group of people into a Festival Choir which joined them on the stage during their Sunday afternoon performance. It was truly inspiring to hea r wonderful 4 part harmonies presenting Cath’s original composition “Children of the Universe”. Cath & Jay are talented performers in their own right and their skill and enthusiasm for leading choirs is really remarkable.

The Miles to Go Trio (David Hyams, Melanie Robinson & Jenny M Thomas) amazed audiences with their technical proficiency and beautiful arrangements - at their Sunday afternoon performance even the rain on the roof was in harmony with their playing! Ewan Mackenzie & Oliver Steffen shared some beautiful “gypsy jazz” - a distinctive sound ranging from melancholy to spirited uptempo tunes based on traditional Gypsy, Balkans music and as played by Django Reinhardt - truly passionate and articulate performances.

Bluestone Junction presented pure authentic Bluegrass with a fantastic sound using just the single mike while Kirsty Cox and her band showed how Bluegrass can be done in a contemporary and more amplified way. Innes Campbell and Present Company stunned the audience with their renditions of both original and traditional Bluegrass songs - be sure to look out for “The Interloper” when you next visit Toowoomba!

The Bush Poets made a welcome return to this year’s Festival. There were very well attended and highly enjoyable breakfasts on both Saturday & Sunday mornings. Peter Mace will be back next year with more poetry to inspire and amuse.

In both Pavilions and all venues seats were hard to find for nearly every  performance and workshop - from the opening chords on Friday night to the very last performance of the Festival on Sunday afternoon. Every band and artist showcased different aspects of Folk & Bluegrass music - from bluesy roots to stunning 5 part harmonies, from traditional to contemporary, for dancing and for listening. There were  Traditional, Gospel, Celtic, and Indigenous songs; there was even Karifolkie!

This year we welcomed some first time audience members from the Macleay and Nambucca who have just discovered this wonderful family event on their doorstep. There are also many who return to Dorrigo every year for this Festival because of the great atmosphere, and the opportunity to jam with fantastic and sometimes famous musicians -  where else can you sit under  a shady tree and play a tune with someone like Lachlan Davidson!

Performers love to come to Dorrigo too - many are begging to be included in next year's line-up.  Any why do they want to come? Because the guys who look after the “sound” - Tony & Shane in the Main Pavilion and Dave in the Luncheon Pavilion - work hard before and during the weekend to provide the kind of sound that many Festivals can’t deliver. And with the alcohol and smoke free venues, our audiences are here to listen and to enjoy the music.


The Festival wouldn’t happen without the volunteers and sponsors who give their time or money and those who billet some of our performers, providing a warm welcome into their home. The organising committee do really appreciate every contribution! Many thanks to everyone who assisted in ANY way to make this yet again a fantastic festival.