2008 Illawarra Folk Festival Features

In addition to the concerts there are a number of special events throughout the festival. Here’s a summary of them.

Opening Bush Dance Lunch Italian Style Aboriginal Welcome Opening Charity Concert Great Gut- Busting Tripe Concert And Dinner Children’s Programme Breakfast With The Poets Global Dancing ‘Close-Ups’ In The Heritage Hotel The Chapel Punch And Judy

Chai Blackboard Concerts Difficult Women Songs We Learnt At School Poems We Learnt At School Australia On The Move Concerts An Afternoon Of A Dog’s Breakfast Youth At The Folkie Political Songs Of The 60’s Alan Scott Memorial Australian Concert Poems We Learnt At School Great Woolly Yarns Competition

Keeping Them Honest Quirky Instruments Great Limerick Competition Bluegrass And Plenty Of It May You Live In Funny Times Musicoz Showcase & Karafolkie Bernard’s Big Baby Booming Beatles Bonanza Touch Of Australiana Sunday Morning Gospel Union Choirs Concert One Minute Poetical Wonders

OPENING BUSH DANCE

The Bulli Heritage Hotel is the scene for the opening Bush Dance at 8pm Wednesday. It’s probably a long time since the floorboards of the Hotel swayed to the music and feet of Australia’s early settlers form of entertainment. Bring the kids, dancing shoes or an instrument to join the acoustic dance band. All the dances will be called and walked through. Proudly presented by the Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club and Band.

LUNCH ITALIAN STYLE

Midday Thursday Grandstand Restaurant

Enjoy a scrumptious Italian Lunch with some fairly authentic and whannabe Italians in the newly created Festival Grandstand Restaurant. There’ll be pasta, sauce, lotsa panne (bread) and more to fill you tummy. Then enjoy the music of Italy with David De Santi, Zumpa and special guest Joe Dolce playing the old songs and tarantellas. A great tradition continues. Tickets available from the Festival Office from 11am on the day.

ABORIGINAL WELCOME

7pm Thursday - Slacky Flat Bar

Held at the Thursday Night concert, the welcome will be performed by local aboriginal elder, Vic Chapman. Vic, who was also the first Aboriginal School Principal in NSW, has a special affiliation with the Folk Festival through his late son John who for a number of years was a festival volunteer

OPENING CHARITY CONCERT,

Thursday 5.30pm Slacky Flat Bar

A rapid-fire concert with over a dozen of the Festival performers ‘struttin’ their stuff’ and displaying just a bit of what’s to come over the three days ahead. Admission for non-season pass holders is just $5 and all door takings go to the Leukaemia Foundation and Oxfam charities. Who knows we may even have a raffle or two?

GREAT GUT- BUSTING TRIPE CONCERT and DINNER

Thursday 7pm for 7.30pm Grandstand Restaurant

We are the only Festival to hold this great gastronomic and musical event and there are some who would say that that is just as well. A highlight this year will be the return of Tripe geologist, singer and poet, Bernard Carney from the tripe mines of the West as well as the gastronomical tripe masticator with his new recipe for tripe pizza, Joe Dolce. Bookings essential for this three-course gourmet treat held in the Restaurant and yes, we do let non-tripe eaters in for a plate of ‘Grey Sludge’. Call Russell 42971777- he’s sure not to be home so just leave a message that you’re coming or if it’s Thursday leave a message at the office. We’ll get your cash off you at the dinner. ($20 with a Festival Ticket, $25 without one).

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME

Friday 10.15am - 3.30pm Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm and Sunday 9.30am- 4pm

The Festival has always prided itself on its childrens’ programme and the quality of its childrens performers. Once again we have a full programme of puppets, singing, story-telling instrument making and dancing. This year will be no exception so there’s plenty of activities to keep your kids or grandkids involved.

BREAKFAST WITH THE POETS

8am, Friday, Saturday Sunday Show Pavilion

This gives you a chance to air your favourite poem or recite or read your latest composition. It’s a free for all and everyone gets a go. It will of course be led by our Festival Poets Gregory North, Brian Bell, Viv Sawyer and Dave Meyers.

GLOBAL DANCING

The Global Green is the Dance Venue and will operate with all 32 dancing flavoured events over the three days of the festival. It’s participatory. If your penchant is for Irish Step Dancing, Belly Dancing, Old Time, African, Bush Dancing, Greek, Cajun, Tango, Indian you’ll find it the at the Global Green. Proudly sponsored by Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council. Check the programme for details.

‘CLOSE-UPS’ IN THE HERITAGE HOTEL

Starting at Noon on Friday the Heritage Hotel will be in action over the next three days. You can catch some of the festival’s finest artists in the intimate surroundings of the Hotel’s Concert Hall. This is the entertainment centre where you don’t have to watch the performers on the big screen.

THE CHAPEL

The Chapel is set in the grounds of the Grevillea Gardens and is a mostly acoustic venue. The wooden building itself was the last building to be removed from the township of Sherbrooke which was set on the old coach road from Bulli to Appin. It was subsumed by the Water Board a century ago and the orchards that abounded there were bulldozed. Bring a blanket or a chair to these dusk concerts. The ambience here is simply magic.

PUNCH AND JUDY

Preston’s Punch and Judy puppet show, for the delight of children and the nostalgia of adults. The irascible Mr Punch, now over 345 years old comes to life at the festival. In an age of electronic games, DVDs, Digital just about everything Punch and Judy somehow remind us of a bygone age.

CHAI BLACKBOARD CONCERTS

Friday 9pm, Saturday 8pm Nag’s Lounge

Here’s a chance to have a go and enjoy some Festival Chai Tea! See Dave Oliphant and the other masters of ceremonies of the Blackboard.

DIFFICULT WOMEN

Friday 12.30pm Grandstand Restaurant

‘Difficult Woman’ was the term that the Catholic Inquisition used to label women accused of witchcraft so their property could be seized and they could be taken out and burned at the stake. Spinifex Press author, songwriter and singer Lin Van Hek and partner Joe Dolce have been performing this folk literary workshop around the world since 1993.

SONGS WE LEARNT AT SCHOOL

Friday 5.30pm Chapel

Many people claim that they didn’t learn much at school but Duncan Chalmers did. Fortunately they were mainly songs and he reckons most people, when you jog their memories, can recall many of the songs that they learned, not only from the teacher but the ever-present voice on the radio of Terrence Hunt. Anyway here’s your chance- bring along the words of any song to become an instant star or just join in with Duncan he’ll bring the words and we may even have a bit of Musical backing.

AUSTRALIA ON THE MOVE CONCERTS

Friday 3.30 – 5.30pm

Saturday 9.30 – 11.30am Show Pavilion

The theme for this years festival is ‘Australia on the Move’ We were hoping for a grant to bring people from all over Australia. Unfortunately we didn’t get it but the concerts go ahead anyway. Some of our finest will take part in bringing together stories and songs about those people who created this country by traveling around it- From explorers, shearers, goldseekers, troubadours, gypsies, sailors, fruitpickers and even Grey Nomads.

A DOG’S BREAKFAST

Friday 2.30pm Chapel

While the dogs are doing their best to catch the lure, Alan Musgrove and Friends will be doing their best to lure punters to a concert where every song is about dogs. A cast of thousands and if you’ve got a dog song, poem or story then see Al and you might get in the race.

YOUTH at the FOLKIE

Friday 5pm, Saturday 2.45pm Nag’s Lounge

15 of our finest young musicians, songwriters and singers will showcase their talents in these great variety concerts. Come along and hear the next generation of folk performers.

POLITICAL SONGS OF THE 60’s

Friday 7pm Chapel

Two old Friends, Maurie Mulheron, the singing principal from Austinmer and SONiA from the USA have reunited to take us through some of the songs that defined that most exciting of times- the 60s. There will be an emphasis on the songs of Phil Ochs and of course there’ll be singing by the audience. You’ll be surprised how many of them you know, even if you weren’t alive in the 60s.

ALAN SCOTT MEMORIAL AUSTRALIAN CONCERT

Friday 8pm - Grandstand Restaurant

Alan Scott was a great collector and interpreter of Australian traditional songs and was the first person invited to all our festivals until his untimely death. Each year we pull together some of his friends and those who are carrying on his traditions.

QUIRKY INSTRUMENTS

Saturday 11am Grevillea Park

If you fancy yourself as a musicologist then here’s a place to be on Saturday. Mark Holder-Keeping and some of his mates will play and talk about some of the unusual instruments that are around and no; they won’t all be accordions.

POEMS WE LEARNT AT SCHOOL

Saturday 11am Grandstand Bar

Viv Sawyer learnt lots of poems at school and then went on to learn and write lots more. Bring along your favourite poem that you remember from school. If you can’t remember it then you’re quite welcome to read it. Viv will be assisted by other poets. This is nostalgia at its best.

GREAT WOOLLY YARNS COMPETITION

Saturday Midday – Grandstand Bar

Your chance to take out some of the great prizes on offer just by telling the odd tale or two. Truth is not an issue though laying claim to it is essential. Only one rule- all yarns must be no longer than five minutes or the gong applies. Hosted by Russel Hannah this competition is in its 21st year. Politicians are barred.

KEEPING THEM HONEST

Saturday 3.30pm Show Pavilion

Since we’ve had a change of Government we’ve decided to forgo our regular sedition concert until such time as we see some of the laws repealed. We may have to re instigate it next year if the present incumbents don’t change things. Anyway a lot of our performers that believe that we have to be alert to make sure that the promises made are adhered to, particularly in regard to IR, Education, Health, Civil Liberties, climate change, reconciliation and anything else you can think of. The concert is supported by the South Coast Labour Council and the TAFE Teachers Association and will be compered by SCLC Secretary Arthur Rorris- himself something of a musician.

GREAT LIMERICK COMPETITION

Saturday 4pm – Grandstand Bar

Bring along your favourite limerick- anything goes. Write one yourself and win a prize for the best original composition. It’s a lot of fun and a quite old poetic form (an easy one too). Hosted by Vivienne Sawyer

BLUEGRASS AND PLENTY OF IT

Saturday 7pm Grandstand Restaurant

It’s a great Festival for Bluegrass and apart from their individual gigs all the Bluegrass Groups come together in one big bluegrass bash at the Show Pavilion on Saturday Night. It’s a tradition we’ve had for 21 years and is always packed.

MAY YOU LIVE IN FUNNY TIMES

Saturday 6.30pm Show Pavilion

The Greeks used to have a particular curse which was “May you live in interesting times’. Well at this festival we hope you can live in Funny Times. If you enjoy a good laugh then don’t miss this concert where some of our more serious performers show their funny side and some of our more funny ones show their seriously funny side.

MUSICOZ SHOWCASE & KARAFOLKIE

Saturday 7.30pm – Slacky Flat Bar

Mothers of Intention are the 2007 MusicOz Folk category winners and in this session need you to join the band! Ever heard of Folk Karioke, You probably haven’t but it won’t take you long to get the hang of it and MOI will let you select from a large list of popular folksongs.

BERNARD’S BIG BABY BOOMING BEATLES BONANZA

Saturday 10pm – Slacky Flat Bar

Be prepared to sing along and dance to the old Beatle favourites - never mind the creaking bones, most old folkies are old rockers from their youth so come along and dip into a bit of solid nostalgia - no head-banging here!

TOUCH OF AUSTRALIANA

Saturday 9.30am Black Diamond Marquee

There is a great heritage that has been collected in Australia or is being written about. This concxerts features some of our great collectors of songs and some of our great songwriters. With Jason and Chloe, Bernard Carney, Franklyn B Paverty and The John Broomhall Trio this concert will be the Festival Highlight for lovers of Australia’s past and present.

SUNDAY MORNING GOSPEL

Sunday 8.30pm Global Green

Avalanche will be hosting a mighty fine gospel sing to celebrate Sunday. Grab breakfast and getting along to feel inspired and spiritual.

CHOIRS CONCERT

Sunday 11.30am Show Pavilion

With support from the unions and the South Coast Labour Council the choirs will again feature at the festival as they have done for the past 15 years. With choirs from Newcastle, The Blue Mountains, Canberra Sydney and our own local Union Singers it promises to be one of the biggest line-ups ever.

ONE MINUTE POETICAL WONDERS

Sunday 1.45pm Grandstand Bar

Got a short Poem, say less than a minute then here’s your chance to get it out. Well known poet Brian Bell with a bit of help from his poetic mates will host a session of short sharp poems. Might even have a prize for the best one.