Organisers have finalised the schedule for the 142 acts performing at the 33rd Illawarra Folk Festival at Bulli Showground in January.
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Headliners like singer-songwriter Eric Bogle, The Go Set, reggae ragers The Protesters, Mikelangelo the Balkan Elvis, revered Irish songstress Eleanor McEvoy, US country music star Kevin Welch and leading Irish traditional band Breaking Trad all have multiple gigs over the four days of the festival from January 18-21.
As always, the headliners will be featured on the main stage at the Black Diamond Marquee at least once, as well as playing some of the festival’s more intimate venues.
“We like to give performers the chance to play in different settings,” festival artistic director David De Santi said.
“It makes it more interesting for them, and more interesting for their audiences. For example it will be a very different experience watching Eleanor McEvoy up close and personal at The Chapel on Friday evening, compared to her shows on the main stage at the Black Diamond Marquee, which seats hundreds of people.
“And of course in a festival as big as this there are always performance times that clash, so by scheduling the main acts on multiple occasions, people have the chance to plan their festival and work out how they are going to get around and see as many acts as possible.”
McEvoy will play at the Chapel on Friday night, the Black Diamond Marquee on Saturday afternoon and the Slacky Flat Bar on Sunday lunchtime, as well as featuring in the Funny Songs show on Sunday morning.
Australia’s favourite folk singer Eric Bogle will play on Friday night at Black Diamond Marquee, Saturday night at The Chapel and Sunday afternoon at The Black Diamond Marquee.
He is also involved in three other shows featuring a variety of performers throughout the festival.
However, Tamworth Country Music Festival Golden Guitar winner Darren Coggan, who now calls the Illawarra home, is the exception.
Coggan will be the star attraction on the festival’s opening night, Thursday, January 18 – his only appearance at the festival.
“Darren is a great act for our opening charity fundraising night,” Mr De Santi said.
“He is probably best-known for his tribute shows featuring the music of Cat Stevens and James Taylor, and his time performing in Shout, the musical about Johnny O’Keeffe, and but last year he was named Australian Vocalist of the Year at the Australian Celtic Music Awards, so he has many strings to his bow.”
De Santi described the four-day festival as a “smorgasbord of musicians, singers, bands, poets, comedians and dancers, with something for everyone”.
“The great thing about the Illawarra Folk Festival has always been the incredible diversity, and this festival will be no different. We are very happy with both the quality of the performers, and the variety of acts,” he Santi said.
Book tickets and find the full prgram at www.illawarrafolkfestival.com.au
