Fairbridge Festival enters its 27th year in 2019, with the tagline 'more than just a music festival' presenting dance and comedy acts, along with workshops, stalls and other family-friendly activities alongside a diverse offering of music.
'Everything in once place' is their motto, with a musical focus on folk, world and roots. Highlights of the international music line-up include Darol Anger and the Republic of Strings, Flats and Sharps, JigJam, Mànran and Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana.
Australian acts include Lois Olney, Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse, Family Shoveller Band, Little Stevies and Teeny Tiny Stevies, The Maes and I Viaggiatori feat. Kavisha Mazzella.
“To be bursting at the seams with some of the very finest of American ‘new acoustic’ masters, one of Scotland's busiest live bands and a delightful Italian focus that presents international world-music superstars, Austro-Italian folk bands and poignant migrant stories,” Rod Vervest, Fairbridge Festival Artistic Director, says discussing the international mix of the 2019 line-up.
“Coupled with comedy, children's events and a creative splash of new site decorations, Fairbridge Festival 2019 is another unmissable calendar moment. Mark it, book it early and be there.”
Highlighted dance workshops include the Taonga Maori contemporary arts presentation and the Monkeyfunk inter-generational experience.
Darol Anger and the Republic of Strings offers complex orchestral arrangements of familiar world music along with some new original material.
Flats and Sharps are an energetic contemporary bluegrass band looking to demonstrate their own original songs alongside their renditions of bluegrass classics.
JigJam are a quartet that blends traditional Irish music with bluegrass and Americana which has been coined by the band as 'Celt-grass'.
With central focus on traditional Celtic sounds, Mànran mixes in a number of influences and instruments including the fiddle, flue and bagpipes.
Fusing traditional Tuscan forms with jazz, Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana have made a name for themselves with a bright Mediterranean flavour.
A Yamatji woman with a distinct, powerful and yet gentle voice, Lois Olney will perform her traditional and emotive indigenous music. Gina Williams and Guy Ghose combine modern guitar sounds with their rare Noongar language, foregrounding a strong First Nations Australian line-up.
Fairbridge Festival is a world music festival in the truest sense, with acts from Scotland, Canada and Cajun musicians with an emphasis on interesting surprises and exposing eclectic acts.
Further, the festival seeks to create opportunities for artists to expand their audience on a different stage.
The full programme will be released next month.
2019 Fairbridge Festival (Fairbridge Village near Pinjarra, WA) takes place 26-28 April. Early bird tickets are on sale now. For more information click here.
2019 Fairbridge Festival First Line-up
‘Uptown’ Brown!Bush Gothic
Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings
Edgelarks
Family Shoveller Band
Flats and Sharps
Hot Potato Band
I Viaggiatori feat. Kavisha Mazzella
JigJam
John the Sandman and his Fabulous Sandscript Machine
Kimber’s Men
Kittel & Co.
Lois Olney
Mànran
Martin Pearson
Mick Thomas and the Roving Commission
Riccardo Tesi & Banditaliana
Rory McLeod
Salvatore Rossano and Santa Taranta present: SONU – Songs from the Homeland
The Little Stevies and Teeny Tiny Stevies
The Maes
