Back for a fourth successive year, Music SA's Umbrella: Winter City Sounds returns to Adelaide (and regional South Australia) in 2019 with a programme that features a 63 per cent increase in events and venues from last year.
Spread across two weeks (12-28 July), Umbrella delivers a feast for the senses with over 20 different contemporary genres covering almost the entire state.
Festivities kick off with a family friendly, grand Opening Night Party at the newly developed Topham Mall, featuring legendary musician Archie Roach.
Archie Roach
With a combination of open-access and curated performances (250 events across 111 venues – with online registration still open) highlights of the 2019 programme include free street festival Cry Baby Fest headlined by Kingswood, Down By The River which focuses on Aboriginal narratives in music (and will take place at Tandanya), and the recently launched Girls Rock Adelaide will present a showcase event from their inaugural SA camp.
Kingswood
Scouted will also be a returning feature of Umbrella, showcasing the wealth of South Australia's unsigned and emerging talent across four stages in Adelaide’s East End in front of national industry representatives and the public.
The big screen premiere of the documentary 'City Of Music', which maps the creation of the biggest mural in the City of Adelaide dedicated to music, will screen at The Mercury Cinema that will also play host to live music throughout Umbrella.
Local music, wine, food and fairy lights will be the attraction at Lindes Lane when Alleyway Acoustica takes over on a Wednesday evening. Rundle Mall will be home to The Producer Series, which places a 'musician’s bedroom' inside a perspex box, to allow passers-by to observe the likes of Luke Million create original tracks.
Luke Million
Lunar Boogie is a space themed pop-up party in MOD’s lecture gallery highlighting underground dance music from the past to the present. Hip hop show A Lyric 4 Ur Thought will raise funds and awareness for Headspace.
The 2019 programme also boasts a number of exciting new innovations including Umbrella Place, an eye-catching installation of colourful umbrellas above Vaughan Place (inspired by the Agitagueda art festival in Portugal).
Umbrella will draw to a close with Neon Dreams, a closing night party focused on diversity and hosted in the East End at the Crown and Anchor, Chateau Apollo, Roxie’s and Midnight Spaghetti.
Last year saw Umbrella move into the suburbs; 2019 marks the festival’s expansion into regional and rural areas with the winter music shared all through the state, including events in Port Lincoln, Berri, Mannum, Clare, Mount Gambier/ Mount Schank, Victor Harbor, Ceduna and Port Augusta.
“Umbrella: Winter City Sounds provides the perfect opportunity for the public to see some of the best, local artists South Australia has to offer,” Premier Steven Marshall says, “and I encourage everyone to get out and see just how strong our music scene is.”
Music SA CEO Lisa Bishop is thrilled to see Umbrella return for a fourth time. “This programme is so important to contemporary musicians in South Australia,” she says.
“It is an opportunity for artists at all stages of their career to perform as part of a significant festival, while audiences can experience the talent that warrants our status as a UNESCO City of Music.”
Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni says the State Government had provided an additional $50,000 to Music SA and Adelaide Festival Centre to increase Aboriginal engagement and performance opportunities during this year’s festival.
“This has made for an enhanced programme branching out into our regions, with a live music event in Port Augusta to be delivered by the Adelaide Festival Centre partnering with Umeewarra Community Radio Station,” Minister Pisoni says.
“Other elements include the Umbrella Opening Night Street Party coinciding with NAIDOC Week, which will feature headliner and national music legend Archie Roach, and a Kaurna ceremony and performances.”
Online event registrations for Umbrella: Winter City Sounds remain open until July 11 and can be completed here. Meanwhile, check out the full programme.
