National Folk Festival introduce the first 34 acts in what will be a 200-strong line-up for their 2020 event.
The Easter long weekend brings five days of international folk excellence to the nation's capital, including an exclusive, Australian performance by Jon Boden, lead singer of UK progressive folk powerhouse Bellowhead.
“We are so excited to share this first look at the 2020 programme,” NFF Managing Director Helen Roben says.
“Our Artistic Director, Pam Merrigan, has worked tirelessly to bring the best and brightest in folk from all corners of the world to Canberra this Easter and securing Jon Boden is a real coup for the National Folk Festival. Jon has become the stand-out performer of his generation and to have him perform exclusively for Australian audiences is a big win for folk fans.”
Also of note is the anticipated return by multi award-winning Scottish band Elephant Sessions as well the first shows in 12 years from American folk-rockers The Mammals.
The first 34 acts also sees the Australian premiere of English songstress Fay Hield, who has been the driving force behind a number of ground-breaking projects including 'The Full English'.
An abundance of international acts include fierce, all-female Māori world-roots production, Māmā Mihirangi & the Māreikura and award-winning African reggae-man, Afro Moses.
On the local front, we see festival favourites and fresh faces from the likes of gypsy punk band All Strings Attached, ARIA-nominated jazz-folk fusionists Chaika, hip hop roots from far north Queenslander Deline Briscoe, and for those who like their pop intelligent and their folk dark, the stylings of Bush Gothic.
With over 750 shows throughout 20 venues, a children’s festival, themed bars, masterclasses, workshops, markets and a huge arts programme, the National Folk Festival attracts folk fanatics from around the world.
National Folk Festival 2020 is on at Exhibition Park (Canberra) 9-13 April, 2020.
National Folk Festival First Line-up
Afro MosesAidan Connolly
All Strings Attached
Amazing Drumming Monkeys
Avara
Bush Gothic
Chaika
Chloe and Jason Roweth with Matt Nightingale
Deline Briscoe
Fay Hield
Georgia State Line
Hat Fitz And Cara
Elephant Sessions
Jon Boden
JuggleHub
Littmus Steampunk Band
Liz Frencham Trio
Māmā Mihirangi & the Māreikura
The Mammals
Mark Moldre
Muddy Wolfe
Pagoda Project
The Peppercorns
The Raglins
Rob Barratt
Ruth Hazleton & Daisywheel
Saije
Shelley’s Murder Boys
Stiff Gins
The Stowaways
'Uptown' Brown!
We Mavericks
Whitetop Mountaineers
Zumpa
