With early bird tickets almost sold out, Victorian regional festival The River Folk Festival is pushing ahead with its 2021 event in late October adding to the line-up with a second round of artists.
The Yarra Valley event, to be staged across several locations in Warburton 22-24 October, will welcome a stack of talented Victorian musical acts joining the already announced The Northern Folk, Chaika, Cigány Weaver, Anna Smyrk, Tinman, Todd Cook, and Phoebe Laidlaw.The new arrivals are Alana Wilkinson (whose been compared to Courtney Barnett, Emma Louise, even Tim Minchin), Ruby Gill (recently awarded Emerging Artist of the Year at Port Fairy Folk Festival), Liz Frencham And The Love Criminals, Rich Davies & The Low Road, Ruth Hazleton, and Above The Bit.
"In the face of so much uncertainty, we want to reassure everyone that we absolutely still intend to go ahead with our little festival in October," event organisers says.
"We have a responsibility to give ourselves every last chance to make The River Folk Festival happen – especially with so many other events cancelling.
"We are a much smaller event, and so do not fall into the high risk category. We're hopeful and remaining positive things will have settled down at least in Victoria by [October].
"We have planned for the possibility of restrictions affecting us – and have various contingencies in place for a more restrictive environment.
"Our community needs this: our town, the region as a whole, musicians, the live events operators – we're all in this one together, and we take seriously our responsibility to provide this opportunity.
"People need music right now, more than ever – and especially the experience of connection through live performance."
The festival will also stage the Sisters of Song Women's Showcase, an all-women programme (featuring a number of women on the festival line-up) celebrating women in music in an effort to address gender imbalance in the industry.
Ruby Gill has just released a powerful new single 'You Should Do This For A Living', that features a team entirely of women - performers, production, management – and explores the issues of gender inequality in the music industry and how it affects women.
Skirting the fringes of blues, country and outlaw folk, and lauded songwriters in their own right, Luke Watt and Nigel Wearne join forces to go Above The Bit, and are keen to reconnect with our history by exploring our roots at River Folk Festival.
"Right before the pandemic hit, we were literally in the car on our way to play The River Folk Festival," Nigel says. "This past 18 months has been a wild ride, so it's great to finally be able to play the Festival.
"Above The Bit is a project that looks forward by looking back; shining a light on mutiny and civil disobedience in Australian history.
"In these uncertain times we feel it's more important than ever to look at who we are as Australians and reconnect with our roots.
"And a big part of that is connecting with audiences and exploring our shared history. So we're really looking forward to playing the Festival and we'll see you in October."
The River Folk Festival is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
The River Folk Festival takes place at various venues in Warburton (Victoria) 22-24 October.
River Folk Festival 2021 Line-up
The Northern FolkChaika
Cigány Weaver
Anna Smyrk
Tinman
Todd Cook
Phoebe Laidlaw
Alana Wilkinson
Ruby Gill
Liz Frencham And The Love Criminals
Rich Davies & The Low Road
Ruth Hazleton
Above The Bit
Plus a few local acts still to be announced
