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Please check out our new website!

 Boolarra Folk Festival 2010

   www.boolarrafolkfestival.com

2010 Performers application form 2010 Performers information flyer Planning for the 2010 Folk Festival has begun! Please see below for an overview of our successful 2009 programme. We are happy to announce that despite the recent bushfires in Boolarra the 2009 Folk Festival went ahead! We hope that you and your family came along to support and celebrate with our community. When:         This year the Boolarra Folk Festival opened on the evening of Friday 6th March at Arc Yinnar.  Featuring Brodie Young Band and Bluegrass Support Group.  Main Festival was held on Saturday 7th March 2009 Market:      10am in Railway Park     (51696355)   Music:         12pm onwards in Centenary Park  (51696243) Cost:           FREE (however donations gratefully accepted) ATM & Eftpos Facilities: Boolarra is a small town with a population of 400 people, so electronic facilites are limited. We do try our best to cater for the large influx on the day, but it would be wise to bring along cash to avoid disappointment. Please scroll down to "How to Get There" section for information on the FREE BUS Service being provided to and from the festival.

The Boolarra Folk Festival committee are extremely proud to have won Community Event of the Year Award at the Latrobe City 2008 Australia Day Awards. Festival Convenor, Ray Stewart (the hairy one at the back), delivered a fitting (and long)tribute to the community of Boolarra, in thanks for their continued support and hard work.

The 7th annual Boolarra Folk Festival was held in beautiful Centenary Park. Many thousands of people came along to enjoy the calm and friendly atmosphere.

The Healing Tent will once again be held in Centenary Park, so feel free to come along for a relaxing Reiki session or enjoy some aromatherapy. The Kids' Tent will be in Centenary Park, with many interesting craft activities available to entertain the troops. This year there will also be a Teenagers' Tent, where free hairbraiding, nail varnishing and other wonderful activities and services will be on offer.	Another new initiative this year, is the introduction of a "Circus Skills" area, where you will be able to learn New Zealand Poi, Twirling, Diablo and Juggling. Then you may fulfil your dream of running away to the circus. We really would like to be able to keep it a free event, making it accessible to all, so please consider buying some of our excellent wines , T-Shirts, badges and programs, or you can make a gold coin donation during the day.	The Art, Craft and Food Market will be held in Railway Park from 10am. Many local artisans will have the opportunity to showcase the breadth of talent within the region.
Buskers are always welcome, so find a cool spot in the park...	or under the verandah of the "Old Pub"...	or just kick back, have a quiet drink and let the world go by.
We will kick off at noon...	and have 9 hours of  fantastic music...some from all over Australia...	and some incredible talent from Gippsland.

2009 Performers:

	Jack Jones   Jack was touched when the community of Boolarra welcomed his mother, Rennie, and brother Marley, after they lost their Callignee home in recent bushfires. Jack Jones (aka Irwin Thomas) is well known as lead singer/guitarist in the successful 90’s band ‘Southern Sons’. He has toured and recorded as singer/guitarist with the likes of John Farnham, Tina Arena, Tommy Emmanuel, Rick Price, Merril Bainbridge, Richard Clapton, Gary Garry Beers (INXS), Dweezil & Ahmet Zappa, Renee Geyer, Bachelor Girl and countless others. In 2002 the first fully-fledged Irwin Thomas album "The Evolution of Irwin Thomas" was released, containing a rich and beautiful collection of musical soundscapes. A new album tentatively called "Made In China" and has been written, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered totally independently. It was conceived during 2005 while Jack was on a UK/ European tour.
	Bluegrass Support Group The Bluegrass Support Group formed in 2007, with the four members gathering regularly to support their "need" to play bluegrass music and sing soulful harmonies. The members of the group are well known local and experienced musicians Danny Boothman on vocals, guitar, mandolin and harmonica, Terry Cupples on vocals and bass, Greg McGrath on vocals, banjo, and guitar, and Carolyne Boothman on vocals and guitar. They enjoy performing traditional bluegrass songs and instrumentals, combined with recent bluegrass material and believe that everything should be played in the only style possible.....bluegrass. If you need support for your bluegrass addiction, then The Bluegrass Support Group could be for you!
	Wulaba Drumming Ensemble Bringing West African tradition and energy to the stage, Foday, Mariama and their team burst into orchestral fullness as WULABA DRUMMING ENSEMBLE. Djembe, balafon & dun-dun create a visual and aural spectacle never before seen in Australia. The rhythms will entrance and move the audience. Wulabas’ CD "Secrets of the Dark Forest" will be available. www.wulaba.com   Foday Camara, Mariama Camara, Suzie Henderson, Grace West, Michelle Tisdale, Mary Randall, Peter Corser, Dave Evans
	Cilla Jane   Cilla Jane recently released her debut album 'When the night falls'. She was handpicked for the John Butler grants program. It is only a matter of time until the industry fully discovers this enchanting songstress. Based in Melbourne, the duo(made up of Cilla and cellist Andy) have recently supported many high profile artists.  'When the night falls' has been well received on community radio as well as being featured on Triple J. Cilla and Andy's music is a combination of storytelling and folk style guitar. The duo have drawn from many influences and have managed to create what is unmistakably their own sound. Cilla Jane and Andy's debut album is available at Sanity, or online at:www.waterfrontrecords.com and Itunes.
	Danny Burton   Danny is currently working as a solo artist and building a strong presence in the Australian blues and roots scene.   Danny blends acoustic and electric guitars, lapsteel, stomp box, strong soulful vocals and powerful original songs to create a strong roots based sound of his own.  Several tracks from his 2005 album ‘Take A Step Back’ were nominated in the 2006 Vic/Tas blues music awards.   Danny was the runner up in the 2006 ‘Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society’ ( M.B.A.S ) ‘blues player of the year competition.’
	Essjee Essjee’s music has grown and developed slowly after years of practicing, jamming, performing and experimenting with many different ears, minds and instruments. His life has been mostly spent striving for artistic integrity and self expression through music. He has performed in many different groups, including; National Finalists in the T.A.F.E  battle of the bands ‘Unbenumb’, The ‘Birdtribe’ and duo ‘Sentier’. Essjee has performed at woodford folk festival, Maldon folk festival, The Dandenong Ranges Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival in Canberra and performed throughout Melbourne since his teenage years.
	Jo Kelly Stephenson Jo Kelly Stephenson, Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, plays alternative roots music with hints of blues, jazz, R & B and pop/rock. From an early age Jo Kelly was touring with her musical family along the east coast of Australia. Later in Melbourne, the community of musicians who surrounded her, writing and recording music, fostered Jo Kelly's desire to sing and create her own sound. Teaching herself to play the piano and guitar she began to be inspired to write her own songs long before taking up more formal studies. Her musical journey is unfolding with the success of her debut album ‘I See Flowers You See Cars.’
	Josh Stainer   Josh Stainer is a young musician that has been performing locally for three years. Following the success of his debut album launch early in 2007, Josh has been interviewed several times on ABC radio and performs regularly at venues around Gippsland.  He has also been a crowd pleaser at events such as the Sony Trop Fest and as support act for Melbourne artists The Stiletto Sisters. Josh considers his main influences to be Xavier Rudd, John Butler and other acoustic/roots legends.  His original sound ranges from melodic tunes and driving percussive rhythms, through to the haunting tones of the didgeridoo all at the same time.  Josh Stainer is an up and coming artist not to be missed.
	Khristian Mizzi & The Sirens   Known for his spellbinding lyrics and an emotive and softly sensitive approach to music, Khristian Mizzi has earned a reputation as one of Melbourne’s best singer songwriters in the new millennium. Winner of Best Songwriter 2006 and Best Guitarist 2006 at the Basin Music Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival respectively, Khristian went on to pen his own solo EP ‘The Road Between’ in early 2008. The EP has received wide acclamation from ABC radio and various community stations around Australia.   Khristian wanted to create a fuller bodied sound, and so....enter The Sirens – four musicians who collectively share the passion for delivering Khristian’s polished art form. The result has been sensational. Khristian and band have spent summer of 2008/2009 in the studio recording their album and it will be debuted at the Boolarra Folk Festival.
	Rant With a repertoire incorporating Celtic infused pop/rock hits, contemporary tune sets, traditional ballads, cinema soundtracks, jazz and the occasional music theatre excerpt, Rant is a band of dynamic possibility and diverse musical ability. Since their inception at the Lake School of Celtic Music, Song and Dance, Victoria in January 2008, Jonathan Burton (guitar), Michelle Doyle (harp), Mischa Herman (piano accordion and whistles) and Carrie Young (vocals and keyboard) have enlivened audiences whether at small soirees or filled out festival venues, drawing standing ovations from the crowds on several occasions. Achieving great success with their EP, "The Second Sitting", recorded at Yelp Studios, Warrnambool, the band are currently preparing for the release of their first album in early 2009.
	River Crombie   River Crombie is a songwriter from Melbourne and has been writing songs for 6 years. River is inspired by early country, folk and blues music. He is a self-taught musician influenced by songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s such as Paul Simon, John Martyn, Doc Watson and Bob Dylan, to name a few. River released an album of his original music in 2007. He will be recording again in 2009 and has new demo songs available to listen to at www.myspace.com/rivercrombie
	Strzelecki StringBusters   From the valleys and hollows of the surrounding mountains come the Strzelecki StringBusters, Gippsland’s finest string-band ensemble, performing tunes from their new CD Scrubby Forest Run. After a hard day toiling away on the land clearing trees and mending fences, these boys love nothing more than heading back to their little cabin on the hill, pulling out the guitars, mandolins, fiddles & banjo’s and singing songs of joy, hope, despair & misery. No electricity required, which is lucky as the cabin has none!   Lead by Yinnar’s Ray Negro, the SSB perform a wide variety of Country Blues, Old Time & Bluegrass music acoustically in the traditional single microphone format, and support a range of community activities. They can be found at their regular gig on the last Wednesday of each month at the Yinnar Pub, playing tunes that hark back to a simpler time when music was real, and whiskey came in a clay jug!
	Van Walker   Van Walker, finger-picker, story-teller launches his bittersweet country-folk songs and brand spankin debut album The Celestial Railroad. With songs varying from tales of paranoid spies and love-sick rabbits, to urban bandits and tram-hopping adventures, Van Walker is a young singer-songwriter of the old school, whose songs draw you into the heart of the matter, evoking a middle-ground between a gritty moral dernity and the mythical netherworld of the spirit.
	Bool-aria – Boolarra Community Choir   The Boolarra Community Choir started in March of this year with the aim of becoming good enough to perform in public to help celebrate local events of all kinds. The enthusiastic songsters range in age from early 30s to mid-70s and enjoy a wide range of world music, folk and traditional repertoire. The choir rehearse weekly under the direction of Heather James who keeps them working hard and laughing while they strive for beautiful sounds. The choir's first public performance was in June this year at the re-opening of Boolarra Memorial Hall, a particularly special occasion for many of the members who had never experienced being in the limelight before.

To make it a really great long weekend, on Sunday and Monday head over to the MOE Jazz Festival where you can continue to listen to some more great music, featuring Australia's Best Traditional & Dixieland Jazz Bands. Check it out at http://www.moe.latrobe.net.au/jazz/index.html 

2003-The Inaugural Festival

 If you would like to know more about the Boolarra Folk Festival, contact us via the form below...

Many thanks to our wonderful sponsors, without whom there would simply be no festival!

http://www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/

On the 4th of February the Victorian Government provided $5000 to help the 2009 Boolarra Folk Festival go ahead. The Boolarra Folk Festival grant will be provided through the Brumby Government’s Provincial Victoria Local Events Program to Latrobe City Council. The Premier John Brumby said the festival promised a fantastic weekend for locals and visitors and the Victorian Government was committed to ensuring its success. http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/

http://www.internationalpower.com.au/

http://www.mdpictures.com.au/

http://www.etta-training.com/campuses/leongatha.html

Maryvale Electronics Lions International Young Signs Bairs Music, Leongatha

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