Tagfolk music

Archie Roach headlines at National Folk Festival opening

National Folk Festlval
Exhibition Park in Canberra
Until Monday 18 April 2022

ARIA Award-winning First Nations singer-songwriter Archie Roach will feature at the opening concert of the 2022 National Folk Festival on Friday 15 April.

The Let Love Rule opening concert at the vast Narragunnawali Stage venue on the EPIC oval from 6pm, also features the Hauptmann Trio, the Phoenix Collective String Quartet, Layla Barnett, Katie Noonan, Alinta Barlow, Tibetan refugee and musician Tenzin Choegyal and the Folk Festival Choir.

Archie Roach and Festival Artistic Director Katy Noonan at rehearsal for the opening concert
  • Listen to interviews and music with Tenzin Choegyal and other festival performers, including Snowy Mountains-based Folk/Americana duo Montgomery Church, and Canberra performers the Super Rats Romanian Band and the Shanty Singers.
Tenzin Choegyal
Montgomery Church
Super Rats Romanian Band
Shanty Singers

Photo of Archie Roach at rehearsal by Living Arts Canberra

‘Folkie brains trust’ saves the day for 2022 NFF

National Folk Festival
Exhibition Park in Canberra
14-18 April 2022

After a two-year COVID hiatus, the National Folk Festival in Canberra is back this Easter – but the extended break wasn’t the largest challenge facing organisers, according to NFF Managing Director, Lynne O’Brien.

Richard spoke to National Folk Festival Managing Director, Lynne O’Brien
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Folk duo hits high note with new lockdown album

Montgomery Church
Where the Quiet Can Hide album
Performing at The Street, Canberra
11 February 2022 (COVID restrictions permitting)

Partners in music and life, Cielle Montgomery and James Church, are making the best of their inability to tour and travel because of COVID lockdowns.

They’d originally planned to travel to Nashville to record their new album. Instead, with remote help from a producer in Melbourne and collaborations with musicians from Braidwood, Melbourne, Newcastle and the the USA, they invested in recording equipment and used their stone hut in the Cooma area as a studio.

Richard samples Where the Quiet Can Hide with Cielle Montgomery and James Church
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Alex and Annette Hood to receive lifetime achievement awards at Good Folk

Alex & Annette Hood – a Tribute
Supported by Paverty Bush Band and featuring St Gregory Primary School
Queanbeyan Bicentennial Hall
1.30pm Saturday 3 April 2021

COVID-19 put paid to last year’s National Folk Festival, at which Alex and Annette Hood were to have received Lifetime Achievement Awards for their significant commitment and contribution to enriching folk music and culture in Australia. 

While this year’s festival was also cancelled, the Good Folk event in Queanbeyan during Easter will be a fitting opportunity for them to receive their awards.

Richard spoke with National Folk Festival managing director Helen Roben about the tribute to Alex and Annette Hood. The audio features excerpts from a performance of the Hoods’ Brumby Jack, recorded by the National Film and Sound Archive
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Fire and pandemic help forge new musical style

Kim Yang Trio
Royal Hotel Queanbeyan
7pm Sunday 4 April 2021

Expect to hear some jazz, blues and perhaps a little pop along with folk when Taiwanese-born singer-songwriter Kim Yang performs with her band at Good Folk in Queanbeyan at Easter.

Kim says her style has changed dramatically since her performance at the 2019 National Folk Festival. It’s hardly surprising, given what she’s been through over the past two years.

Kim Yang talks to Richard about the forthcoming performances at Good Folk. The interview includes her song Garden of Eden and her latest track, Dominoes
Continue Reading“Fire and pandemic help forge new musical style”