folk music

A Punter’s Perspective 25 — “Thanks! You’ve been a wonderful audience. Goodnight!”

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"You've been a great audience. Goodnight!"
“You’ve been a great audience. Goodnight!”

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#25 “Thanks! You’ve been a wonderful audience. Goodnight!”
First published in Trad and Now magazine, April 2011

Late last year, I witnessed a reasonably unsavoury moment in crowd behaviour at a folk gig. Countrified folk. Folkified country.

No, the genre labelling wasn’t the unsavoury bit. It was the mix of ‘crowd there for music’ vs ‘crowd there for tipping several vats of beer and/or pre-mixed drinks down their throats before collapsing somewhere outside the venue’.

Which got me to thinking about the whole performer/crowd interaction cocktail (no pun intended), and how that affects a performer’s mojo on stage.

Myriad questions sprang to mind, and I planned to pose them to those best-equipped to answer them.

Months later, and with deadline looming, I threw a vague question to the four winds (ok, Facebook) one Sunday night and got a whole heap of responses. So I’ll can the investigative essay for now and just give you some responses, because they’re many, varied and some quite entertaining. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 23 — Sometimes You Can’t Make It (On Your Own)

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Sometimes, you can't make it on your own
Sometimes, you can’t make it on your own

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#23 Sometimes You Can’t Make It (On Your Own)
First published in Trad and Now magazine, November 2010

In the last edition, I was bemoaning my decision to lay off the festivals for the rest of the year.

Next thing I knew, I was packing bags (or rather, a bag) for Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival (KVFF) – see elsewhere in this edition of Trad and Now for the match report on the festival itself.

It was at KVFF that I was reminded, time and time again, of a very recurrent theme in folk, as indeed in countless other art forms: payment.

We might be in this game for the love, the passion, the good times, the friends, and the memories.

But some of us (not all) are actually in it for the money. To make a viable living.

There’s nothing mercenary about that. I personally am rather fond of my eating habit, and intend to continue with it.

Various suppliers, vendors and ex-wives of mine (well, just the one of that last of those) do applaud when my cheques and money transfers come rolling in.

But I currently have a day job. I get paid quite well.

Meanwhile, there are many other people in the scene who rely on getting paid for their art to keep them standing upright.

Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 22 — Festival Withdrawal Syndrome

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A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#22 Festival Withdrawal Syndrome
First published in Trad and Now magazine, October 2010

Q. What do air and folk have in common?

A. You never notice either that much – unless you’re not getting any.

OK, that’s a twist on an old joke, but this is a family publication.

I still contend that if you’re not getting any of either (or the other), the gasping and longing soon kicks in.

For various reasons, I’ve withdrawn from many folk-related activities for the latter half of this calendar year. And like quitting smoking or taking a month off the grog, I’m gagging for a puff or a dram of my favourite art form.

(Kids, don’t smoke.)

I know it’s around, it’s happening, and people are getting their fair share, but it’s on the back-burner for this little black duck until Illawarra in January 2011.

Abstinence does makes the heart grow fonder, and the pulse beat quicker, though.

I think the hardest part of keeping away is being hooked into social networking sites online with several hundred folkies. Watching your friends and acquaintances counting down to, travelling to, enjoying, and then reminiscing about this or that festival is a tough ask.

Especially when there are so many online albums full of photos that evoke familiar sights and sounds, recall favourite haunts, or illuminate new venues, performers and crowds. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 21 — Overheard at the National Folk Festival 2010

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Overheard at the National Folk Festival 2010
Overheard at the National Folk Festival 2010

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#21 Overheard at the National Folk Festival 2010
First published in Trad and Now magazine, May 2010

Over the years, I’ve ambitiously set out to encapsulate a festival in 1400 words, but lately the first paragraph will usually include a disclaimer which states that to even attempt such a feat is ambitious at best.

So I’ll leave others to give their impressions of the performances and the event in general.

But as a keen observer and collector of minutiae, off-the-cuff comments and anecdotes, I’ve thrown together an assortment of quirky bits and pieces from the Easter long weekend in Canberra.

***** Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 20 — Gypsies (Raggle-taggle and others)

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Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen
Image courtesy of Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#20 Gypsies (Raggle-taggle and others)
First published in Trad and Now magazine, April 2010

From flitting sporadically and erratically around the edges of the music scene, it’s possibly to form occasional observational and lightly-informed opinions.

I have hundreds. Many of them so self-evident they barely bear recounting.

One that seems worthy of at least a little light attention is the casual observation that gypsy music has been on the rise in recent years. There’s more on the radio, there’s more on festival programs and gig guides are swelling with their ranks.

Struggling to differentiate between Roma Music and Roma Street Station, I spoke to a number of exponents of the art-form.

My interest was piqued about a year ago when UK-bsed Paprika Reloaded (previously Paprika Balkanicus) came to Australia and whipped up a frenzy of punter acclaim wherever they went. I Canberra, just these five guys on stage, dressed conservatively in white shirts and black pants – no elaborate lighting or special effects – created pandemonium. There was dancing in the seats, dancing in the aisles, and every security’s detail’s nightmare, the crowd was invited up for dancing on the stage. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 19 — Christmas Tidings

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A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#19 Christmas Tidings
First published in Trad and Now magazine, December 2009

Greetings, salutations, merry whatever to you and yours and good luck to your family.

Typically a sign-off but I thought I’d get the nice stuff going first.

My thanks to all the great gypsy music artists (and faux gypsies) who have provided interviews and sound bites and input into what was to be a brief look at gypsy music in Australia and selected parts of the world.

Ah, plans and deadlines and dumb yet inconvenient luck. All my interviews are in myriad formats and various locations around Canberra and surrounding NSW and getting them together in time to be very late for a missed deadline.

Will get that going for February.

But for now, sitting in a superb little organic café in Nimmitabel, woofing down a superb big breakfast and washing down the first of a couple of long blacks, while the friendly, cheery staff play glorious Celtic music and helpfully ask if the music’s too loud and are helping out an indecisive customer: I’m just a wee bit contented and happy about my Monday morning at work on the road in the music industry. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 16 — The Beez: Portrait of a band at the end of a very long road

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The Beez at the (Australian) National Multicultural Festival
The Beez at the (Australian) National Multicultural Festival, February 2009

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#16 The Beez: Portrait of a band at the end of a very long road
First published in Trad and Now magazine, May 2009

‘Is there any point going on with this? I mean, should we just unplug and go acoustic?’

It was late December 2008, one of the first gigs for The Beez from Berlin at the start of an epic four-month tour. Fresh off the plane (and without their usual all-terrain sound man Georg for the first few gigs), things were not going well.

The speaker, Rob Rayner, originally from Sydney but a long-term resident of Berlin, was being polite and patient and professional, but the strain was beginning to show as Julischka’s acoustic bass seemed determined to stay unplugged. The audience was urged to move up front and cluster in the front rows.

Guitarist Peter D’Elia made some gag to help defuse the situation which got no response from the audience, except this from yours truly. ‘Try telling that joke again acoustically’.

‘Hey, I know you!’ D’Elia said, pointing into the second row.

And so was rekindled a friendship that left off in Cobargo in 2007.

This was the start point of the mammoth undertaking that saw The Beez travel to just about every point on the Australian compass, from Darwin to Hobart, from Byron Bay to Perth and many, many points in between. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 15 — We Couldn’t Do It Without You: The Pros And Cons Of Volunteering

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Volunteering
Volunteering

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#15 We Couldn’t Do It Without You: The Pros And Cons Of Volunteering
First published in Trad and Now magazine, April 2009

Ok, this could get messy.

‘Messy’ is a service I do often provide.

And if the only ‘Messi’ you’re interested in plays for the Argentinean football team, it may be best to fast forward a couple of pages.

I’ve been thinking a lot about volunteerism lately. And in choosing to write on the topic, I realise this is not a new subject, and it’s been covered substantially. Including in the pages of Trad and Now magazine in the last 12 months or so by others.

But I’m choosing to delve and dive a little deeper, as the hypnotist said to the snorkeller. And look at motivations, experiences, and the treatment of volunteers.

It didn’t come out of the blue. It comes off the back of a couple of rather trying personal experiences.

And for that I apologise now for the use of personal pronouns. It’s something I (pardon me) usually shy away from, but it fits the subjective nature of the topic.

Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, and in all levels of commitment, application and motivation.

Disclaimer: I am a volunteer. If you cut me in two, you’ll find a volunteer’s wristband and a couple of unused complimentary festival beer tickets. Always sad to find the latter.

There’s nothing necessarily noble or virtuous about being a volunteer. For serial helper-outerers, it’s just the way we’ve been hard-wired, often from an early age.

Volunteerism motivates us and drives us, sometimes in many worlds. For me it’s mostly (but not limited to) music, entertainment, and the arts.

I know there are hundreds of others who put in far more effort than what I get up to.

Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 14 — Countrified folk or folkified country? (Greg Champion)

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Greg Champion
Greg Champion

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#14 Countrified folk or folkified country? (Greg Champion)
First published in Trad and Now magazine, February 2009

When musical chat turns to genres, labels and identification, if someone poses the age old question, ‘Is it folk?’ or the broader chestnut, ‘What is folk?’ I suddenly hear my mother calling.

(For a woman with reduced lung capacity, she can make herself heard well enough from 300kms away when the need arises, God love her.)

They are worthy and valid questions of a kind, with multiple levels and directions of discourse, but to borrow a phrase another family member uses, if someone starts on these topics, I can just feel the backs of my eyes going dry.

It’s fair game (sometimes) if weighty matters are being discussed at a conference or workshop, but when someone decides to get all loquacious after 17 pints of the sponsor’s product at a festival, that indeed is time to throw them their guitar or bodhran or electric spoons and ask can they play that one about the boat/shearers’ strike/ode to Annie, Nancy or Gwinviere.

For all of that, there’s one related topic that I’m continuously interested in: folk versus country. Which is not some sort of fiddle and dobro slap-down in the cage with folding chairs at ten paces, but more of a mild interest on where the line is, or if it exists.

Are there points of intersection, cross-over (and pass your partner down the line) or even symbiosis?

I’m suspecting ‘yeah’ on all three.

But lord knows I’m a punter and do not presume to be capable of long treatises on-topic. Instead, I took the chance at last year’s Maldon Folk Festival to buttonhole a favourite performer, just one of many who move in both worlds of folk and country: Greg Champion, as he made his way through a lunch-time feed of Indian food outside the Guinness Tent. Continue reading →

A Punter’s Perspective 13 — Mike and Thom Jackson

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Mike and Tom Jackson
Mike and Tom Jackson

A Punter’s Perspective

Random observations on the wide, weird world of folk from the side of the stage

#13 Mike and Tom Jackson
First published in Trad and Now magazine, November 2008

This is the second in a (very) occasional series that’s taking a casual glance at what’s being done in the realm of folk for and by kids. Back in

T&N: Mike, what are you doing here?

Mike: 16 performances! Kids’ performers tend to be the work horses; we basically are often multi-talented and we have to be able to perform for adults and for kids. This festival fortunately I’m doing just kids’ performances so I’ve got time to concentrate down here.

It’s a wonderful life, it really is.

Why do we do what we do? I think initially it was a second string to be an adult performer: you were sent off down to the kids to make them happy for a while. In my case, it became a profession fairly early in the piece.

What am I trying to do for kids? Pass on some of the traditions that my grand-parents and parents passed on to me. It’s an ongoing thing; I’m basically entertaining but teaching as I go about the music and about the instruments that I play. Continue reading →