Air & Grace

Air and Grace are a harp, two flutes and bodhran. We create seriously sensual Celtic inspired musical experiences. Airs, schottische, strathspeys, jigs, and reels.

A relaxing and gentle listening experience. Anna Brown and Madeleine Johnson are well known music professionals from Canberra. They are joined by Moir Holmes and Alison Goodman to provide an unusual combination of instruments which enhance the Celtic genre and bring pleasure to their audiences. 

Anton

Apolline

Austral

Winners of the Traditional Folk Album of the Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards for their debut album ‘Thylacine’ and nominated for a Music Victoria Award, Austral are a fully charged, four-piece Australian tunes band combining didgeridoo, Irish pipes, high energy fiddling, journeying songs and energetic foot percussion. Based in Melbourne, Austral are multi-instrumental powerhouses Angus Barbary, Caity Brennan, Rhys Crimmin and Connor Hoy. Their music is infectiously danceable, and you may find it hard to resist the urge to get up and join the dance party yourself. Austral are creating energetic new music from Celtic roots (and branches) to great acclaim at festivals at home and abroad and are a rising band not to be missed.

Barbara Jeffrey

Singer/songwriter - Barbara Jeffrey loves to perform her original pieces and also Scottish traditional songs, plus Latin American rhythms. Her entire professional life has been entirely musical, covering education, composition and performance. This includes orchestras, classical ensembles and touring nationally with the acclaimed Ten Sopranos. A brilliant soprano vocalist, her main instrument is harp, although the flute and ukulele do at times make an appearance. With a keen eye and ear for excellence, Barbara is inspired by the outstanding, the brilliant and the beautiful.

Black Bee Band

Black Bee Band advocates for the rights of native honeybees everywhere...whilst writing songs exploring the intimate connection of industrialisation, colonisation, and kick-ass female ancestors...and playing cracking tunes.

Blairdardie

Blairdardie a wee suburb to the northwest of Glasgow city centre. The childhood home of singer, 12 string and piper William Monteith, it was the inspiration behind this Scottish duo who now call Melbourne home. William’s vocals have often been likened to the legendary Scozzie Eric Bogle. His warmth and gentle performance style enchants and draws listeners, young and the young at heart and transports them on a journey through some of Scotland’s most beloved songs. Partnered with bluesy folk singer/guitarist Derek McCallum, the two harmoniously blend traditional Scottish folk with more contemporary Scots Folkn’roll. These two larrikins are sure to steal your heart and leave you wanting more.

Blue Mallee

Blue Mallee are an elaborate act with an impressive array of original songs and stories to match. This duo is pushing the boundaries of contemporary indie folk music with traditional influences. Singer songwriter Evan takes you on a journey with his guitar, stompbox, pedalboard, e-bow and harmonica, and his partner in crime Niev brings her voice, synthesiser and bodhran to the mix. After receiving a music grant, Blue Mallee released their debut EP Shout That Whisper to wide acclaim in 2022. If you are looking for great storytelling and hauntingly beautiful soundtracks within your music, then Blue Mallee is for you!

Briar Hill

With their electrifying blend of Celtic, American, and Australian folklore, Briar Hill tells stories from the heart. Songwriters, tune collectors and multi-instrumentalists, Helena, Naomi and Kate have burst out of the Melbourne folk scene ready to share their songs of grief, hope and home.

Canberra English Session

Dust off your fiddles, accordions, clarinets and hammered dulcimers and put some bounce into your playing with this great session led by Canberra musicians Jackie Luke (piano) & Greg Wilson (Accordion). Since forming in 2016 the session has never missed a beat, holding regular fortnightly gatherings locally and Australia wide. This ever growing musical family are armed with the best UK tunes there are – jigs, polkas, 3/2 hornpipes and those mysterious Maggots! The aim is to have as much fun as possible while still playing your musical instrument. Seriously, don’t miss it.

Canberra Shanty Club

Fresh from a voyage on great Lake Burley Griffin the Canberra Shanty Club will teach you how to confidently strut the quarterdeck and belt out a shanty refrain. Sea shanties, working songs and rousing chorus antics will fill your soul with energy and leave you wanting more. Canberra Shanty Club is a community singing group that sings sea shanties, working songs and all manner of folk chorus tunes. All singing levels are welcome. Due to the all-sing nature of the songs these sessions are very friendly to those who get nervous singing in front of others. Join us and we'll prove that you too can sing without fear.

Carefree Road Band

Carefree Road Band is a versatile ensemble of musicians who have performed Woodstock Tributes, Peter Paul and Mary Tributes and of course Irish Folk Concerts. The Irish Folk Concerts have had themes incorporating the rich history of Ireland and Australia in song and story.

Cenris

Cenris is a solo multi-instrumentalist originally from Bristol, UK, creating progressive folk music. Cenris brings in influences from across Northern Europe including celtic ballads, extinct languages and regional instruments. Cenris has been noted for the variation in sound both on recording and live. Atmospheric, celtic and viking rituals on one hand and modern folk on the other, this is an artist who is always exploring ways to mix the old and the new.

Chloe and Jason Roweth

The Roweths have been researching and presenting the living tradition of Australian music for thirty years together, forging unique combinations of music, poetry and folklore. They bring you powerful and delicate songs, room stopping recitations, seamless combinations of new and old Australian material presented with the easy warmth of old-style bush entertainment. They also specialise in themed presentations forging unique combinations of music, folklore and social history. “Jason and Chloe Roweth are without question two of our finest interpreters of Australian traditional folk music." - Ruth Hazleton

Christina Green

Christina Green is a Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. She performs original songs and instrumentals in a contemporary folk idiom that draws on folk, folk-rock, Celtic, blues, jazz and cabaret elements. Christina’s songs have been described as ‘snapshots, portraits, landscapes, stories and moments in time, pieces of mindfulness’ - observational and lyrically engaging, they are delivered with a mix of guitar/ukulele with harmonica and percussion additions. Christina is gradually adding instrumentals from the Celtic traditions into her repertoire and looks forward to sharing this strand at the Yass Irish and Celtic Music Festival!

Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is a songwriter and singer who lives in Yass and has written several albums of songs about the history of the Yass Valley. Daniel performs and writes songs in the style of traditional Irish ballads.

Emmy Bree 

Emmy Bree is a Gael-Astrálach/Irish-Australian singer based in Eora/Sydney who brings her love for her two homes to life through song. Weaving her training in jazz and contemporary music through the fabric of folk and traditional Irish music, Emmy tells the stories of her ancestors and her contemporaries, sometimes lilting, sometimes haunting, sometimes joyous, with her voice, mandolin, shruti box, and guitar. Emmy invites listeners to join her on a journey through the green valleys and red deserts, the rocky cliffs and sandy beaches, and the sacred mountains and deep oceans of her two beloved homes.

JOIN THE CRAIC IN YASS

15th - 16th -17th of September 2023

Gar MacLeman

Gar MacLeman, Australian by birth, was based in County Cork, Ireland, gigging throughout Europe and Asia, in the duo ‘Dreamcraft’ for 18 years. Back in Aus as a solo act, he sings original material featuring guitar, harmonicas and a haunting, old & gravelly voice. Loads of new originals in his present set-list, still utilising a variety of tunings and diverse rhythms. ‘Here is an artist whose refreshingly original songs defy pigeonholing.’ ‘Gar’s gigs feature skillfully crafted original songs, which explore and illuminate unexpected moments in space/time, taking the listener on magical journeys into the unexpected.’

Junior Fleadh

Saturday 16 + Sunday 17 September 2023 9:30am - 11:30am

Grant n’ Dudley

We love our heritage as Aussies - both growing up in the 50's. We recognise that our music is greatly influenced by our pioneering founders - especially our Celtic roots. We love performing a variety of Celtic & Australian music - including in addition, a variety of some of our own original songs which are reminiscent of our own history and times.

Green Fieldz

Green Fieldz is Keith Rea and Sally Carter performing bluegrass, Celtic, ragtime, gypsy jazz, pop and old favourites. Stunning ukulele duets intertwining melodies and harmonies on well known tunes combine with gorgeous vocal harmonies as well as some pretty wild fiddle playing and virtuoso guitar playing. Sally and Keith feast on a show-stopping blend of genres and instruments that will draw any audience in to enjoy their wonderful performance, lively onstage banter and warm humour. Green Fieldz are based on the Mornington Peninsula.

Humbug Celtic Band

Humbug has been one of Canberra's most accomplished and popular Celtic oriented bands for many years. Featuring lush vocal harmonies and haunting instrumental backing, its extensive repertoire of mainly Celtic material includes songs old and new, traditional and non- traditional, ranging from soulful ballads to toe-tapping singalongs. Something for everyone!

Inez Hargaden

Inez Hargaden is a Canberra based Irish singer-songwriter. Her diverse repertoire reflects her love of the great Irish storytellers and musicians, as well as pop, rock and modern influences. With acoustic guitar and powerful vocals, her original music draws on folk and indie to create soulful and emotional stories. Her gigs are not to be missed.

Jeff Brown

Jeff Brown has been playing Celtic, folk and classical harmonica for over 50 years with various folk bands, classical groups, country bands. swing jazz groups and solo performances. He has taught both beginner and advanced harmonica at TAFE , festivals and privately. Jeff has been a winner at the Australian Harmonica Championships in Tamworth and released an album featuring the chromatic harmonica.

Jessica Grainger

Jessica has performed in folk festivals in NSW and in France & the UK. She blends music storytelling & humour that both entertain and touch audiences. Original songs around topics such as mateship, resilience, social connectedness, politics, environment, children, and dogs have “witty & insightful lyrics and are worth listening to” (Mona Finley. Trad & Now)

Jose Garcia

An inspiring solo performer with baritone vocals reminiscent of honey whiskey, Jose enjoys fostering community music and forming ongoing musical communities wherever he goes. This includes sessions, venues and choirs in Victoria and now also in Queensland. He is an ambassador to the Guitars for Vets Australia (G4VA) music program, promoting the power of music in assisting military veterans. He promotes folk music around Australia and conducts workshops and sessions for festivals such as Mountaingrass, Sandford Bush Music Festival and the National Folk Festival.

Karen Armstrong 

Currently living in her home town of Dubbo NSW, Karen is Principal of DUBBO CELTIC DANCERS.

Karen has been Dancing and Teaching Scottish-Highland and Irish Dance for over 50 years and has a long history of creating Champions and presenting amazing Dance Performances.

Her love of Sean Nos is what she will share with the children on the JUNIOR FLEADH STAGE.

No special shoes or outfits required, just a desire to learn and have fun. 

Kellys Wayke

Kellys Wayke was formed at an actual wake for our friend Mick Murphy. After playing the old songs our parents had taught years before in a small function room next to the front bar, singing & drinking for hours, the publican came into the room. We thought he was going to kick us out but he said NO! We turned off the juke box hours ago, we've been listening to you guys all night & so quick phone call from Damien the next day to Paddy & Brian & Kellys Wayke was born! Kellys Wayke Celebrate Life!

Lenny Duff

Lenny will take you on a musical journey through songs of rebellion, resistance, heroes, villains, love lost and times past. Especially from, but not confined to his native Dublin. Lenny was the founding member and lead vocalist of the renowned group ‘The Emmigrants’ and has played all the major festivals in Australia including Woodford, Port Fairy, Goolwa, the National (Kuranda) and Maleny.He performed for the opening of ‘Paddy Hannan’s’ in Perth casino and the opening of ‘Shenanigans’ in Darwin. If you enjoy a bit of Irish and Dublin banter, come see Lenny and join in the craic!

LJ Parks

LJ Parks is an imaginative guitarist and singer-songwriter based in Hobart, Tasmania. Her music is playfully wry and sentimental, influenced by the music of times gone by, the wild expanses of nature, and the absurdity of everyday life. With her powerful voice and whimsical fingerstyle guitar riffs, LJ won the Youth Blackboard Competition at Cygnet Folk Festival 2023, was selected as an AIR Women in Music Mentee and has secured a place in festival and folk club line-ups across Australia. She’ll be playing crowd favourites, as well as premiering works from her new EP All Caught Up.

Lugh Damen

Lugh Damen is a talented singer-songwriter who draws inspiration from the Celts and the stories of ANZAC soldiers. His moving performances of original Celtic folk songs and tender ballads have earned him a growing fanbase and recognition as a skilled songwriter, with two albums released to date. We're excited to announce that this local talent will be performing this year, captivating audiences with his soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics.

Luke Robinson

As folk music legend Pete Seeger once said, “A good song reminds us what we’re fighting for”. With carefully crafted lyrics and a rich bass voice accompanied by acoustic guitar, Luke’s rousing anthems, contemplative ballads and comical compositions range from our First Peoples to refugees, larrikins to mongrels, military misadventures to the war on drugs, fracking, farming, coal, climate change and other themes of Australian life and politics. Luke lives in Whian Whian near Lismore, northern NSW, and has performed at folk clubs and festivals across the country. Be sure not to miss this powerful voice for a better Australia.

Mad Kelpie Playdate

Instrumental Celtic trad six-piece Mad Kelpie Playdate combine Scottish and Irish pipes, flute, guitar, keyboard and percussion to provide a lively modern take on Celtic music, featuring original compositions, intricate harmonies and driving rhythms. The debut album from the Queanbeyan based band won “Instrumental of the Year” at the 2019 Australian Celtic Music Awards.

Merran Moir with Big Fiddle Little Fiddle

Audiences are invited to this joyous musical collaboration between three accomplished musicians. Merran’s background is steeped in traditional music, song and dance, predominantly from Scotland and Ireland. Jess and Louise - aka ‘Big Fiddle Little Fiddle’ - are known for eclectic fiddle styles, driving rhythms and soaring melodies, taking inspiration from Quebec, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Ireland. Mutual admiration over many years finally drew them together, resulting in heartfelt arrangements featuring smallpipes, fiddle, cello, whistle and accordion.

Nerida Cuddy

Nerida Cuddy is an evocative writer whose songs reflect emotional depth, breathing the landscape of rural Australia. Described as “a central west Mary Black”, her story-based concerts create space for connection and reflection, humour and fun. Nerida relishes performing live but has also greatly enjoyed the chance to find a much larger audience via zoom & YouTube since 2020. In 2021, her 5th album, Woven, was released. She was a featured artist in Arts Outwest's artist recovery concerts during 2022 and is looking forward to her first UK tour in 2023.

Niranjana-Paru & Pranav

Paru & Pranav are a sibling’s act. Paru is an accomplished guitarist and vocalist and has performed at Yass twice before. Pranav, her younger brother is only 9, but has been accompanying Paru since last year's Irish & Celtic Music festival as a vocalist and violinist. They perform a mix of Irish and Celtic folk, popular music, and Indian classical and bollywood numbers.

Old Folk

Old Folk are an Old-timey group that play an Appalachian style of American folk, mixed with their own home-grown interpretations with original songs and tunes. Raised out of the Sydney Bluegrass scene, Old Folk bringing big bass, mandolin, fiddle, guitar. Old Folk are Isabelle Izzy Faz, Sophia Soapy Dishes, Madison Rollin Evans and John Paul Healy. Old Folk met and started playing music together at an old-time jam up in Katoomba, the Blue Mountains Gundungurra country, and retain much of that mountain ease. We tell bad stories, don't always look that appealing and we aren't great examples of musicianship, but we give it a hell of a good try and always tend to break something. Come and see us, we would really love to see you all.

O’Neills Folly

O'Neills Folly have evolved from adult music students into a band that has been together for nearly 10 years. They are influenced by a diverse range of musical styles including Trad Irish, Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel, as well as classic Rock and Pop. The band has been mentored by Australian folk legend and multi-instrumentalist Dave O'Neill. Weaving rich harmonies around fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin and zouk, they bring a folkie twist to songs old and new. Come frolic with the Follies.

Peter Moir 

Peter Moir is a Warrnambool based drummer and bodhran player. He took up drumming as a young adult and took to it like a duck to water, playing in pipe bands here and overseas, as well as immersing himself in the wider Celtic music scene. Over the past 30 years, he has passed on his passion for drumming by tutoring community and school groups. He is a tutor at The Lake School of Celtic Music each year, and he has played many a Lake School Session. Peter looks forward to adding his own twist to the lessons and passing on his love for the addictive wee drum.

Phil Bates

If you like both modern and traditional songs sung with a warmth that comes from the heart, Phil’s your man. He’s been involved in the folk world for over 50 years and says that he “likes to really get inside a song, to inhabit it” before he feels ready to sing it. He began his musical career in the 1960s, playing with rock bands in his native Newcastle, NSW, before finding folk music at the legendary Purple Parrot Folk Club and realising that this was the music he loved. Singer, guitarist and radio broadcaster, Phil’s a folk tragic!

Phil Lester

Phil Lester sings with enthusiasm and passion in presenting traditional songs of Australia, Ireland and the UK. He uses song to tell stories of people, places and happenings and presents them in a powerful and compelling style. He loves a good chorus and encourages everyone to join in with gusto.

Rachel Clark

Melbourne based, self-taught Singer-Songwriter, Rachel Clark delivers a heartfelt and intimate combination of music and storytelling with a vibe of sultry and soulful acoustic folk. In bare-all honesty, she shares an introspective narrative on loss, love, and the battles we fight. Born in Brisbane, Rachel learned the art of performing while photographing predominately talented local Blues & Jazz Musicians (& their hands!). This developed an array of styles into her musical arsenal allowing her to deliver a captivating and emotional experience on stage.

The Shiny Bum Singers

The Shiny Bum Singers have prepared especially for your festival a selection of their parodies of Celtic folk originals. From our background as government workers, our parodies are mostly satires of politics and the public service. Since 1999, audiences have enjoyed singing along to our projected words. The Bums have performed for festivals, folk clubs, public service agencies and public events, including interstate and overseas, and on radio and TV.

Di Clifford

Di Clifford has been singing for all of her life.

Di's career was in primary school education, with school choirs at the top of her list of 

extra-curricular activities, and she is always involved in various musical community activities.

Di has enjoyed musical involvement from Gulgong to Cockatoo Island, Canberra to Tasmania,

Fiji to Cuba.

Phil Lester & Jane Barrett

Phil and Jane have been singing for years with family and friends. Our choices are mostly folk songs from Australia, England, Ireland and Scotland. But a bit of variety never hurts.

Song Brother

‘Song brother’ was an affectionate term used by Anthony Woolcott and Miguel Heatwole during many years together in the vocal trio, Triantan. They now sing under that banner with their song-sister, Sophie Moore. Although loyal to the ancient and modern folksongs that nurture them, the group finds harmonious pathways to other music. Their quest has taken them to Middle Earth where they intone an eerie reverence for Elvish gods. Who knew that 1970s prog-rock, with its drums, guitars and synthesisers replaced by an occasional bodhrán, would yield gems of lyrical and melodic beauty? Through it all their voices weave tradition.

Springtide

A shared love of beautiful, elegant music brought together a hammered dulcimer, cello, and harp, and the result is Springtide, Australia’s most distinctive folk trio. Dulcimer player extraordinaire Jackie Luke is joined by Greg Wilson, and Rita Woolhouse, to produce a stunning mix of Celtic classics and musical gems from around the world. Springtide has played at major folk festivals and clubs in Australia, and toured New Zealand, UK, and Ireland. They have two recordings to their credit, an instrumental collection The Wisdom of Trees, and Spindrift which features their vocal repertoire. Tap your feet, or just chill out to the unique sound of more than 100 strings in harmony - perfect! www.springtidemusic.com

Stringline Folk Band

Stringline is a unique contemporary folk band playing catchy, powerful originals, as well as traditional folk songs and tunes in their own infectious style. Multi-instrumentalists and songwriters, they deliver an up-tempo lively sound, influenced by indie folk, country, Celtic and bluegrass styles, using acoustic guitars, mandolins, bass, fiddle, banjo, accordion, and a focus on naturally blended vocals. Stringline have a growing popularity in the folk scene. Known as wonderful storytellers through words and music, Stringline will entertain you with stories about Australian history, world events and heartfelt personal experiences that will have you listening intently and tapping along.

JOIN THE CRAIC IN YASS

15th - 16th -17th of September 2023

Sullie

Sullie's songs are about leaving, love, loss, and broken hearts. Songs and stories with a twist of protest, peace, environmental issues and calls for social justice. Sullie is an Irish Singer-Songwriter based in Sydney and has performed at the Sydney Folk festival, Yass Festival and Gulgong Folk Festival.

The Bottlers

The Bottlers bring to the stage a very danceable, melody enlivened, high energy, 9 piece folk music experience, bringing generations together to celebrate what has been, what we've seen and what the future has to bring. Traditional instrumentation meets modern elation in a soaring chorus of whalloping bush ballads, sing alongs, poetical amazements and broadside emblazonments. If Henry Lawson ever got his foot tapping, he'd leap up on the bar for this!

The ChOOks

The ChOOks ruffle their musical feathers bringing you folk, blues, giggles ‘n golden standards. They sculpt glorious new tunes and sanity preserving songs of experience with the wisdom and humour of lives well lived—and they just love playing face-to-face to humanz! Recent festivals include the 2022 Yass Celtic Festival, Folk by the Sea Kiama and Fleurieu. Moira and Wendy compliment each other vocally and instrumentally with tight harmonies and a huge emotional as well as musical range. They are so glad they found each other, and they hope you’ll be glad you found them too!

The Full Irish

The Full Irish bring the fun and energy of the Irish session to the stage. They perform traditional Irish folk songs and tunes, their own original songs and a diverse selection of contemporary music. Their repertoire comprises music from Ireland, Australia, the UK, America, and all points in between. The Full Irish are based in Sydney NSW and host and anchor the Irish music session at the Fiddler in Rouse Hill, attracting many travelling performers visiting Sydney and Australia. Since forming they have hit the folk festival scene and made a big impression!

The Mountain Dew Band

The Mountain Dew Band have been performing around Australia for many years. They have appeared at The National Folk Festival, The Illawarra Folk Festival, The Gulgong Folk Festival, Tallong Apple day (for 10 plus years) Goulburn Show and The Celtic and Irish Folk Festival. We were asked to perform at Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2021.

The O'Carolan Trio

This newly formed trio celebrates the music of the great Irish harper and composer Turlough O’Carolan 1670-1738. O’Carolan was blind and made his way around the great houses of Ireland with a harp, horse and servant. He composed music for all their occasions and celebrated people in his life. He was greatly inspired by the music of the Italian Baroque composers and often imitated their style. The O'Carolan trio is led from the harp by Moira Lawry. She is joined on the whistle by Fran Clements and violin by Samantha Tannous. All three can trace their Irish heritage and enjoy bringing these beautiful tunes to life.

The Raglins

Deeply rooted in traditional folk music, award-winning duo, The Raglins, bring a contemporary approach to traditional folk songs, reinterpreting Australian, English and Irish ballads and showcasing them with fresh and innovative melodies and arrangements. With guitar and stunning harmonised vocals, their storytelling and sublime harmonies will transport you. Having lived and breathed traditional songs in Dublin, Glasgow and Belfast, they have performed at almost every folk festival in the country, including Woodford, the National Folk Festival, Fairbridge Folk Festival, the National Celtic Festival, Cygnet Folk Festival and Illawarra Folk Festival, but they have never been to Yass before!

Tidal Moon

Inspired by ancient Celtic traditions, Tidal Moon’s repertoire includes imaginative originals and traditional folk songs from around the world, sung in various languages such as Gaelic, Spanish, Tagalog, and English.
 
Using a variety of instruments including harp and guitar, Barbara Jeffrey and Jose Garcia forge a unique perspective on folk, using cultural perspectives from Scotland and the Philippines, plus their respective professional backgrounds. Barbara’s music grounding was in education, classical music and opera; and Jose’s in community music, country and bluegrass. Despite these disparate sources, their combined soprano and baritone harmonies blend together magically. Stunningly beautiful, traditional and contemporary music!

Tolka

Emerging out of the lively traditional Irish music scene of Melbourne, Tolka encapsulates a sense of what it means to be playing traditional music in a contemporary context. The award-winning line-up features stunning vocals, banjo, fiddle and flute backed up by driving guitar rhythms. This combines to produce a diverse and exciting performance of original and traditional tunes and songs which have had audiences dancing at festivals across Australia and the UK.

Traditional Graffiti

Traditional Graffiti (aka ‘The Trads’) rose from the ashes of the popular Wheeze & Suck Band. The regular Graffiti members are:

Ian "The Pump" Macintosh – guitars, melodeon, vocals.

John "Johnny Red Tips" Milce – percussion, jokes.

Brad ‘Stix’ Newhouse – percussion, vocals.

Nigel "Muddy" Walters – mandolin, guitar, vocals.

Clive ‘Dodger’ McFarland – guitar, Brass Band, vocals.

Nigel and Ian are both solo performers in their own right. Ian is also a prolific songwriter, being awarded the Australian Songwriters Award in 2006 for ‘Rag and Bone’. Nigel is also a member of the duo ‘Cap in Hand’. Ian is a member of Sydney blues trio ‘The RBJ’s, and UK contemporary music trio, ‘TRI’. Brad plays drums in various bands around Sydney, and has played drums with the Trad’s members regularly over ten years.

John and Ian have a long history of involvement in traditional dance both here in Australia and in the UK, and Traditional Graffiti include threads and themes of the tradition in their repertoire.

The ‘Trads’ maintain their reputation for folk music infused with fun, and audience participation. As Traditional Graffiti, and Wheeze & Suck Band before, there have been nine albums released, plus various solo albums from Muddy and Pump.

The Trad’s perform at Folk Festivals in Australia, plus Folk Club and pub appearances. The band perform a mix of English traditional and contemporary folk music, (including some favourites from the Wheezers repertoire), and many self-penned compositions.

Two Voices in the Crowd

Two Voices in the Crowd, previously known as Sweet Songs and Soft Guitar, is a vocal duo based in Morpeth, N.S.W. Known & acclaimed for their “Two Voices in the Crowd” song project, released in 2019, and performed at Folk Festivals and Folk Clubs in N.S.W. Kathy’s stunning vocal clarity, elegant Celtic Whistles & Mandolin is supported by Matthew’s distinctive tenor voice, unique Guitar style and Harmonica accompaniment. In their latest song project, ‘Gathering Hunter Songs’ they have curated a collection of folk songs for concert performances, about events, people, and places in the Hunter Valley. The songs, many penned by local Newcastle songwriters, tell stories of Heroes, Villains, Places, and Events of the Hunter Valley & the greater Newcastle area. The collection includes a range of subjects with some well-known songs as well as more obscure characters that have coloured the valley over the past hundred years. Two Voices in the Crowd is an uplifting acoustic musical experience in the Folk tradition.

We Mavericks

We Mavericks make music that sounds like more than the sum of its parts. Lindsay Martin’s masterful strings and vocal meets Victoria Vigenser’s captivating voice and rhythm guitar, wrapped in a crazy trademark tightness. Their original blend of contemporary folk and acoustic pop has echoes of both Americana and traditional Celtic roots amongst the harmonies. With their debut album “Grief’s a Gardener” they’ve seen nominations for “Best Folk Artist 2022” in the Aotearoa Music Awards, Australian Folk Music Awards "Artists of the Year, Best Duo/Group/Ensemble" 2021, showcased at Folk Alliance International 2022, and are recipients of Australia’s Troubadour Foundation Award 2020.

Zac Eden

Zac Eden was born in a suburban bedroom to a family of vegetarian activists. His unusual upbringing influenced his song writing themes, but he has been regularly compared to the quasi-storytelling qualities of Johnny Cash, Chris Isaak and Jeff Buckley. Since his late 2017 EP release “Chasing The Wind”, Eden has hushed a few-hundred strong crowd at The Governor Hindmarsh, supported award winning American artist Sonia and toured the eastern states for 3 months. Late 2018 to the present has seen him land a residency contract at the Uluru resort in Yulara NT and a permanent move to Melbourne. Post covid, Zac has returned to Adelaide to concentrate on recording his second album.

Robyn Sykes

Robyn Sykes writes original, award-winning poetry and performs it around Australia, including Woodford (Qld), National Folk Festival (ACT) and Boyup Brook (WA). Her poems appear in journals/anthologies inter/nationally and online, especially on themes of environment, social justice and family life. Robyn runs workshops, organises poetry events and serves her community in regional NSW.

Allan Stone

Now Allan Stone is a poetry bloke

Otherwise known as Stonybroke

He’ll make you laugh and make you cry

And spin you tales of pie in the sky

So come along, get on yer bike

When Stonybroke is on the mike

Gabrielle Journey Jones 

Gabrielle Journey Jones is a poet and musician born on Gadigal Land, Sydney. Gabrielle is from Maori and African American bloodlines and lives in Bega Valley with her family. Gabrielle has shared her poetry at local, national and international events for over 20 years. Gabrielle weaves women's wisdom into poetry to uplift spirits and celebrate everyday life. She encourages everyone to speak their own medicine with courage and define the purpose of their own truth. Gabrielle has three poetry collections published by Ginninderra Press, ‘Spoken Medicine’ (2017), ‘Etymology of Courage’ (2021) and ‘The Purpose of Truth (2023).

Jason Roweth

A natural storyteller, with a warm, engaging stage presence, Jason presents new and old Australian traditional songs, poems and yarns. He’ll take you on a journey, make you laugh - and think. “One of those rare poets who leave you wondering how he got to be that bloody good!” - Brian Bell

Oliver Roweth

Sixteen-year-old Oliver Roweth (he/they/it) is a poet and reciter from central NSW. His original free verse poetry covers themes of neurodivergence, queerness, and the unique ways in which the two intersect.

Luke Robinson

As folk music legend Pete Seeger once said, “A good song reminds us what we’re fighting for”. With carefully crafted lyrics and a rich bass voice accompanied by acoustic guitar, Luke’s rousing anthems, contemplative ballads and comical compositions range from our First Peoples to refugees, larrikins to mongrels, military misadventures to the war on drugs, fracking, farming, coal, climate change and other themes of Australian life and politics. Luke lives in Whian Whian near Lismore, northern NSW, and has performed at folk clubs and festivals across the country. Be sure not to miss this powerful voice for a better Australia.