News
Woodford Folk Festival Launches 2013/14 Festival Theme & Poster
“The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought” Mahatma Ghandi.
Woodford Folk Festival Presents The Festival of Small Halls
Festival of Small Halls is a unique, beautiful and romantic concept that it sure to capture the imagination of the Australian public.
It’s a series of tours that will take the best folk and contemporary acoustic artists (one local, one international) from two of Australia’s largest Festivals, and send them on the road together, to bring exceptional shows to treasured tiny community halls around the country.
The first tour kicks off at the Mullum Music Festival on November 23 and finishes at the Woodford Folk Festival on December 28. Tickets will be going on sale October 1st at www.festivalofsmallhalls.com
This tour will visit 18 unique communities across Queensland with the two festivals providing the perfect bookends for an incredible adventure that takes in some of our most beautiful and remote areas, in the old wooden halls that have long played host to social gatherings for their communities. Each night of the tour will be hosted by volunteers from the local area, and is a chance for each town to show off their warmest welcome and most enthusiastic audiences. The halls themselves also have wonderful stories – for example, the Boonarga Cactoblastic Hall, 10 miles East of Chinchilla, is a memorial hall built to honour the Cactoblastis moth, brought in to save Queensland farmlands from the Opuntia cacti. Still the most successful example of bio control ever, apparently. Great hall too!
The artist line-up for Festival of Small Halls will always be an Australian artist and an International artist who play music of exceptional quality and heart. For this first festival, acclaimed Melbourne folk singer Jordie Lane (AUS) and International award winner Rose Cousins (CAN) on her first tour down under, have been selected to take this journey off the beaten track; chosen for their beautiful songs, their storytelling and their wonderful warmth. Future tour planning for all remote and rural regions of Australia is currently underway.
ABOUT ROSE COUSINS:
Off the back of her new, critically acclaimed, and award winning album, We Have Made a Spark, in her first ever trip to Australia, Rose Cousins is thrilled to be involved in this inaugural Australian Festival Of Small Halls. Originally from Prince Edward Island, Rose has been a big part of the original Festival of Small Halls at Prince Edward Island. The spirit of community and collaboration is in everything Rose Cousins does. At any show, anywhere Cousins travels, recruits from the local music scene appear with her on stage, her warmth exudes and comforts the audience “It’s no wonder Cousins is the object of audience affection…” The Boston Globe. To check out Rose’s award winning album click here
ABOUT JORDIE LANE:
Called “one of this country’s brightest new roots music stars” by Rhythms Magazine, Jordie Lane has built an international touring career around his incredible live performances. Lane has a rare quality of being able to lure and capture his listeners with his playful charm, rhythmic finger picking and most of all, that voice. Touring off the back of his new EP 'Not Built To Last', Lane has had a successful year touring Australia, Canada and the US and will bring to these shows new songs and stories of life on the road. For more on Jordie Lane click here
From our farmlands to the flood lands, the rainforests to the outback, Festival of Small Halls audiences can expect a beautiful night of original music, as well as a chance to catch up with their families and friends over cake and tea during a supper break in the spirit of music and community.
For more information or tickets go to www.festivalofsmallhalls.com Tickets are on sale October 1st.
TOUR STOPS
NSW
Mullum Music Festival St Martins Parish Hall Saturday 23 November
QLD
Forest Hill Forest Hill School of Arts Wednesday 27 November
Sandgate Sandgate Town Hall Friday 29 November
Wolvi Wolvi and District Hall Saturday 30 November
Eudlo Eudlo Hall Sunday 1 December
Eulo Eulo Hall Thursday 5 December
St George St George Amphitheatre Saturday 7 December
Mitchell Mitchell Shire Hall Sunday 8 December
Charleville Charleville Town Hall Wednesday 11 December
Barcaldine Barcaldine Town Hall Thursday 12 December
Capella Capella Cultural Centre Friday 13 December
Springsure Springsure Town Hall Saturday 14 December
Pinnacle Pinnacle Playhouse Sunday 15 December
Wallaville Wallaville Hall Wednesday 18 December
Degilbo Degilbo Hall Friday 20 December
Chinchilla Boonarga Cactoblastis Hall Saturday 21 December
Mt Mee Mt Mee Public Hall Sunday 22 December
Woodford Folk Festival Concert Stage Saturday 28 December
