2022 Australian National Folk Festival

Subject: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Apr 22 - 07:19 PM

from the thread "Eh? (Mudcat offline for a few days)" - quoting Stilly, 10 Apr 22 - 06:05 PM - The Mudcat database has been restored to March 17, 2022, missing the end of the month and 2 weeks in April. And Max is still looking into how to do a new setup.

We had a thread, alas it disappeared, how many other wise, witty, insightful, newsy, erudite postings are currently unavailable, fingers crossed Max will be able to retrieve them.

In the meantime - NFF starts on Thursday evening, from my memory (feeble as it might be) attendees include BruceD, Hrothgar, me, GerryM, apologies include JennieG,

here's the program It's Under (controversial) New Management, with a lot of discussion about the program (lots of non-folk acts to attract new people & make money), covid & other regulations (umbrellas are banned because they are "dangerous", we understand why weapons, fireworks, flares & drugs etc are also banned, but umbrellas???, & no-one knows if children's umbrellas will be confiscated - imagine the chaos, howling children defended by every young parent & old protestor in the queue - Waddya we want? Umbrellas, When do we want them? Now!) ...

Anyway there are lots of good acts, lots of dancing, singing & music sessions & friends to sing with. All Food & Retail stalls are new - no more late night yummy Hari Krishna snacks (oh! no!!), stalls seem to feature more expensive stuff, but ...

And of course the best singing session is Hrothgar's Community Hymn singing with his Beautiful Assistants of whom I am one!

only 2 more sleeps

sandra

email to a performer
Dear
It is a condition of entry. There will be no debate – it is best practice in large events for the safety of patrons – you may see it as trivial but there are a number of accidents and incidents documented most of the larger festivals in the country have the same conditions.
If it does rain, it would be a good idea to bring a raincoat or waterproof jacket and take advantage of the numerous structures available to shelter under.

Kind regards

the last festival in 2019 featured an almost tropical downpour & rain is forecast.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Bruce D
Date: 11 Apr 22 - 10:43 PM

Thanks for re-starting the NFF thread.

see you friday.


Bruce D

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 12:07 AM

Yiannos Catering will still be there, so I'll be able to get my usual quota of Kondosouvli, but I don't see any sign of the fudge people who usually supply 500% of my minimum daily requirement of sweets.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 12:49 AM

oh! ho, no fudge ... what else are we missing?

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: JennieG
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 12:59 AM

And - no Pete's Coffee! Best coffee of the whole festival!

Just as well I'm not going......

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 03:08 AM

No mention of a ban on Morris sticks...yet. However, handkerchief dances are discouraged as COVID super-spreaders. Failure to comply by male dancers will result in immediate surgical removal of bells (did I spell that correctly?)

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 07:20 AM

a friend emailed that the Canberra forecast is rain free, apart from a small chance on Monday, after she ordered a raincoat & hat! Days will be 23 & nights 7, so it will be typical early autumn weather.

sandra (who doesn't own an umbrella & always uses a raincoat & hat)

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 04:17 PM

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for the info about CanberraChris and his harp. I suspect that if I tried to find the article in The Canberra Weekly again it will be gone because it looks like they only show the current edition on their website now but if anyone is interested, I copied it and kept it on file.

I discovered this very useful Bureau of Meteorology site BOM - MetEye which shows animations of forecasted conditions - either hour by hour for the next three days, or daily for the week ahead. You can click on the rainfall, wind, temperature, storms etc buttons and then zero in on the map to the area you are interested in. I use it when I'm planning our music sessions, now that we play in parks due to the COVID changes.

For rainfall when I look at the next three days I click the button for "50% chance of more than (mm)" because the "chance of any rain button" just shows percentage and not millimetres. It looks dramatic but it doesn't show how much rain, just how likely it is to rain.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 05:54 PM

thanks for the link - but ... it doesn't like me & I used to work there in the days The Computer was fed punched cards from each state (1973) to 89 when we had our very own computers!


http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/meteye/

Your access is blocked due to the detection of a potential automated access request. The Bureau of Meteorology website does not support web scraping: if you are trying to access Bureau data through automated means, you should stop. You may like to consider the following options:

    An anonymous FTP channel: http://www.bom.gov.au/catalogue/anon-ftp.shtml - this is free to access, but use is subject to the default terms of the Bureau's copyright notice: http://www.bom.gov.au/other/copyright.shtml
    A Registered User service for continued use of Bureau data if your activity does not comply with the default terms: http://reg.bom.gov.au/other/charges.shtml noting charges apply to most data products. Please contact [e-mail] to discuss your requirements.

If you still need assistance in accessing our website, please contact us by filling in your details at http://reg.bom.gov.au/screenscraper/screenscraper_enquiry_form/ and we will get in touch with you. Thank you for your understanding.
True Client IP: 119.18.1.15
Reference Error: 0.3a052017.1649799847.e2ebd64

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 06:06 PM

That's really weird.

What happens if you just copy the web address and paste into a new tab?

I just opened it with the link I posted and I've been using the site for a couple of years, maybe, with no issues.

(Are you on the AFP's list of dangerous Aussies, perhaps? LOL Access denied to government sites? Or maybe BOM's parting message to you was, don't let the door hit you on the ar$e on your way out. Sorry! Sorry! That's what some of my former employees have thought or maybe said to me.)

But seriously. Maybe it was just a glitch and it will work if you try again.

Or, try going to BOM website, scroll to the bottom box where the other links are, in the middle top of that area is the MetEye link.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 06:30 PM

I pasted the url & can get in via Chrome, very pretty site.

I've emailed my Personal Help Desk cos he knows everything! Firefox has adblok & NoScript

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 06:52 PM

My Personal Help Desk, i.e. my Hubby, knows everything but... you know, the old story, the plumber's house is the only house in the street where the taps haven't been repaired. Sigh!

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 08:16 PM

decades ago the mechanic's wife drove to a supplier to get something to fix her car. She parked outside a pub & the wheel fell off, all the drunks said "hey, lady your wheel's come off" & we kids in the back seat died of embarrassment. The mechanic's wife's car was towed back to our service station.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 11:06 PM

Anonymous ftp! Haven't seen a reference to that in years!

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 12:02 AM

That's funny, Sandra.

Also a coincidence, because my Dad was a mechanic and when my sis and I were young, Mum & Dad ran a service station.

Dad was always good at looking after our car, so he bucked the trend on that score, but the other interesting thing was that it was an Ampol servo, and now Ampol is back after an unexplained absence. It brings back memories seeing the Ampol signs.

Sorry, back to the topic.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 04:21 AM

our was BP & went under a new highway in the late 70s.

is the Bureau using ancient technology, Gerry?

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 05:23 AM

Sandra, have you tried going to the BOM website and using the link on that page? I'm interested to know whether it was the link I added here which was the problem, or whether you get the same message from the BOM website.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 06:11 AM

I can see it on chrome, & can see it in firefox by using BOM website link.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 07:28 AM

Sandra, according to Wikipedia, FTP was introduced on 16 April 1971. Wikipedia also says,

In January 2021, support for the FTP protocol was disabled in Google Chrome 88, and disabled in Firefox 88.0. In July 2021, Firefox 90 dropped FTP entirely, and Google followed suit in October 2021, removing FTP entirely in Google Chrome 95.

The http that you'll see at the beginning of web addresses is in some sense a replacement for ftp. Again, quoting Wikipedia,

HTTP essentially fixes the bugs in FTP that made it inconvenient to use for many small ephemeral transfers as are typical in web pages.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 03:20 PM

I use Firefox. Very reliable.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 16 Apr 22 - 03:41 AM

An article on ABC News:

National Folk Festival returns with a focus on celebrating Ngunnawal language after two years of COVID-19 cancellations

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 16 Apr 22 - 09:48 AM

Fred Smith gave an extraordinary performance.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: JennieG
Date: 19 Apr 22 - 06:54 AM

Thoughts from those who were there?

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 19 Apr 22 - 08:14 AM

I thought there were a lot of things to complain about, but it was still a terrific way to spend a few days.

Fred Smith gave maybe the most powerful set I've ever experienced. For anyone reading this who isn't familiar with Fred Smith, he is a singer-songwriter, and also a diplomat who has been sent by the Australian government to serve in Afghanistan. He gave a history of the country from the Russian invasion to the present day, interspersed with his songs about events there, and analysis of those events. Being in the audience was like being put through a wringer, but in a good way.

Some other acts I enjoyed were Chaika, Balkanski Bus, Black Mountain String Band, Bob & Margaret Fagan (Kate was meant to be there, too, but, Covid), 40 Degrees South, Ruth Hazleton, The Transylvaniacs (not on the bill, but they played for the Kengugro dancers), the Spooky Men's Chorale, Judy Small, George Butrumlis, and Mzaza.

The one thing I kept hearing over and over from the performers was how good it was to be back on stage after two years of little to no work or contact with in person audiences. I think most of us were so happy just to be there that we were willing to overlook a lot of defects and just have a good time.

And then there were the people who weren't able to be there, whether due to Covid or other medical issues. I mentioned Kate Fagan above. Other casualties included Fay White, Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, Lucy Wise, Robyn Archer, and Greg Sheehan.

The weather was fantastic. The prohibition of umbrellas turned out to be a non-issue.

The food stalls weren't spread out over the grounds as they have been, most of them were in one small area. I think there were fewer of them than usual. I was sad to see the fudge people weren't there.

There were no acts from overseas, because Covid. A shame, as they are often highlights of the festival. It did open the festival to more Australian acts, and to a greater variety of Australian acts. The rusted-on folkies, like me, didn't find this greater variety much to our liking, but maybe it drew in some customers who wouldn't have come otherwise.

I thought there was going to be a $10 per day charge for parking, but that didn't happen. The shuttle vans taking people from the parking lot to the venues were smaller than in previous years, seating seven where the old vans carried ten, but they ran with enough frequency that I don't think this created any major problems. Some of the drivers didn't get much training, and only learned on-the-job how to open the doors, and how to move the seats forward to let passengers climb into the back seats.

More than once, I only learned some performer wouldn't be there when I showed up to see them perform. There were no signs at the venues, no sign at the Festival Office, and the staff at the Festival Office didn't have complete lists.

There were venues in the program that weren't on the map in the program. "Old Troc" turned out to be the Trocadero, "The Terrace: was just called "Sessions" on the map. I put it down to the turnover in administrative and volunteer personnel, and the effects of going three years between festivals.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Apr 22 - 10:03 PM

I enjoyed my festival = singing sessions, very few concerts, lots of photos, including dance events, falling into good company, watching kids music workshops -

My, how some of the participants have grown in the few years since we last met, which is why the workshops are now aimed at 8-18, not 8-16 as they were when we started in 2014. I love watching the progress over 3 days of the very young beginners, & those who were Intermediates a few years ago are now teaching the beginners! The intermediates & tutors played for a one-hour dance & lots of kids & their parents had a wonderful time. One dance asked small then taller dancers to all move in & clap, & the small ones were a bit ragged the first time, but soon got confident. It's also great to see small dancers drag a parent/carer onto the dance floor.

Our hymn gig in a big tent worked, even tho the promised sound did not appear, but as it was stupidly advertised - "hymn" was not mentioned in the grid - some regulars missed it, but some passers-by joined us. Programs cost $6 (free in the past) & folk who relied on their phones would miss stuff, & probably get a headache by trying to read double-page grids.

Best of the concerts I saw was Judy Small who is back in the folk world after her years as a Judge. (wikipedia - Judith Margaret Small AM is a retired judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, former folk singer, songwriter, recording artist, Small was known for her feminist, often patriotic, and political songs, usually following a traditional theme) After downsizing most of my CDs to community radio programs, I bought her CD! A fiend gave me his new CD so I have 2 new CDs.

The concert I walked out of was to be a performance by Robyn Archer, another feminist icon, & I was not the only one who left when the MC cheerfully announced she could not be with us & the bloke accompanying her would present his journey into zydeco. I'm sure he would be very well known (can't find my program to check), & maybe they were including/featuring zydeco with accordion, but it wasn't why we were there, & lots of us left. I met a friend outside who was livid, saying they would have known much earlier & never told anyone. Same friend also left Kate Cebrano's big concert in the 5000-seat tent as 35 mins after it should have started nothing was happening with sound & slow clapping started, which did lead to an excellent concert according to another friend who stayed.

An musician friend who is also a sound man stayed in a venue helping the totally lost sound operator, so maybe the sound person in the giant tent was also a beginner????? My favourite sound man was the (older) bloke in a small venue who supplied excellent sound, & also gaffer tape when my sandal broke, which the MC then fixed so well I was still wearing it the following day, & will wear it again today.

Many volunteers were not properly trained & did their best, & were learning as they went, poor buggers. Three friends who have helped with set up for decades (they are tradesmen with forklift licences, etc) might not be going back. All have in the past worked many hours extra, but one was planning to stop as soon as he reached his allocated 30 hours & might not come back due to the treatment he received from incompetent no-nothings, & the other 2 were seen filling in Feedback sheets. Feedback forms were not carried around as has happened in the past (lack of volunteers??) & apparently can be found somewhere on the website but require a QR code, but I can't find them & besides my sensible phone doesn't do QR codes ...

All together I had a great time with friends, there was enough trad stuff & singing sessions for my version of a festival, I continually fell into good company which as always meant I missed stuff I wanted to see but I had some fantastic conversations, & made sure I got to the few things I was committed to (taking pics etc)

Food was a problem - as always there were not enough vegetables/salads. Every stall had vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free stuff, most offerings were either highly spiced (not for me) or fried (yummy, but not every meal.) I'm accustomed to a big salad with my lunch & a large bowl of veggies with meat/vegiburgers in the evening. And I couldn't get a banana smoothy anywhere, oh! no!, (mango & banana is too sweet) but I discovered the icecream stall also sold milkshakes & a vanilla bean milkshake was an excellent substitute.

sandra

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: GerryM
Date: 19 Apr 22 - 11:21 PM

Sandra, the bloke who was to accompany Robyn Archer was George Butrumlis, a brilliant accordionist. He played in a variety of musical styles, not just zydeco. He told a story about being hired as resident performer at a swish French restaurant. He asked the owner what kind of music he was meant to play, and the owner said, anything, as long as it sounds French. Well, after a while, Butrumlis said, he ran out of French tunes, and he showed us what he did then – he played Stairway To Heaven while making it sound French! I, too, was disappointed not to see Robyn Archer, and annoyed that there hadn't been any notice put up to let people know, but I found Butrumlis very entertaining.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 22 - 05:26 AM

He also plays with Jennie Lewis who I am slightly acquainted with (my brush with fame) & other interesting artists, & it would have been a good show, thanks for the info.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 20 Apr 22 - 07:28 AM

Do you mean Jeannie Lewis? She used to come and perform in Newcastle sometimes. She was amazing.

Jeannie Lewis - Gary's Song

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 22 - 08:39 AM

Jennie? the well known typo

I saw her at the in Tears of Steel in 1975 & was very pleased to finally meet her sometime after I got into the folk world in 1995. She has also appeared at my folk club with Maurie Mulheron.

sandra

Subject: Mcatters at the 2022 Australia National
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 22 - 05:15 PM

Subject: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: Bruce D
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 06:20 AM

After a couple of years of being cancelled, its on again.

Now who's going ?

Bruce D

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Subject: RE: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 06:23 AM

Which country are we talking about here?

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Subject: RE: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: Hrothgar
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 06:25 AM

Australia, I think.

I'll be there with my hair in a braid.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 06:36 AM

Aaaahh! Bit of a long drive from England!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: Helen
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 06:40 AM

Not for us, eh? :-D

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Subject: RE: Mudcatter's at the 2022 National FF
From: GerryM
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 07:49 AM

Got my tickets, planning to be there.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 National FF
From: Felipa
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 10:33 AM

"Camcelled" in the first message is just a typo, but the incorrect apostrophe on the plural word "Mudcatters" in the thread title annoys me! Perhaps a Mudelf will correct the error.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 National FF
From: Felipa
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 10:43 AM

the correction was quick!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 National FF
From: Helen
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 03:03 PM

I won't be going to the National. I only went once about three decades ago with a few other members of our local folk club. We had a great time and I especially enjoyed some of the workshops I attended.

But I haven't been to any folk festivals since January 2003 when Hubby & I travelled down to Tasmania and went to Cygnet one weekend (bottom point of the island), drove up through Tassie staying at a few lovely places and then went to George Town festival at the top the next weekend. Loved it. Both of those festivals were smaller than the National. Very community based.

Enjoy! - for those who are going.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 08:23 PM

I'll be there - at the new look National. I'm hoping my back can cope with all the walking.

There are a lot of changes, some due to covid, others due to new admin.

In my day (sez. the Olde Pharte) - in the days BC (Before Covid) - an application was easy - you filled in group/band details, listed members, camping or not, insurance & received a one page acceptance - names & camping status, reminder re. insurance number, sign here.

Hrothgar can tell you about the application - it was many, many pages long & designed for bands that knew how many people attended their last gigs, & had lotsa' videos, recorded music & social media sites ...

Then the acceptance (16 pages according to another friend), it even needed to know the value of your instruments & who insures them! My friend runs music workshops for kids - naturally she would list the number of shakey eggs & other kid-sized & homemade instruments as well as tutors instruments, etc

The other change is searches of every bag over A4 size - umbrellas are banned along with selfie sticks & other weapons, fireworks & glass bottles! - Tickets - bag check. Those who remember the tropical rainstorm in 2019 will know why to bring a rain coat & hat!

Applications, Acceptances & ticket Terms & Conditions seem to have come from other styles of festivals.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 National FF
From: JennieG
Date: 29 Mar 22 - 09:38 PM

We won't be there this year. There are many changes to volunteering, particularly vollie camping - you can't pick your spot, you camp where you are told, and your car has to be elsewhere in a car park....meaning you can't use your car for extra camping storage as we do (our caravan is quite small) and as many others do.

While I know not all the changes are from the festival organisers (many are forced upon them by the ACT govt) we're taking a 'wait and see' attitude for next year.

There are many confused vollies, to judge by fb posts. While we are sorry not to be there we aren't sorry to be missing out on the confusion.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: JennieG
Date: 01 Apr 22 - 09:36 PM

Still advertising for set-up and pack-down vollies, and for bar staff vollies.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 03:43 AM

Will Bugsy be there, I wonder?

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 04:25 AM

will I live long enough to meet him & Mrs Bugsy?

I was going to win a lottery & buy them tickets ...

sandra (memo to self - buy a lotto ticket)

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: JennieG
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 05:30 AM

I met Bugsy once, and Mrs Bugsy.....he really does exist, you know.....

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 05:40 AM

He does indeed exist! He and Mrs. Bugsy came to see Wizz Jones play a great concert in Lincoln, UK a few years ago, we had already made ourselves known to each other a few weeks before, and we had a very enjoyable evening together. They also came to our local Folk Club a couple of years later, and Bugsy borrowed my Lowden to do a few songs - he’s very good, very good indeed!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Bruce D
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 07:04 AM

Due to changes in the camping I will be camping off site this year, many of the new rules are due to earlier Covid requirements by the ACT Government, I'm disapointed with the program all ready as there seen to be a shift in style of acts.

Looking forward to the sunday Hymn session.

Bruce D

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 09:22 AM

I know! Margaret Walters met him at the Top End Festival some years back!

I went thru the program today & saw lotsa' familiar acts + a lot of acts from other genres, some definitely not to my taste.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 09:31 AM

the best singing session @ The National in a TENT is not going to be the same as when it was in a proper room where harmonies can bounce off walls.

NFF program First release of headliner acts were country & other genres. Folk & traditional music was 2nd or 3rd release.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Helen
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 01:59 PM

I just looked at the programme. There are some acts I would love to see - but not enough to drive down to Canberra.

But, check out Ukestral Voices Choir if you can on the street choirs programme. It's a Newcastle based music "movement". In my opinion, it's what folk music is all about: inspiring all kinds of people in the community to play music and sing and have lots of fun doing it.

Jane Jelbart and Mark Jackson are the instigators of this musical movement here. I've been to a couple of the ukulele festivals and a couple of the workshops, and one was an all-day workshop with the brilliant and inspiring Canadian uke master, James Hill. A memorable day!

I'd love to see Judy Small and also Archie Roach on Saturday. Two of my all-time heroes.

Enjoy, everyone!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Brian Peters
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 02:11 PM

Six years since I last played the National (or so Facebook tells me). I had some great times there, and saw many wonderful acts, but I doubt whether I'll go again - the visa situation was getting very tough when I last visited, and it sounds as though the focus is changing anyway.

Hi to Sandra and any other friends reading this!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: JennieG
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 05:30 PM

There are many performers on the menu who also perform here at the Big January Country Music Festival each year (which is on in a couple of weeks, being a victim of January covid).. They don't appeal to me so I don't seek them out when they're here; I certainly wouldn't go to Canberra for them.

I suspect, from reading press releases and articles in ACT media sites, that it is being looked at more as a 'music festival' and less as a 'folk festival' to the movers and shakers of Our National Capital.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 06:48 PM

Gidday, Brian!

It appears that the more traditional members of the board are no longer there. I think the whole board changed & the emphasis has, too. The program director referred to the NFF as "Canberra'a biggest Music Festival" in one of her newsletters & she is not a folk performer.

Headliners are county & rock performers, but people like Judy Small, The Fagans, Ruth Hazeldon, Fay White, The Raglins, Chaika, Bruce Watson, shanty singers & some well known bush bands are still there. Looking at this list, it is a pitifully small selection but there are other trad/harmony acts which I will try to see! All this depends on my back & legs holding out.

Traditional groups took so long to be booked they pondered upon having their own get-together. There are also daily doses of bush music & dance. And of course the Morris will be there. All choirs, including Helen's uke mates are on the street, I hope the weather holds.

Spoken word only contains 2 names I know as old style reciters, there are also poetry slams, & 2 session leaders are described as a "motivational speaker & TED talker" & a "poet, percussionist and event producer" A poet! Session leaders are normally described as winners of a traditional competition! I do like the old style ballads, & parodies etc but ...

One concert is called "Tracks we have travelled - 30 years in Canberra" but the National has been held since 1967, which was celebrated in 2017, now we celebrate 30 years since it found a permanent home after travelling from state to state, & become Canberra's biggest music festival.

sandra (official Olde Pharte who hit three score & ten this year)

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 08:13 PM

Definitely an attempt here to reopen the old argument about the definition of folk song.

Any horses on the performers list this year???

(Add apostrophe in your chosen position if required)

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Bruce D
Date: 02 Apr 22 - 09:31 PM

I agree that there are not many headliner acts as previous years, and this years line up is more like a country Music festival,

Some of the things I'm disapointed with is the Sunday Hymns are outdoors and after mid day.
No big named overseas acts.

and my favourite stall holder isn't on the list "Celtic Dreaming" I'll miss seeing Des and Miriam & the girls.

The only good thing is that there seems to be a slightly better selection of food stalls.


Bruce D

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Helen
Date: 03 Apr 22 - 05:55 PM

Article in Canberra Weekly - see page 29

Note: it is the issue dated 31 March 2022, so after this week you might not be able to read the article.

No real mention of what I might consider to be folkie type acts. Look who is on the front page photo. Not folkie in my definition.

(On the pages for the Newcastle Weekly, I used to be able to look at recent back issues but I can't find that on the CW pages.)

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: JennieG
Date: 03 Apr 22 - 07:02 PM

The front page says it all, doesn't it, Helen....and the article "my friend Katie Noonan". Nepotism much?

At least there is a good photo of Canberra Chris, who is or was a Mudcatter!

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Helen
Date: 03 Apr 22 - 07:31 PM

Yes, Jennie. I had a similar thought. Katie Noonan - an excellent musician and performer. No doubt about it, but not folk as far as I know.

Double bonus: a photo of Chris playing the harp. I'm happy with that one.

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Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Apr 22 - 12:17 AM

interesting comment from headliner who was initially unsure if her contemporary pop fitted in a folk festival.

Back to folk - Chris has more than one harp & one year had his very large harp along, as well as his smaller one with him! I've emailed him. Scroll down to the second pic numbered 26 (oops) to see Chris & his harp

His quote about the hymn session (coordinator Hrothgar, member me, absent-this-year member JennieG!) will surely attract more singers "... lesser known hymns on Easter Sunday morning. It's a bit of a hidden secret but it's actually the best thing at the festival. Everybody comes to sing along from Christians of all denominations of whatever degree of interest right thru to atheists ..."

Another occasional Mudcatter Chris Maltby also joins us at the session, so does Bruce.

One year Danny Spooner arrived for his gig following ours & added his voice to Amazing Grace.

Discerning singers know it's the best singing session in the festival.

sandra

Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Apr 22 - 05:16 PM

Sorry about the sloppy restoration. It was too big to copy message-by-message

Subject: RE: Mudcatters at the 2022 Australia National FF
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 29 Apr 22 - 07:43 PM

I started a replacement thread 11 Apr 22 after The Cat Came Back

2022 Australian National Folk Festival https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=171130 - initial post - from the thread "Eh? (Mudcat offline for a few days)" - quoting Stilly, 10 Apr 22 - 06:05 PM - The Mudcat database has been restored to March 17, 2022, missing the end of the month and 2 weeks in April. And Max is still looking into how to do a new setup.

We had a thread, alas it disappeared, how many other wise, witty, insightful, newsy, erudite postings are currently unavailable, fingers crossed Max will be able to retrieve them.

& Joe restored it!!!

thanks, Joe

---

Threads combined. -Joe-

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 29 Apr 22 - 09:39 PM

thanks, Joe

the new thread had several post-festival posts, is it possible to add them?

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Apr 22 - 06:27 PM

oops, silly me - the newly restored thread lists all posts (blush)

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Helen
Date: 06 Nov 22 - 12:56 PM

I was thinking about the Oz National FolkFest and the Katie Noonan association, wondering about what might happen next year and found this information.

The caption under her photo is indicative, I think: "Katie Noonan’s vision for the Festival was not everyone’s cup of tea."

The content is very diplomatically expressed, i.e. read between the lines, I think.

Folk Festival and Katie Noonan part ways after one event

9 June 2022 | Ian Bushnell

The National Folk Festival is on the hunt for a new Artistic Director after parting company with Queensland-based Katie Noonan.

Ms Noonan delivered a Festival this year that sparked passionate debate about the direction of the annual Easter event at Exhibition Park.

The Festival announced the news in a statement on its website, with board president Stephen Gallacher thanking Ms Noonan for her contribution.

“Katie and the National Folk Festival have mutually agreed to part ways effective 15 June 2022,” Mr Gallacher said.

“The National Folk Festival is very grateful for the role Katie played in staging the successful return of the Festival this Easter following a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Mr Gallacher said her time in the role included many firsts, including funding partnerships with EventsACT and VisitCBR.

“The NFF acknowledges Katie’s invaluable support in the Festival’s Australia Council and RISE Fund applications, whose combined grants delivered $1.1 million for the support of Katie’s artistic vision in 2022 and ongoing for the Festival in 2023,” he said.

“We wish Katie all the best in her future endeavours.”

Ms Noonan’s departure will be received with mixed emotions.

Ms Noonan’s particular vision for the Festival, which significantly broadened the idea of what ‘folk’ is, and added considerable star power to the event as she drew on her connections in the music industry, also polarised the community.

Mr Gallacher would not be drawn about Ms Noonan’s management style but told Region Media that there was no doubt the event was a success, and the board was very happy with the gate and the financial result which, along with the grant support, put the Festival on a firm footing for 2023.

He acknowledged that this year’s Festival had engendered passionate discussion, but that particular debate was ongoing and welcome if the Festival was going to continue to stay relevant.

“There’s continual discussion about the direction of the Festival,” Mr Gallacher said. “That’s important for us; if we stand still, the world passes us by.”

Mr Gallacher said Ms Noonan brought a compelling vision for the Festival, but it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

“She got to the heart of what she thought the Festival was about and we embraced that,” he said.

Mr Gallacher believed the Festival should not be short on applicants for the Artistic Director role as there was a lot of interest last time.

He expected the new Artistic Director to continue those discussions about the direction of the Festival with the board and the community.

“We’re open to people to come along to say what worked this year, what they didn’t like this year, and what they’d like to see again,” Mr Gallacher said.

He said there were no contractual complications with Ms Noonan’s separation, which was mutually agreeable.

Ms Noonan said she was “fiercely proud of this year’s festival artistically”.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 06 Nov 22 - 04:47 PM

applications for 2023 have closed - https://www.folkfestival.org.au/artists
Board of Directors & staff 21/22 Kate Noonan was the Artistic Director for 2022 festival. 2022 staff = Managing Director, Production Manager, Volunteer Manager, Vendor Manager, Programming manager, Office Manager/Ticketing Administrator - 6 staff

In 2018/19 Annual report Pam Merrigan was Festival & Artistic Director & Business, Production & Operations Managers reported to her.

looks like NFF doesn't yet have a Festival Director, Artistic Director in 2022/23 - I'll ask around.

Subject: RE: 2022 Australian National Folk Festival
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 04:47 AM

Musical chairs have O’Neill back at the folk festival FORMER artistic director Dave O’Neill and former staff member Jo Creswell have taken control as co-artistic directors for the next National Folk Festival, which runs run over the Easter long weekend in 2023.

O’Neill is a virtuoso guitarist and fiddler who has been a professional musician and teacher for more than 35 years and who works as a music teacher out of his riverside studio in Queanbeyan. He has played with many Australian artists including Jimmy Barnes, Eric Bogle, The Bushwackers, Fred Smith and Enda Kenny, and has toured and recorded overseas with artists in America and Europe.

Cresswell directs the Celtic Arts Agency, walking/music/singing trips in France and directs the Charlotte Pass Celtic Music Camp with Dave O’Neill, also co-hosting residential singing events. She worked with the Folk Festival office in the early days of its establishment in various artistic roles.

There are been many movements at the station this year, with the sotto voce departure, shortly after the Easter festival, of previous artistic director Katie Noonan and after that of managing director, Lynne O’Brien, who remains on the board of directors, but the festival has been notably quiet about its plans.

The previous chair of the festival board, Stephen Gallagher, moved to NZ and has been replaced with long-standing festival volunteer and stalwart of the folk community David Gilks.

They are now working on the program, which should be finalised in the next week, with a small team of staff, including current managing director Suzanne Hannema, who joined the organisation two months ago.

In July 2021 the festival had received $900,000 from the federal government’s “Rise“ funding, set up for organisations severely impacted by covid, to be used over two festivals, meaning that half of this is still to be expended, but one festival insider said this was only a fraction of what would be needed to deliver the event.

The festival was not among the 29 Canberra arts and cultural organisations and arts centres recently funded through the new ACT Arts Organisation Investment Program.

2023 National Folk Festival, April 6-10.