A few years ago, a group was formed for the State Folk Festival in Goolwa, South Oz. We gave it an ethnic sounding name to hitch a ride on the ethnic bandwagon (OBWAPOUVE Ordinary blokes with a positive outlook unaccompanied vocal ensemble). We lived hundreds of miles apart so were unable to practice and we worked out the repertoire by fax (pre computers) agreeing who would lead with the others finding harmonies in the folk style. Whilst this is commonplace in the UK folk scene, it is almost unheard of in Oz. Our second concert was in a room with bathroom acoustics so the sound man, on asking where to put the microphones, was told, anywhere but the stage. This was a shock to the audience, who then had to listen, a new concept. Long may the unaccompanied multi voice singing survive in the rustic form as well as the crafted harmony.
Bill