The Apostle String Band

The Apostle String Band Tour: Paddy, Paul, James & Andrew offer a short history of the western world of music. They are champions of their musical instruments and perform seamlessly, reflecting their 30 years of association in harmony and song. Paul Wookey—renown for his incredible Blues to early Country delivery including many 60s & 70s classics; plus 3 time Guitar Bluegrass Champ Andrew Clermont’s fiery Fiddle, Mandolins & Guitar. James Gillard—Double Bass & tenor not only a member of the Oz Bluegrass All Stars in the 90s but also soaked in The Fargone Beauties, Mondo Rock & Richard Clapton. Then infiltrate them with Paddy Montgomery—Timber & Steel/ Buffalo Nickel/ Jeri Foreman /2014 Youth Bluegrass Scholarship Winner/ Mustered Courage/ The Cretan Band.

Blue Limit

With a strong passion for bluegrass music, Blue Limit are a dynamic trio who together, combine amazing picking and strong harmonies to capture a true traditional mountain sound. Grounded in varied and vast experience and years of performing, Blue Limit evolved through the bands shared love of the bluegrass genre and endless hours of playing, singing and performing together at festivals. Based in Melbourne, Blue Limit includes: Heath Joyce (mandolin/banjo/vocals)— lifelong musician and singer, music teacher, bluegrass aficionado and extraordinary multi-instrumentalist; Tom Wales (guitar/vocals)—avid bluegrass fanatic and sensational flat-picking guitarist; and Andy Calwell (double bass/vocals)—bluegrass obsessive, banjo nerd and harmony queen.The band performs a tight arrangement of their own unique blend of vocal chemistry and hot instrumentals, promising classic songs, exciting fast picking and unexpected musical magic.

Crooked Road

A bluegrass-oriented band based in Adelaide, Crooked Road play harmony-driven originals and a few pieces by our favourite musicians. Bluegrass, folk, country, gospel—our influences all come out in their music. In their long history with bluegrass in Australia and New Zealand, Crooked Road’s members have individually toured and recorded many albums. Songs about trains, whisky, death, relativity, love, despair, roadkill, rain and lost car keys. Over time, and with different bands the members of Crooked Road have made 13 albums, many TV and radio shows and several national and international tours. Crooked Road are: Phill Parker—guitar and vocals, Andrew Hook—vocals, mandolin and guitar, Dave Taylor— vocals, double bass and guitar, Leonard Cohen— vocals and dobro.

Bluegrass Junction

Adelaide-based Bluegrass Junction comprises musicians who share a lifetime’s passion for straight old-fashioned three-chord bluegrass music – great instrumental skills and strong harmonies driven by the power of a bass fiddle. The band comprises Trevor Warner, Nick Cawthorne and the Bridgland brothers, Geoff and John, with power-bassist Stephen Loss. Trevor is a Hall of Fame inductee and three times Australian bluegrass banjo champion, and now he fronts the band as a superb bluegrass fiddler. Nick, one of South Australia’s best bluegrass guitarists, drives the rhythm on a vintage Degruchy guitar, complemented by Geoff on banjo and John on mandolin. It’s all held tightly together by Stephen on bass fiddle. Trevor and Nick share lead vocals, providing a refreshing variety of songs, and John adds tenor harmony to get that ‘high, lonesome sound’ that characterises traditional bluegrass. Bluegrass Junction was formed in 1997. However, the band’s roots go back decades earlier. All band members have played bluegrass in various Adelaide bluegrass band configurations for more than 30 years.

The Sherrahs

A brother and sister and a brother and sister, one from New Zealand and one from Country Victoria, meet in Tamworth in the late 1980’s. They get married and form one of Australia’s strongest harmony based Country Music bands; sounds far fetched? But the end result, which is far from a whimsical story, has meant audiences in Australia have over the best part of two decades enjoyed the vocal and musical gifts of this talented four-piece group. Their current sound is a culmination of many styles that they have undertaken in the past, which could be best described as “Family Vintage Harmonies Imbedded in Strong Country Tunes”. The Sherrahs note that some of their songs have a strong story to tell. Others really do concentrate on the vocal sounds that hark back to the Carter family, Alabama and Country Gospel groups such as the Cox Family. Whilst the core of this group is a vocal treat, the musical interpretation is ably lead by one of Australia’s well known country guitar pickers, ‘Anthony Stewart’. The arrangements are warm and highlight both the vocal nuances and lyrical content.

OpenHouse

OpenHouse is the collaboration of two Adelaide bands. Blending the continental ambient swing of Duo Montagne and the hillbilly blues of The Reverend & Mrs Rowdy, OpenHouse creates a multifaceted distinctive sound all its own, rich with voices in harmony. Think Hank Williams meets Edith Piaf – over a glass of wine by the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Expect songs in languages you recognise but may not speak, in styles you may love but not hear often enough. From warm homespun folk to cafe cool jazz, country to retro,  twang to chic. OpenHouse reflects our idea that in life, as in music, we open our doors and our hearts to what is possible. Our House is Open – come in and enjoy! OpenHouse are: Gillian Hunter, voice, percussion; Trisha Drioli, double bass, voice; David Corkill, acoustic guitar, harmonica, tin whistle, voice; Jem Phillips, electric guitar, voice.

Cat & Clint

Cat & Clint are an Old Time Duo featuring sweet vocal harmonies, five-string banjo, fiddle, banjo ukulele and mountain dulcimer. They are inspired and driven by Traditional Appalachian Mountain Music and the passing down of fiddle tunes and ballads through generations of players from Australia and the USA. Whether it’s a murder ballad, a song of longing and heartbreak, a crooked fiddle tune or a rollicking banjo song, Cat and Clint endeavor to present this music with the authenticity and respect that it demands. The duo mix up their repertoire with Clints original songs and a good dose of vintage country blues.

Buckley’s Chance

Buckley’s Chance are a talented and vibrant group of local Adelaide musicians who play a cross section of Irish/Australian Folk music and take great pride in having fun! Their line up is: John McGrath, guitar and vocals; Timmy Rose, accordian and vocals; Bernie Golab , violin, mandolin and vocals;  and Tim Hegarty, vocals and bodhran.

Jody and Innes

Jody and Innes are a new bluegrass and Americana duo from Brisbane. Innes Campbell (guitar, mandolin, banjo) has an impressive bluegrass pedigree, with one National Bluegrass Guitar Championship (Tamworth), session work, and countless bands as well as solo. With Jody Bell (mandolin, vocals) they have recorded their debut CD. If you’re lucky they might just write their names on one for you!

Saltwater Taffy

Front porch songs in the tradition Americana, the music that migrated from the British Isles up into the mountains of Appalachia and came back down again. A salty sweet tang of four part harmony with more than a touch of Old-Timey string band. Saltwater Taffy takes you on a melodic ride across the salty seas to the hills and cotton fields, from civil wars to lost loves. Travel with the Taffies way down that Old Plank Road, along the New Railroad by the Miller’s Pond and up though the North Country with a whisper of old time gospel along the way. Adelaide band, Saltwater Taffy, is Adrienne, Kim, Nikkie and Bron.

Paul Reynolds

Paul is a purveyor of crusty rags and hokum. He plays and sings the finest in country blues, ragtime, jug band, jazz, and string band music of the 1920’s and 1930’s and occasionally more contemporary music.

He has two degrees in be-bop, a PHD in swing
He’s the master of rhythm, he’s the hokum king
If you like country with a boogie beat, he’s the man to meet
If you like the sound of shufflin’ feet, he can’t be beat
If you wanna feel real nice, just ask old Paul for some advice.

The Rev and Mrs Rowdy’s Hoot

Since their performances at Wirrina 2017, The Rowdies have continued to delight audiences in SA and on the road in the Northern Territory. This festival they come to us fresh from the stages of the Fleurieu Folk Festival. Joined this year by local bluegrass royalty Leonard Cohen on dobro, this mob of charlatan evangelists will also be joined by other Wirrina Festival musicians—in Hoot format! You never know who the cat may drag in… come check it out.