I've decided to drive down to Maldon Folk festival with a friend this year (from Brisbane) and was wondering if anyone has suggestions on which way to go... or things to see/do on the way down.
I have given myself about 4-5 days to get down there and around the same for the return trip.
Plus... there may be room in the car for an extra person if they wish to go.
Nooo, javes!! Maldon is looking better and better and I can't go because of stupid exams!! :P Well you had all better crank it up, which i'm sure you will!
Kit... Will crank it up for defs! Shame you can't be there... but there is always another festival. I'm probably gonna be in Melbs for a weekend in December as well... so hopefully I might get a sesh in then too!
Oh... i forgot to mention... i'm also attending the Dorrigo folk and Bluegrass festival as well (It's the weekend before)... and will probably drive down from there.
Davyyd if you pass through Canberra (or "bloody Canberra", for
you Queenslanders) there are trad sessions at King O'Malleys on
Tues from 7.00pm - and Sun from 5.00 - . I seldom go to the Tues one.
There's also Goulburn the following weekend- I can't promise it'll be a great fest but there are gunna be a few heads there... Just something to consider, hopefully see ye for satdee night at Maldon.
Actually, I shouldn't say it like that- I'm looking forward to doing the gigs, but it's a busy time of year at work for me and it's a very long drive! And I heard that not many Sydney people can make it this year so I'm a bit disappointed., there is a great fiddle player from Derry going to be there who's in Melb at the mo so hopefully we'll get a few tunes with him.
Unfortunately i can't stay dwon for Goulburn as i've got to get back up to Queensland for work/music/dance commitments. Damn!
I will be at Woodford tho (not always the best for sessions... but i like the festival.) Hopefully some of you Southerners/Westerners can make it up for that.
bb, the fiddle player is JP Sweeney. He spent the first few months over here with us in Perth. Yeah we actually got something first for once! You should enjoy having a few tunes with him.
Doubt it Donough - no one ever comes to Sydney anymore - apparently it is very 1990's - everyone always stops in melbourne and stays there. It isnt fair. Oh well
Yeah I think you missed out on Cathal Clohessy as well. He has ended up in Melbourne as well. In fact JP and Cathal were in Lomond for a session last night with Dougal (not sure what he was doing over there). Ain't the internet a great thing for word getting around!!
I guess it doesn't help Sydney's cause when someone like Kevin Burke plays at the Harp Hotel at Tempe, and something like 30 people turn up, as happened last year.
Kevin said he found it "embarrassing", understandably. There was apparently a bit of a mix up between the Harp and The Basement in the arrangements so that might have been a factor.
I guess that sort of news could easily go around the professional circuit and have a bearing on players' decision to come to Sydney or not.
Didnt Kevin do it on the sunday night of the National folk fest? We everyone was in canberra? Not great time to be doing a gig I dont think.
Also - I hardly think that should factor in the decisions of session players - people who arent doing gigs in sydney. But the fact is there are loads of young people playing tunes in melbs and they have a great tunes scene and great parties all the time.
Melb definitely sounds like it has a much better scene, for a long time now.
Not a great time to do an Irish music gig prior to the National, but I guess he wasn't to know that the audience might be small for that reason, or at least that his agent didn't know. I think he was in Melbourne either prior or after as well, and I think the numbers at his gigs there were pretty good.
The Kevin Burke experience in Sydney mightn't factor in the decisions of session players, I guess unless there is a general view over time from collective experiences of visitors that the scene in Sydney isn't that strong. If that happens, then I guess people planning visits to Oz, session and / or gigging players may just by-pass it.
I mean the Thurles Castle sessions got a hell of a reputation, even overseas, if I recall correctly.
Planning a drive in Oz...
Planning a drive in Oz...
I've decided to drive down to Maldon Folk festival with a friend this year (from Brisbane) and was wondering if anyone has suggestions on which way to go... or things to see/do on the way down.
I have given myself about 4-5 days to get down there and around the same for the return trip.
Plus... there may be room in the car for an extra person if they wish to go.
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by davydd
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Nooo, javes!! Maldon is looking better and better and I can't go because of stupid exams!! :P Well you had all better crank it up, which i'm sure you will!
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by kjay_bc_box
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Kit... Will crank it up for defs! Shame you can't be there... but there is always another festival.
I'm probably gonna be in Melbs for a weekend in December as well... so hopefully I might get a sesh in then too!
Oh... i forgot to mention... i'm also attending the Dorrigo folk and Bluegrass festival as well (It's the weekend before)... and will probably drive down from there.
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by davydd
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Davyyd if you pass through Canberra (or "bloody Canberra", for
you Queenslanders) there are trad sessions at King O'Malleys on
Tues from 7.00pm - and Sun from 5.00 - . I seldom go to the Tues one.
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by Hup
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Say hello to the Sommer's family for me when you get to Dorrigo
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by mcknowall
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
... or you could take a short cut across the Simpson Desert and come the long way round ... have you got a 4-w-d? Kidding! Have a great trip ... sigh
# Posted on October 13th 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
There's also Goulburn the following weekend- I can't promise it'll be a great fest but there are gunna be a few heads there... Just something to consider, hopefully see ye for satdee night at Maldon.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by sneetch
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
are you going to golburn sneetch?
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by bb
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Heads?! People gotta stop smokin' that really strong sh t, man! (Says with a real raspy voice.)
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by Duijera Dubh
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Yeah I got cornered into doing gigs but getting up late on friday and leaving first thing sunday.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by sneetch
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Actually, I shouldn't say it like that- I'm looking forward to doing the gigs, but it's a busy time of year at work for me and it's a very long drive! And I heard that not many Sydney people can make it this year so I'm a bit disappointed., there is a great fiddle player from Derry going to be there who's in Melb at the mo so hopefully we'll get a few tunes with him.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by sneetch
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Who is the fiddle player?
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by bb
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Unfortunately i can't stay dwon for Goulburn as i've got to get back up to Queensland for work/music/dance commitments. Damn!
I will be at Woodford tho (not always the best for sessions... but i like the festival.) Hopefully some of you Southerners/Westerners can make it up for that.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by davydd
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
dwon? I mean down!
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by davydd
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
bb, the fiddle player is JP Sweeney. He spent the first few months over here with us in Perth. Yeah we actually got something first for once! You should enjoy having a few tunes with him.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by Donough
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Doubt it Donough - no one ever comes to Sydney anymore - apparently it is very 1990's - everyone always stops in melbourne and stays there. It isnt fair. Oh well
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by bb
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Yeah I think you missed out on Cathal Clohessy as well. He has ended up in Melbourne as well. In fact JP and Cathal were in Lomond for a session last night with Dougal (not sure what he was doing over there). Ain't the internet a great thing for word getting around!!
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by Donough
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
I guess it doesn't help Sydney's cause when someone like Kevin Burke plays at the Harp Hotel at Tempe, and something like 30 people turn up, as happened last year.
Kevin said he found it "embarrassing", understandably. There was apparently a bit of a mix up between the Harp and The Basement in the arrangements so that might have been a factor.
I guess that sort of news could easily go around the professional circuit and have a bearing on players' decision to come to Sydney or not.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by Duijera Dubh
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Didnt Kevin do it on the sunday night of the National folk fest? We everyone was in canberra? Not great time to be doing a gig I dont think.
Also - I hardly think that should factor in the decisions of session players - people who arent doing gigs in sydney. But the fact is there are loads of young people playing tunes in melbs and they have a great tunes scene and great parties all the time.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by bb
Re: Planning a drive in Oz...
Melb definitely sounds like it has a much better scene, for a long time now.
Not a great time to do an Irish music gig prior to the National, but I guess he wasn't to know that the audience might be small for that reason, or at least that his agent didn't know. I think he was in Melbourne either prior or after as well, and I think the numbers at his gigs there were pretty good.
The Kevin Burke experience in Sydney mightn't factor in the decisions of session players, I guess unless there is a general view over time from collective experiences of visitors that the scene in Sydney isn't that strong. If that happens, then I guess people planning visits to Oz, session and / or gigging players may just by-pass it.
I mean the Thurles Castle sessions got a hell of a reputation, even overseas, if I recall correctly.
# Posted on October 14th 2008 by Duijera Dubh