The Eighteenth BLUE MOUNTAINS MUSIC FESTIVAL, FOLK, ROOTS AND BLUES brings an extraordinary line-up of talent in 2013. Taking place in the picturesque surrounds of Katoomba, the festival runs over three jam-packed days of music on 15-17 March.
Headlining the weekend is Australia’s unique and internationally acclaimed GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU. This powerfully emotive, ARIA Award winning, Aboriginal singer-songwriter from Elcho Island in the far north has swept away commercial music conventions and established himself as a force and an inspiration in Australian music.
Sharing the top of the bill is the counter culture icon ARLO GUTHRIE. The son of America’s much beloved Woody Guthrie, Arlo grew up surrounded by the cream of the folk movement, including Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Leadbelly.
Irish folk-rock singer LUKA BLOOM joins the Blue Mountains Music Festival in 2013. No stranger to Australia, the much-loved troubadour is a master of the concert stage. His gifted electro-acoustic guitar playing guarantees an impassioned live performance of his original, poetic and melodic songs.
2012 ARIA Award winner for Best World Music Album, Joseph Tawadros brings the enchanting oud to this year’s festival with the JOSEPH TAWADROS TRIO. Born in Cairo, Joseph brings his Egyptian heritage and accomplished multi-instrumentalism to the Blue Mountains.
Canada’s one-woman orchestra ZOË KEATING brings her unique show to Australia for this year’s festival. Zoë uses a loop pedal to record layer upon layer of cello, creating intricate, haunting and compelling music. The cello has emerged as a recurring theme for the 2013 festivities, overshadowing the banjos and fiddles this year.
Another cellist gracing our stage in 2013 is NATALIE HAAS who will create Celtic magic with Scottish virtuoso ALASDAIR FRASER, acclaimed in the San Francisco Examiner as “the Michael Jordan of the Scottish fiddle”.
Look out for rising Australian performers like Sydney’s NGAIIRE, LIZ STRINGER, KIM CHURCHILL, NICK AND LIESL and THE APRIL MAZE who will be wielding one of this year’s cellos. If you haven’t yet experienced the PERCH CREEK FAMILY JUGBAND it’s time you saw these ‘goodtime music’ loving siblings give Jim Kweskin a run for his money.
Blue Mountains Music Festival of Folk, Roots and Blues Lineup
ARLO GUTHRIE (USA)
GURRUMUL
LUKA BLOOM (IRE)
ZOE KEATING (CAN)
CHRIS SMITHER (USA)
LONDON KLEZMER QUARTET (UK)
SETH LAKEMAN (UK)
SARAH LEE GUTHRIE AND JOHNNY IRION (USA)
JOSEPH TAWADROS TRIO
ALASDAIR FRASER & NATALIE HAAS (UK)
NGAIIRE
SPOOKY MENS CHORALE
RED MOLLY (USA)
KIERAN KANE, DAVID FRANCEY & LUCAS KANE (US/CAN)
SEAN TAYLOR (UK)
THE POPES (IRE)
THE VOLATINSKY TRIO
LIZ STRINGER
KIM CHURCHILL
SUE RAY
THE APRIL MAZE
FIONA BOYES
MIKE McCLELLAN
PERCH CREEK FAMILY JUG BAND
JACK CARTY
NICK AND LIESL
A.J. LEONARD’S TROPICAL LOUNGE
BELLYACHE BEN AND THE STEAMGRASS BOYS
THE FIELD
GABE ANDREWS
IMOGEN CLARK
LAURA ZARB
THE THREE SISTERS
And more TBA
Earlybird tickets go on sale on November 1st.
For full ticket information (at last year’s prices) visit http://www.bmff.org.au/tickets.cfm
