Article by Ros Jason
Photography by Mark Moray, Wicked Rock Photography
With such a spectacular variety of acts to check out and stimulating workshops to explore, MALDON FOLK FESTIVAL 2019 was a fabulous experience of FOMO..and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Standout moment for me was the poignant and deftly crafted theatrical performance that is VOYAGE presented by local ensemble THE GOOD GIRL PROJECT which illuminates the journey of the first free women who emigrated to Australia in the 1830s. With delicately lilting songs written by talented Helen Begley to the delightful musical accompaniment of flute, squeezebox and guitar, period costumes and engaging dialogue it was an incredibly engrossing and enlightening experience, sharing the not often heard stories of these women.
The setting for this piece was the stately ANGLICAN CHURCH built in the 1850s with stunning stained glass windows, an intricately crafted ceiling and touching remembrance plaques reaching back generations.
The following day I returned to the same venue for the second equally enjoyable instalment of this piece entitled SETTLEMENT which follows the stories of several women after their arrival in Australia, inspired by their personal letters and diaries.
Photography by Mark Moray, Wicked Rock Photography
I popped into a number of FESTIVAL workshops including songwriting, Irish fiddle, harp playing, singing for health and mandolin technique led by JACKSON CUNNINGHAM of the SOUTH CAROLINA BROADCASTERS who guided the participants in correct hand placement and how to achieve the optimal sound.
BUSH DANCES and CHOIR collaborations are open to everyone and there were MORRIS DANCING street performances, excellent BUSKERS and a Primary School MARKET held on the Saturday morning.
MARCIA HOWARD’S workshop covered a number of her poignant original songs about indigenous country and the environment, including her stunning new track, ‘SAVE THE RIVERS ..brothers and sisters. Are you listening? Do you hear her cry? ..if we don’t, our country dies.’
Later that day the delightfully warm MARCIA invited her workshop participants to join her and son LIAM as back up vocals during their set. Much loved member of iconic Australian band GOANNA, HOWARD’S golden voice and moving lyrics are an inspiration and it was incredibly special to sing with her, an experience I will cherish.
Eleven-year-old ALLEGRA DUNNING’S verve and sparkle was immediately engaging. At this tender age she is already a gifted songwriter, her lyrics and vocal agility beyond her years. DUNNING accompanies her bright angelic vocals on guitar, confidently introducing each piece having won the 2019 MINSTREL AWARD for songwriting. I had a little chat with her after her gig and the delightful ALLEGRA tells me that she’s been singing and writing songs since she was little but only playing guitar for a year and a half, and would love to be a musician when she grows up.
Watch this space. I can only imagine what lies ahead for this spectacular young talent.
DEB MORROW returned to the stage at this year‘s MALDON FOLK FESTIVAL after an absence of seventeen years, openly embracing the enormity of this. A proud Weilan/Ngympaa woman, her original lyrics tell her stories with great emotion, having recently discovered that she is one of the stolen generation. A tender mix of fragility and powerful indignation, MORROW reaches out to her audience in a passionate voice, drawing them in with her stark honesty and comic references. Her heartfelt track ‘DESTINY’ tells of her discovery of an unknown sister, the searing pain of dislocation evident. ‘Who is this girl I see? The very image of me. Maybe she can guide me through my Dreaming, take me back where I belong.’ MORROW’S raw courage and fire touched me, and on closing night at the MALDON HOTEL her intimate audience gave DEB a well-deserved standing ovation.
MALDON FOLK FESTIVAL holds moments of gently undulating harmonious joy such as Ireland’s engaging duo the SWEET SORROWS and the UK’S entertaining SKINNER AND TWITCH who charmed their audiences with captivating melodies.
And then there’s CLAYMORE.
This foot-stomping feel good cluster of much-loved multi-instrumentalists raised the rafters every time they appeared. Long haired charismatic singer WILLIAM HUTTON leads us through CLAYMORE’S catalogue which includes traditional Scottish and Irish numbers and original New Age Celtic Folk tunes. Their sensational original track ‘FIRST TIME’ grabbed my attention and held it tight as I entered the COMMUNITY CENTRE, particularly HUTTON’S powerful vocals accompanying the chorus.
During their bagpipe numbers, CLAYMORE were joined on stage by the GLENBRAE CELTIC DANCERS whose skilled and perfectly executed performance added even more excitement and texture to their exhilarating sets.
The highly enjoyable romp and stompin’ RICH DAVIES and the LOW ROAD traverses a number of genres within the one cluster of songs. One moment there are echoes of Chris Isaak and then the next there’s a Springsteen overtone and then you’re in Loch Lomond with the Scotsman in full drawl about to do a Highland fling. DAVIES’ fabulous original song ‘DIRT UNDER MY NAILS’ is so catchy and full of passion it is ringing in my head and I can’t stop singing it, especially as DAVIES urged us to join in the chorus.
To say that this act is raucous and energy fuelled is an understatement. DAVIES leaps off the stage and if you’re up the front it feels as though he’s going to crowd surf on top of you! In fact, he dashed down into the audience to have a sing and passed me his guitar to hold. Suddenly I’m a roadie. A highly interactive festival is Maldon.
RICH DAVIES and the LOW ROAD also presented an outstanding acoustic set at the
ANGLICAN CHURCH featuring harmonies and ballads, a chance to ‘peel back the skin of
rock ‘n’ roll to expose bones of folk and roots.’
DAVIES jumped up on stage joined by a few festival mates during CLAYMORE’S last gig for
a rousing rendition of AC/DC’s HIGH VOLTAGE ROCK AND ROLL.
Oh blimey that was a moment. Talk about going off..fantastic.
I had a chat with lots of artists, festival-goers and locals and everyone was so warm and friendly, including the volunteers who are available to assist.
Festivals are hungry making and we enjoyed a few delicious meals from the Thai pop-up stall at the Community Centre including grilled lemongrass chicken on rice. Also of note was the spectacular beef and Guinness pie and wood-fired pizza at the MALDON HOTEL on the last afternoon, accompanied by hail and rain storms outside; a delicious cosy meal to farewell the festival.
Festival highlight GINA JEFFREYS graced the stage as well as a number of workshops and was a standout on every occasion. Her original songs were endearingly personal from the piece about her teenage son’s coming of age to her touching song of loss after the passing of her baby entitled ‘BEAUTIFUL TANGLE’. JEFFREYS held the audience in the palm of her hand throughout, ably accompanied by her band including talented husband ROD McCORMACK, leading musician and recording artist. JEFFREYS warmly shares the inspiration for her tunes and tells of her parents meeting at a dance when they were teenagers, Dad announcing that he would ‘marry that girl’. This song honours their love, still dancing in the kitchen so many years later and it touched me as my darling parents used to do the very same.
Australian BLUES icon LLOYD SPIEGEL absolutely wowed his audiences, by far the most raucous response I witnessed all festival. SPIEGEL’S cheeky on-stage banter accompanied his original songs with smashing lyrics such as ‘AT NIGHT ALL THE CATS ARE GREY’. SPIEGEL is the full package; gifted guitarist is an understatement, spectacular songwriter and let’s talk about those powerhouse vocals for a moment. Even when he speaks, I hang on every word. The timbre of SPIEGEL’S rich lightly sandpapered tones captivates, effortlessly traversing the notes at full throttle.
Legendary BLUES artist NICK CHARLES also graced the stages as well as PLAY IT MARTHA, MARIA FORDE, NEIL MURRAY, NIGEL WEARNE, SCOTT COOK AND THE SHE’LL BE RIGHTS, INDIGO, one spectacular set after another.
Eighteen year old HANNAH SCHMIDLI won last year’s MINSTREL AWARD for songwriting and came back this year with an impressive set that absolutely blew my socks off. Her bright agile vocal quality was mesmerizing combined with her refreshingly engaging stage presence. Ably supported by her band THE SOMEONES including proud dad on drums, she held her audience with her original songs and sweet anecdotes.
There are many shopping opportunities in the gorgeous HISTORIC TOWNSHIP of MALDON. The main street is peppered with pretty boutiques, coffee shops, windows filled with collectables and antiques, homewares, art galleries, op shops, garden supplies and more.
The weather wasn’t our friend for part of the weekend but I managed to see as much of MALDON as possible given that there were so many venues utilized for the festival itself including the VINTAGE MACHINERY MUSEUM. Located a short distance from the main strip this collection of machinery, farming equipment etc. is quite extraordinary to see. I had a squiz at the exhibits whilst enjoying the talent that is PHIL MANNING. Solo with his exquisite COLE CLARK guitar, his wonderful instrumentals merged seamlessly with Blind Arthur Blake’s DIDDY WAH DIDDY which MANNING dedicated to the late DUTCH TILDERS.
The KANGAROO HOTEL dating from 1856 hosts a well attended all festival weekend space for informal musical collaboration. There are open mic and chalkboard sessions at this pub and the MALDON HOTEL so you never know who will pop up. The festival’s philosophy is to give everybody a chance where possible, how fantastic is that?
MALDON is known as the FIRST NOTABLE TOWN classified by the National Trust in 1966 and in extraordinarily original condition. Gold was discovered nearby in 1853 and the township site was surveyed in 1854 and named MALDON, at that time population peaking at around 30,000.
The MALDON VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE holds a wide variety of catalogues and pamphlets with information about the local attractions which include a HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR of the township which takes in the main highlights including the HOSPITAL, COTTAGES, POST OFFICE etc. There are various CHURCHES of note as well as the PRIMARY SCHOOL and the MUSEUM housed in the original MARKET HALL dating from 1859.
A short distance from the township one can visit several tourist GOLD MINING SITES as well as MOUNT TARRONGOWER.
The local COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY held an interesting display of acoustic instruments and their makers over the festival weekend, including ukuleles, ocarinas, flutes and mandolin.
The WICKED TEMPTATION CAFE hosted poetry sessions and various artists throughout the weekend. It is housed in what was the ROYAL HOTEL dating from the 1860s and next door is the original THEATRE, now a retail outlet. As it was raining the cafe courtyard was not available so a number of us huddled inside and it was magic as the charming SEAN KENAN and GEOFF McARTHUR entertained us with delightful fiddle mandolin guitar and banjo numbers including Irish horn pipes, reels and jigs.
On the last afternoon as the weather closed in, remaining guests hung out together at the cozy MALDON HOTEL, and it was a smasher.
Several fabulous acts were up including The SOUTH CAROLINA BROADCASTERS from the USA with vocalist banjo and fiddle player all gathered around a vintage retro microphone. Their foot-tapping old time BLUEGRASS tunes with tremulous harmonies are reminiscent of the soundtrack of the movie ‘OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?’ and the crowd couldn’t get enough of them. The BROADCASTERS introduced the track ‘SALLY ANNE’ explaining that it’s often played after a barn raising when there is a communal get together. IVY SHEPHERD shared with us the kindness of a local audience member who invited her over to his home to choose some 78 RPM records. ‘He gave me a stack of SLIM DUSTY records and I’m so grateful. I am going to take them home and play them on my radio show.’
Such is the camaraderie, the dynamic interaction at this wonderful festival. In fact, the immense warmth is something that struck me early on about MALDON. There is such a strong connection between the audience and the artists, with much easygoing banter and plenty of singalongs.
We bid MALDON farewell after a ripper weekend having enjoyed so many special connections, knowing we‘ll be back next year for more.
