King’s Birthday Weekend
June 9-12 2023
Portarlington Victoria.
Review by Ros Jason
Photography by Mark Moray, Wicked Rock Photography
Opening night got off to a warm start with festival attendees assembling for the ritualistic lighting of the hearth fire.For the WELCOME TO COUNTRY, fire was taken from the festival hearth for the SMOKING CEREMONY thereby marking our place of gathering on WADAWURRUNG country.
Ireland’s famed Dublin-born bouzouki player and vocalist DAOIRI FARRELL charmed his audience with his witty repartee and delightful storytelling.The melodic ballad ‘Via Extasia’ sung unaccompanied, was dedicated to his wife whom he declared ..’I love so much.’THE GO SET got the crowd up and dancing with bagpipes and mandolin creating a house party feel. Their original song about getting older was a more sober note in an energy fueled set with a distinctly Aussie flavor including a few yarns, an edgy protest song feel and a twist of rock thrown in for good measure.Ireland’s multi award winning SORCHA COSTELLO on fiddle, CONOR CONNOLLY on accordion and PADRAIG O DUBHGHAILL on guitar kept their audience entranced throughout their set featuring a captivating piece with lilting vocal solo titled ‘Banks of the Nile’.
Being our first time at this grand festival, I hadn’t realised that the campus is situated close to the FORESHORE on a slight hill with glorious views.The MARKETPLACE, FOOD TRUCKS and outdoor activities are FREE for the general public to enjoy though one requires a ticketed WRISTBAND for entry to the indoor gigs.The artists performed within the main campus in marquees and dotted around Portarlington in the Public Hall, Churches, the Senior Citizen’s Club, Primary School and the Grand Hotel.
Portarlington’s SHOPS, BAKERIES and CAFES were bustling with families pushing strollers, smiling dog walkers and folks of all ages enjoying the winter sunshine. BUSKERS in the street and pipe and marching bands created a lively festive atmosphere in this charming town, famous for its mussels.
The Celtic culture is proudly and vibrantly represented at this festival with many unique events including the HEAVY GAMES, featuring the South Pacific Highland Games Championships, ‘..international and local heavy athletes, some of the strongest in the world…featuring the traditional highland events of heavy stone throw, the sheaf toss and …Caber Toss’.It was such an exhilarating experience to observe the heavy games and I was especially thrilled to see women competing in the ‘Weight Over the Bar’ event, competitors proudly wearing their kilt with the crowd cheering on.
CELTIC MARTIAL ARTS demonstrations featured competitors participating in tournaments, displaying their sword skills and more.There is a Festival MARKETPLACE filled with lots of opportunities to browse whilst enjoying the festival including; jewelry, woollen beanies and clothing, a Church fundraising stall with lovingly knitted items, Celtic motif souvenirs, incense and wind chimes, essential oils and herbal teas, handmade soap and more.I came home with some super cozy leggings for winter and delicious BECK’S HONEY in butterscotch, leatherwood and stringy bark flavors. I’ve never seen so many different honeys to sample; a sweet souvenir of the festival experience.
The FOOD OPTIONS included gozleme, jerk chicken, Vietnamese bao, kebabs and falafel, homemade dumplings, baked potatoes with various toppings, Indian, donuts, twisted potatoes, toasties and more.I was lucky to try a tasty homemade CORNISH PASTY and I even tasted HAGGIS for the first time.Well that’s what you do when you’re at a Celtic festival isn’t it? For the curious, it had a spicy, oaty, offal taste and creamy texture.We sampled The Celtic Baker’s DUNDEE CAKE, a butter cake with sultanas and also BLACK SCOTTISH BUN CAKE which is made with flakey pastry and dried fruit soaked in whisky and black pepper, traditionally eaten at New Year’s eve or HOGMANAY. Yummy with a cup of tea.
I was thrilled to revisit ‘VOYAGE’, a ‘new Australian musical’ by the GOOD GIRL SONG PROJECT.This exceptional production follows the story of two women who travel to Australia from England in 1833. This wonderful piece illuminates their journey on board the ship and beyond, with evocative props and haunting original music and lyrics, exceptional acting performances and accompaniment on fiddle, whistle and guitar.
I have been mesmerized by the HARP since I was a little girl watching the Marx brothers movies with my parents in black-and-white. The moment Harpo appeared with his harp the slapstick atmosphere would fade..and I would be captivated, listening to the heavenly sounds, drawn to the intense expression on Harpo’s face as he played.For me this was just magical, and this treasured memory was evoked with MICHELLE DOYLE, Scotland’s superb instrumentalist RACHEL HAIR on clarsach (harp),the oldest Scottish instrument, and the sublime vocals of internationally acclaimed Welsh born SIOBHAN OWEN on harp.
FIONA ROSS ran a SCOT’S SONG WORKSHOP featuring the songs of ROBERT BURNS including ‘Tail Toddle’ and ‘Rattlin Roarin Willie’.It was refreshing to attempt to capture the guttural sounds and intonations of these very old songs, having been written during his lifetime in the 1700’s.
Opportunities to attend WORKSHOPS were in abundanceincluding;song writing, percussive finger style guitar, old-time tunes, harp, fiddle or Scottish fiddle, drumming, poetry, ceili and set dancing, Scottish dance and more.
I shared a special moment with three BUSKERS as I happened to pass by.They were singing ‘A Parting Glass’, a song that I have learned at choir and it was joyful to join in their bright harmonies on the spur of the moment in the middle of the street. This is the immediate connection you share when raising voice together.
I was immediately drawn to the fresh bright fun gang, MAST GULLY FELLERS whose ‘Australiana Bar-Room Folk’ sound ..meanders through alt-country, blues, bush ballads and Celtic punk.’This seven person all male ensemble on double bass, banjo slide and fiddle covered catchy original tracks including ‘Lose Track of Time’ which was written for the Creswick Festival referencing the relaxing getting into the festival mood feel and ‘Three Weeks’, about the cracks that appear in the relationships of fly in fly out workers.
THE BIG SING featuring CLADDAGH and guests created such a warm space for festivalgoers, many of whom have been attending this festival for years, with everyone singing along, up on the dance floor and having the most wonderful time.
There are YOUTH focused activities including a variety of WORKSHOPS hosted by different artists, Scottish songs for children and a little leprechauns workshop.DANCE has a major presence with dazzling presentations by CATHIE’S CELTIC DANCE who perform to both traditional and modern music in soft shoe and hard shoe, CEILI and GROUP DANCES, the VICTORIAN IRISH DANCE ACADEMY and the GLEN BRAE CELTIC DANCERS. This dance school aims to continue Scottish dance traditions in both costuming and performance but also includes modern choreography, and often accompanies CLAYMORE on stage.
One of my favourite moments was the exhilarating DRUMWORX. This marching band of KILT CLAD DRUMMERS entered the space and immediately the energy shifted. Following their high jinks, tossing and catching their drumsticks and a well coordinated ‘dancing with drums’ routine, they got us busy and involved doing body percussion.This was such a hoot, winding us up into a frenzy, the percussive pattern getting faster and faster and faster..and then, in a flash they were gone… marching off into the distance just as suddenly as they had arrived.Festival highlight for me, just loved it.
And then there is the exceptional CHARM OF FINCHES.I never tire of their mellifluous soothing ‘blood harmonies’ and exquisite original pieces including ‘Wonderful Oblivion; ‘a lullaby about death’, a topic these sweet gifted sisters are very familiar with being the daughters of an undertaker.It has stayed with me, and I’m humming it still.
Suddenly you feel the vibrating piercing exhilarating drone of a million bagpipes surging through you, and in marches the CITY OF MELBOURNE HIGHLAND PIPE BAND with drums and bagpipes in full swing, and my mind was cast back to my childhood memories of Sunday mornings listening to the bagpipes wafting on the breeze from the local park. It’s such a familiar sound to me and evokes such happy memories of a peaceful safe time surrounded by love, and the simplicity of those days.It was such an exhilarating performance, holding the audience spellbound. Celebrating 125 years, this is one of the oldest pipe bands in Australia.
Having not seen a LABYRINTH before I was keen to experience one at the festival. It was set up by the MELBOURNE YOUNG WRITERS STUDIO who explained that, ‘unlike a maze which has a separate entry and exit, a Labrinth has only one long path., the traveler arrives at the centre place of rest, reflection, release or enlightenment..’ and one may feel unburdened following the return journey.We could glimpse the sea over the top of the labyrinth as we wound our way through, and I gently contemplated the statement, ‘We enter a maze to lose ourselves but we enter a labyrinth to find ourselves.’
TALLSHIP THE ENTERPRISE returned to Portarlington and ran SAILING TRIPS open to the public with festival PERFORMERS ON BOARD for entertainment.This replica 1830’s style topsail schooner provides its guests with an opportunity to experience tall ship sailing.We walked down to the pier to have a look at her, laden with guests and crew as she glided off into the distance with sails hoisted, evoking glimpses of bygone days.
I remember seeing BO’NESS years ago and I knew the future held promise for identical twins Callum and Jackson McPartlane. I was rapt to see them at the National Celtic Festival and they didn’t disappoint with their original songs and ‘Everly Brothers-esque sibling harmony, acoustic guitars creating a unique country rock blend.’They completed their set with covers of Paul Kelly and the Hunters and Collectors, having recently toured nationally with the Red Hot Summer Tour.
THE GRAND HOTEL on PORTARLINGTON’S main street has been standing since the 1800’s and was recently extensively revamped. A special Celtic menu including beef and Guinness stew was prepared, and the walls feature black-and-white photographs of the history of the hotel and surrounds.We popped in to see COMEDY in the Hotel Atrium with Festival favorite ERIC PURDIE, joining his audience for a giggle before partaking of a LOCAL HISTORIC WALKING TOUR.
We stayed nearby at POINT LONSDALE and enjoyed a ramble up to see the LIGHTHOUSE originally built in the 1800s, visited the RIP LOOKOUT and had a walk along the foreshore and through the quaint Township.The Primary School MARKET had stalls selling plants, pastries, knitted items etc and we visited the LOCAL CEMETERY to read the touching headstones of some of the area’s pioneers reaching back to the 1800s.
SAORISE are always a delight with charming ballads sung in English and Irish paired with a lively jig or step dance.They always invite audience participation with clapping body percussion and sing along to the lyrics, their glorious harmonies accompanied by guitar and fiddle.
The MAGGIE CARTY BAND had the audience dancing along with banjo, guitar, double bass, drum and fiddle, whilst their rendition of ‘My Island Home’ was a welcome opportunity for audience sing along. So precious to watch people get up and dance, to feel the music lift them.. Onto the dance floor, swirling about in jigs and reels, polkas and waltzes.Much joy filled the air for all of us to inhale.
The NATIONAL CELTIC FESTIVAL enjoys lots of informal collaborations between artists from different ensembles and this creates a cozy feeling of connection, friendship and shared talent, with Claymore’s charming WILLY HUTTON seeming to pop up everywhere..The FINAL NIGHT gig was an absolute hoot featuring a rousing repeat singalong of what I guess could be called the ‘Festival Anthem’, LOCH LOMOND.A band of thousands joined CLAYMORE on stage including BO’NESS, TIM SCANLAN BAND and ANNA SCIONTI and a surprise pop in from the wildly entertaining RICH DAVIES.A rowdy rendition of ‘Long Way to the top’ ensued, featuring the bagpipe and fine vocals by Hutton, with the audience going completely crazy with much partying to be had.CLAYMORE were joined on stage at Monday’s FESTIVAL FINALE by many shiny faced children, clapping and dancing; so sweet to see them excitedly looking out at the audience with glee.We raised our ‘parting glass’, wandered out into the sun, looked out over the water and paused to reflect upon the glorious time we had shared at Portarlington’s NATIONAL CELTIC FESTIVAL.What a craic!Can’t wait to do it all again next year.
Day 1 – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.746510560810971&type=3
Day 2 – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.747449004050460&type=3
Day 3 – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.750022393793121&type=3
Day 4 – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.751861546942539&type=3
