” It’s a pretty awesome event to walk into… and an amazing spectacle. It’s an exciting experience from beginning to end,” enthuses Port Fairy Folk Festival director Jamie McKew.
" It’s a pretty awesome event to walk into… and an amazing spectacle. It’s an exciting experience from beginning to end," enthuses Port Fairy Folk Festival director Jamie McKew. "There is an incredible energy that builds up from the moment the festival starts – it’s a genuine community festival… the community has become a part of it and grown with it. The community is extremely involved in running it… it’s been culturally fantastic for the town," says McKew of the iconic, internationally renowned and genre-bending extravaganza that has been an essential annual treat for lovers of all things rootsy since way back in 1977.
With so many top-quality festivals competing for our attention and support, McKew explains how the Port Fairy Folk Festival manages to remain such a popular drawcard. "I guess we have a great reputation which we thoroughly deserve," he explains. "It’s a great village location to go to for a beautiful four-day holiday…
"In terms of programming we try to stick to a style of programming that has become a unique thing for us. We have twenty international guests pretty much every year, across a broad spectrum of genres… we run a lot of workshops and tiny events in small halls around the town, as well as the really big stage acts where you see the type of action you would expect to see at big festivals."
The Port Fairy Folk Festival has also played a key role in showcasing young acts destined for the big time. Little Red, Dan Sultan, The Audreys and John Butler all played well received gigs at Port Fairy long before mainstream audiences were aware of their existence. Many festival goers must get dewy eyed as they recall the vocally blessed Mr. Sultan strumming an acoustic guitar as he entranced a handful of attentive punters early one morning at a low-key yet stunning outdoor solo gig, or when they recall The Audreys silkily mesmerising the uninitiated with their hypnotic melodies. Others will recall wistfully how exciting it was to see John Butler whipping a small yet feverish crowd into a frenzy with his incredible axe-work and warm rhythms. Little Red charmed festival goers and got them dancing like wild things long before the commercial radio channels had opened their doors to this talented combo.
McKew, reflecting on the festival’s role in working with young artists, says that "The good thing about Port Fairy is that you are introducing new artists and new ideas, as well as not skipping over genres of music, because maybe it’s not comfortable at the time.
"We have seen the amazing turnaround in the popularity of old-time American music," he adds. "Who would have thought that would be happening even five years ago? Who would have thought you would be seeing bands like The Audreys playing banjos and fiddles?"
When asked to predict who among this year’s stellar line-up are poised for the big time, McKew thinks deeply and replies, "Tom Richardson is almost mainstream already. He’s a local musician… he is already hitting big stages. He is a very creative and hard-working man. He has an even bigger band this time so he’s really going to knock people’s socks off!" Indeed, attendees at Port Fairy last year will be inclined to agree with Jamie as Tom’s funky and soulful performance was one of the memorable highlights of the 2010 festival.
But it’s even more than that. Fans of both the Queenscliff Music Festival and the Port Fairy Folk Festival have long recognised that the region stretching from Geelong to Port Fairy is a fertile hotbed of musical talent. Many puzzled outsiders have been heard to ponder over a foaming pint of Guinness or Kilkenny whether there is something magical in the local water that transforms young surfers into musical prodigies by the time they hit their teens. McKew, attempting to explain this happy state of affairs, adds with a hearty laugh, "We could blame Shane Howard for the whole thing! He was at teacher’s college in Geelong. He got Goanna going in Geelong… Shane did shows around the place and Solid Rock came out in ’83… a whole community grew up around the band.
"The other one out of Geelong that really kicked things off is Mick Thomas with Weddings Parties Anything. Mick, like Shane, is a great character. He’s a wonderful and generous musician who shares his music and shares his skills and encourages people.
"Community radio in Melbourne and along the coast has obviously helped a lot," McKew continues. "People like Derek Guille at 774 ABC Melbourne are always spruiking live music and live performance… these [ingredients] are all part of the mixture that’s made the whole music machine around the coast very powerful."
Contemplating the future of this important annual must-see event, McKew reflects philosophically, "I think the future is always exciting… the future is always going to be unique and it’s always going to be good if you let it be good and trust your instincts."
The immediate future certainly looks bright with this year’s generous and eclectic line-up featuring everything from rockabilly (Rosie Flores Trio) and country (Kasey Chambers) to indie pop (The Little Stevies) and folk rock (The Waifs). So, why not trust your instincts and join this pilgrimage to Port Fairy for a cultural experience that you won’t forget?
The PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL is on this weekend in Port Fairy – featuring a ridiculous amount of acts, including The Waifs, Bob Evans, Darren Hanlon, David Bridie, Kasey Chambers, Joe Pug, Justin Townes Earle, Lisa Miller, Dan Kelly’s Dream Band, Luka Bloom, Graveyard Train, Mary Black, Mic Conway’s National Junk Band, Nano Stern, Rosie Flores Trio, Shane Howard, Shane Nicholson, The Bushwackers, The Cottars, The Dingoes, The Gin Club, The Go Set, The Little Stevies, Tiffany Eckardt & Dave Steele, Tom Richardson Project, Tony McManus, Vika and Linda and heaps more – info and tickets from portfairyfolkfestival.com.
