Live Review: Woodford Folk Festival

South East Queensland has really paraded its tropical colours this festive season, with semi-torrential rains bucketing down sporadically since Christmas day. Surprisingly though, Woodfordia has fared pretty well, thus far, and upon entering the festival, attendees are greeted with all the creature comforts that this magnificent site typically has to offer. It's often hard to believe that yet another year is already coming to a close, but if there was ever a fitting way to pay tribute to its seasons and get the very most out of its final moments, then Woodford Folk Festival is certainly the ticket.

With 2176 performances and events scheduled this year, it's the veritable feast among last suppers. No matter your sensory vice, this year's festival seems to have it all. Music, art, performance, circus, talks, workshops and food are but a selection of the vast delights on offer, but one of the very first things that always strikes a chord upon initially entering this fantastic reality are the beautiful bamboo structures, which decorate the whole site. Every year, these structures evolve into new exquisite forms, and this year the building team has truly outdone themselves. These architectural wonders offer Woodfordian's a plethora of phenomenological forms for us to run loose in, but as the stellar observatory, Kin Kin Tower, poetically alludes, there's much more to this grand adventure than the beautiful forms we inhabit, and as we venture beyond, not even the sky's the limit.  

Over at the small hall Hollow Coves are easing us into the festivities with their dreamy guitar and vocal play. They share their melancholy and vulnerability, which peaks on Heatwave, and then balance things out, sending us off on a round of optimism with their cover of Angus and Julia Stone's Mango Tree.

Mama Kin Spender are greeted with a warm welcome at the second biggest venue in Woodfordia, the Grande. A long time performer at the festival herself, Mama Kin asks the audience to share how many they have attended. Many have seen 10, a good number say 15 and eventually only the few Woodfordian sages raise their hands for 20 festivals. With Mama Kin on drums and vocals, Tommy spender on guitar and vocals, and a multitude of guests from The East Pointers and All My Exes Live in Texas, this huge band of merry musicians really make their presence felt. Mama Kin leaves us with some thoughtful notes of responsibility and gratitude to take home, "they have a 500 year strong vision for this land... there are more species of plants of and trees on the Woodfordia land than in the Brisbane botanical gardens", and by the end of this set we're given a real sense that she is a true advocate for the "wild nirvana" that is Woodfordia.

This year the Welcome Ceremony, featuring another charismatic performance of Waltzing Matilda by Bob Hawke (it was such a highlight of last year's ceremony that he was duly invited back to give it another go), is perhaps the most impressive in the festival's history. All the music and larger-than-life theatre provide a dazzling spectacle, but most importantly it really highlights the festival's mission statements, showing that a mindful sense of cultural, environmental, and political responsibility permeate every fibre of its grand design.    

After many visits with his trio, festival favourite John Butler returns to Woodfordia for two rare solo performances and one forum talk. He kicks the first of these off with a headlining slot at the Amphi theatre, and is greeted by eager fans covering the entire hillside. He dives right into the familiar waters of Used to Get High and Better Than before giving us a tasty teaser of Miss Your Love from his upcoming album. Butler voices his frustration with corporate threats to environmental preservation, before letting the gorgeous Kimberly do the rest of the talking. He proceeds to ask the audience to sit down so that a giant banner, reading, "All refugees in detention are political prisoners" can be unveiled, while he beats out Revolution, and finally a run of classics - Zebra, Pickapart, and Ocean - bring the set home on a succession of high notes.  

It's hard to have a time-slot competing with one of the festival's most loved acts, John Butler, but the Jodi Martin Band give their audience a solid, heart-felt performance. Between songs, the front woman hails the legendary Joni Mitchell as a great inspiration and moral compass. "There will always be people who hurt us" she says, "the challenge is to get to the end of your life with a good heart". With the launch of their single Criminal, the Jodi Martin Band continue to take up the task of folk music to reflect our current cultural state back at us.
Whether it's yoga, tai-chi, poetry, or music, Woodfordia has a plethora of activities to kick off each morning. And the breakfast options are so abundant that the real challenge is in deciding what to try. Seasoned campers get a good week of opportunities, at least, but for day-trippers it has to be real tough. Of all the scrumptious culinary delights of the festival, the mob of pirates selling burgers over at The Veggie Galley are one of the hardest stalls to walk by. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner sorted, all vegetarian and a great deal of gluten free. The portions are hearty, the service is genuine and the burgers are damn delicious. A favourite is the sexy satay tempeh - loads of salad, flavour and character. A great start to a week filled with a vast abundance of tastings.

William Crighton arrives on the festival site just in time to make his midday show. He's been travelling since 3am and "it's good to finally be here" he says. Crighton starts the set alone on stage with a moody and intense ballad which already has the crowd captivated. There's a quick mood change as his wife off-stage whispers something and Crighton admits to the audience that he's been "pouring my heart out with my fly undone", which is met with warm laughter. His three piece band join him onstage and the pace shifts to heavy rock 'n' roll, elevated with some hauntingly beautiful backup vocals. Streams of dancers rush to the front. Crighton is a true blue story-teller and has a wonderful way of relating to his audience, his down to earth manner is admired by all.

For their first time at Woodfordia, Thando certainly have made a good first impression. The five-piece look fresh and glamorous on stage with a deep indigo lighting set up and mist whirling around their heads. Straight away they're punchy, sassy neo- soul sounds have heads nodding everywhere.  By the time the band plays the classic Put Your Hand in Mine, the set gets too funky for the people to resist the pull of the dance floor.

"A slightly more intimate venue would likely be even more fitting for their hypnotic vibe."

Of the massive crowd that Sampa the Great (aka Sampa Tempo) brings to the grand, it would be hard to find anyone who could deny that she earns her title 'the great'. Tembo oozes with confidence, and the crowd is equally confident in her to deliverHer presence fills the stage, but there's still some room for her talented drummer, keyboardist and guitarist. The band start the set with tracks all from her new Baby, which she says comes straight from the soul. ."I love who I am, I hope you love who you are too", she says, making a nice segue into a cover of Future's Mask Off. The people of Woodfordia respond well to her sincerity, and get fully on board with some audience participation in the next track and then an additional cover, this time of Lauren hill's Doo Wop (That Thing), goes down an immense treat. After re-entering the stage at the end of the set Tempo is met with a roaring applause, though it is quickly hushed as she graces the crowd with her spoken word poetry. One last victory lap around the stage, and a quick snap with the crowd and she's gone, having everyone hoping she'll return to the festival in many coming years.

It's that point in the afternoon that a lie down on the grass hill at Bluestown sounds like a good idea. A bunch of festival-goers find themselves there for the Railsplitters, the dedicated listeners at the front, and the ones who want a bit of chit-chat at the back. It's a beautiful spot to get some bearing of the surrounding bushland; only some colourful lanterns and bunting peek through the greenery. The five-piece band are decked out with a double bass, mandolin, acoustic guitar, banjo and fiddle and they provide enough lively, award winning, tunes to have the audience feeling it was an afternoon well spent.

Byron Bay's Babe Rainbow inject the Amphi theatre with a heavy dose of flower-power, taking Woodfordia on trip back to the 60s for one night only.  The psychedelic tunes work their magic on the crowd as a wash of colourful visuals and giant daisies swirl around the stage. They're a whole lot of fun and it's quite a shame that they aren't sticking around for more shows because a slightly more intimate venue would likely be even more fitting for their hypnotic vibe. 

Over at  the Parlour stage Fringe Wives Club have the capacity crowd almost falling off their seats throughout the entirety of their hilarious Glittery Clittery, ConSENSUAL show. In their hands, musical-comedy acts as the perfect vehicle for tackling feminist issues.  They deliver their messages  with sharp wit and dazzling accuracy,  and look as if they're genuinely having the time of their lives through each and every moment.  

Japan's premier Irish music band, John John Festival, bring a hint of ecstasy to their second night performance. It sure seems a surreal and unlikely combo on first impression, but they are real deal and a few minutes  spent with them is enough to fall under their musical spell. Rarely do performers exude such an intense sense of joy as this 3-piece does throughout their entirety of their performance, and by the time the set comes to a close most in the crowd seem to have caught their happy contagion and walk off grinning into the close of the night.  

A few day in and the festival is really heating up, both figuratively and literally. One of the most magical aspects of the Woodfordia experience is the feeling you are completely immersed in another world. This feeling is created largely by the different creatures, critters and characters you encounter on the streets daily. You may be enjoying a morning coffee when a giant Scottish man in full kilted dress with his giant pooch come to serenade you with his bagpipes. Be careful, his dog isn't toilet trained! (The dog suit has a water spray mischievously installed). The path in front of you might suddenly become a stage for a vibrant dance troop blaring 90s music. Or in the cool of the evening, the whole festival will have to make way for a glowing parade of sea creature lanterns, bobbing peacefully by. The spontaneity of these performances bring joy to festival goers everywhere and continue to encourage the Woodfordia message of connecting with one another and with our surroundings.

Melbourne based 10-piece The Northern Folk bring some extra rays of light to the already steamy Grande for a bit of melodious midday fun. Their big sound makes it easy to lose oneself within each of their delightful tunes. It's a real marvel to hear horns injected into such a sweet mix of folk, rock, and pop, and by the end of their set they've likely converted many new fans.  

Caravana Sun start their set with some beautiful instrumental featuring tribal beats and cruisey brass, invoking sweeping views of the mountains or desert. After that soothing introduction the crowd is swept off their feet by the force of energy generated by the band members, which includes a borrowed trombonist from The Hot Potato Band. The racing drums are matched with vibrant trumpet and trombone, and the irrepressible smile of the vocalist/bassist is infectious. The band truly impress with their musical prowess but also as they take the time to give a shout out to ocean protecting Sea Shepherd, and pay homage to the incredible indigenous culture of Australia. Such wonderfully passionate performances are not to be missed!

Timothy Carroll is no stranger to Woodfordia, performing here as a solo act years before Holy Holy was created. Now performing as the front man to thousands at the Amphi, he and the band are looking stronger than ever. The swelling crowd who come out to see the 9:30 set are met with a glorious wall of sound that permeates the whole body. The electrifying guitar riffs and beautifully crafted melodies are totally on point. Playing both older and newer tracks, the band also have time to fit in their Triple J, Like a Version cover of Beyonce's Hold Up. By the end of the performance, most of the audience appear completely blown away.

Kooii's late night set at the Tropic is the perfect way to wrap up another action packed day of festivaling. The Brisbane lads flood the tent with an outpouring of infectious reggae rhythms and the set peaks when an impassioned call and response evolves naturally from what was initially just a bit of  enthusiasm. The dancefloor goes wild with many oscillating bodies looking eager to drain every last bit of energy before retiring for another night. 

This year Bill’s Bar has undergone a lively renovation, making it more of a joy than ever to kick back to some live music. A gorgeous mural and nightmarish anglerfish sculpture bring a wonderfully bizarre contrast to the atmosphere, and Kaika’s presence plays further off this tension. For a brief moment they sound a little disjointed, but it quickly becomes apparent they’re simply a playful and inventive bunch. They quickly hit their stride, their ethereal harmony vocals, odd time-signatures, and all round stunning display of musicianship forming the major foundation of each song.

Motivated Woodfordian's who want to make the most of what the festival has to offer, find themselves on Penny Arcade for the Artisania Visual Arts and Crafts workshops. During the mid-afternoon stretch, most of the workshop tents are packed out with festival-goers hard at work, creating flower crowns, carving wooden spoons, weaving Piccabeen into fish or learning the ancient art of Batik. Any one of the vast number of exciting workshops in the schedule, running from 9am up until 8:30pm every day of the festival, give participants a hands-on experience, leaving them feeling not only inspired but like they've been more deeply involved in the Woodfordia experience.

"This year's experience is utterly awe-inspiring."

Arnhem Land’s ‘Fresh New Prince’ Baker Boy (aka Danzal Baker), one of the most exciting new voices in Australian hip-hop, draws a huge crowd for his debut Woodford performance. With hype-man/backing-vocalist and live drummer in tow, Baker bounces around the stage delivering each verse, rapped in his native Yilngu Matha tongue, with vigorous passion. Black Magic and Marryuna are highly infectious, but it's breakout hit Cloud9 that hits the highest and receives the best response from the capacity tent.

With the extra numbers swarming in for new year’s eve, the streets of Woodfordia become increasingly crowded from quite early on in the day. Though the weather remains a little irregular, in most cases it's been a blessing thus far, with each day's sporadic showers taking that needed edge off the brutal December sun. And on top of providing moments of respite, it gifts us with shifts in ambience, meaning each of the day's performances become enhanced by the variety of conditions. 

Fittingly, the sun is heavily beaming on down for Kate Miller-Heidke's NYE set at the Grande, its intense raze creating the perfect setting for her mostly bright and humorous set. She keeps things playful for the most part, telling amusing anecdotes between each cleverly crafted song and inviting beatboxer Mal Webb onstage to spice things up. The set veers off in a darker direction momentarily as Miller-Heidke airs a powerful rendition of a Tina Arena collaboration, on the  subject of domestic violence, and then bounces back with a much more light hearted collaboration, I'm Growing a Beard Downstairs for Christmas, which, or course, she originally did with The Beards. She wraps things up with Humiliation and Words, making sure to really show-off her amazing operatic scope before giddily saying her goodbyes - what a presence!    

Sadly, one of the festival's annual highlights, the hilltop Indian Sunset Concert, is cancelled due to sever storm warnings, but there are still few better ways to say farewell to the year's light than sitting back and enjoying the serene views of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges.

Woodfordia becomes a great concatenation of celebration as each of the myriad venues across the vast site become  absolute pressure cookers of energy and excitement during the final hours. Sun Salute, Alysha Brilla, and Dubmarine are but a few among the many many acts to make the musical most of these last moments, winding down the year in true festive style. It's an absolute joy to walk past stages and take a quick peek into each of these little world's, seeing that so many alternate courses of celebration are taking flight side-by-side. And while simultaneous parties is certainly something typical of pretty much all festivals, 20+ parties cooking on high all at once is a whole other story!      

Initially conceived in 1999, by festival director Bill Hauritz, as an antidote to calm the waves of Y2K paranoia before the impending countdown, the  3 Minutes of Silence has now become one of the most magical events on the festival's annual calendar. To witness 20,000 partying people suddenly stop and respectfully pay tribute to the events of the year with focused stillness and silence is a kind of miracle that is becoming increasingly rarer in this attention-deficit age, and as has been the case in the past, this year's experience is utterly awe-inspiring.

One of the festival's major highlights from two years ago, Vaudeville Smash, make their celebrated return to Woodfordia. Their countdown set is the fifth of six scheduled this week and they bring the New Year in stellar style, lighting up the Parlour stage like few others before them. It's absolutely packed to the rafters and they don't miss a beat. Funk gems like Richter Scale, Laura and Drunken Cowgirl already feel like festival classics, and have the audience dancing through every playful motion, following the funk deep into the night.

The Pineapple Lounge sounds like it's absolutely going off still at about 3am, but a line-up to get in encourages many to seek other adventures, and sometimes they're found in the most unlikely of places.  A surprise DJ set by Mr Percival  at the tiny, almost hidden, Singing Space tent offers many moments of music majesty to keep the New Year's celebrations going. Decades of rock and pop classics, including a mix bag of everything from Tom Jones' It's Not Unusual to Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, keeps the intimate dancefloor grooving hard til it's time to prepare for the uphill migration.  

The Hilltop Sunrise Ceremony is yet another annual highlight, and this year's doesn't disappoint in the least bit. Host musicians Tenzin Choegyal, Taro Terahara, Michael Askill and Monks of Tibet are the perfect accompaniment to this moment. Thin lines of cloud cover and mist wrap around the mountains on the horizon, making what is already an ethereal experience, all the more complete.

As usual, the first is a slow moving day, and the for the initial stages of programming look to provide a bit relaxation and comfort for the collective lethargy. As midday approaches things start to get a bit more active, but you know people must be really feeling the hangovers when you see Vaudeville Smash playing to a mostly seated venue.

While most feet wander wearily, one of the most danceable acts of the whole festival, The East Pointers, offer some musical remedy. The Three young lads hailing from Canada (a fact they persistently remind us of), are absolute masters of their instruments and have festival goers swinging arm in arm to their folky jigs. Filling Woodfordia's biggest venues with rapturous, totally unselfconscious boogying throughout the week has been quite a feat from the band and is an absolute pleasure to witness. Gauging the audience's enthusiasm, it's looking like they're among this year's festival favourites once again.  

This year's Lantern Parade and Fire Event takes off from right where the Welcome Ceremony departed, but the grandeur of the spectacle is up-scaled, as if reaching for the heavens. But as flames reduce the colossal bell sculpture back to the ground, we are poetically reminded of the toll of our actions and the gravity of our responsibilities within this cyclic, universal processes we collectively play a role in. This festival is always celebrated on the auspicious occasion of seeing out the old year and ringing in the new, and what a glorious opportunity to reflect on the seasons gone by, surrounded by the natural beauty of the bush and by a strong sense of creativity and community. After an intense week of listening and learning, growing and sharing, it's time to dance our way into the future. And If there is one very important value that the experience instils in us for the new year, it is hope.  As the final floating cinders of the fire event bring another Woodford Folk Festival to a close, our sites are once again guided toward the stars. For these brief moments, the vision of a sanctuary here on earth is felt and know, and the message is received loud and clear; the time is always now... Happy New Year!!!