Woodfordia Inc in partnership with
Queenscliff Music Festival
presents
Harry Jakamarra has a voice that stops you dead in your tracks. A punchy, Springsteen-esque growl that’s imbued with the rugged texture of the West Australian desert where he grew up.
Harry’s songs are truly Australian . . . just like ‘Wake in Fright’. A Kimberley Cowboy turned Mad Max, Harry tours in a vegie oil powered fire engine he converted to a house. He tears the roof off Pilbara pubs and southern sit-down gigs alike with his dry Guitar picking and dark, twisted lyrics.
Harry is joined by his younger brother Elwood Gray. Elwood, an already accomplished and road worn song-craftsman, possesses a depth to his playing well beyond his 18 years. With a telepathic ease on stage and virtuosic playing the two create vocal harmonies of a quality only blood can blend, reminiscent of the Everly or Stanley Brothers.
Harry also takes the Clawhammer Banjo style to new levels. Far from a dinky twang, Harry’s Banjo playing is closer to the Saharan rasp of the Tuareg rebels who schooled him.
Inspired by Warumpi Band, Midnight Oil and Gillian Welch. Warped by studying Indian Classical on the banks of the Ganges River, and narrowly escaping a Tuareg uprising in Timbuktu. Coloured by a life spent on the road, Harry’s music is the most genuine thing you will hear this year. His songs have the poetic staying power of Wilfred Owen, Paul Kelly and Hank Williams.
http://www.harryjakamarra.com/
https://www.facebook.com/harryjakamarra/
https://www.instagram.com/harryjakamarra/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCksRFiJNIbymq7p3WzxHxrA/videos
“Harry plays that banjo with all the revered spirit of the ‘ole timey’ while lighting a new exciting virtuosic flame underneath it”
– John Butler
“One of the (Woodford) Festival’s real stand-out artists of the year.”
– Melanie Tait, ABC Radio National Evenings
“And then Harry Jakamarra… just blew me away the first time I met him. He’s kind of a genius. He’s a bit of a multi-instrumentalist and can play the shit out of the guitar as well as having the amazing, gravelly, Bruce Springsteen-y kind of a voice. I think people are going to love him.”
– Missy Higgins (‘The Music’ magazine)
“Harry Jakamarra has great storytelling, a commanding singing voice and he can pick a guitar or a banjo like the devil’s on his tail.”
– Jeff Lang
When you hear Madison Violet, the first thing you’ll notice is that their voices blend together, symbiotically, like family: born to sing the same songs. And over the past decade and a half, the pair have taken to genre-bending, moving effortlessly from folk to pop to electronic to Americana. In a word, they are musical chameleons.
Madison Violet’s first 2 studio albums, Worry the Jury and Caravan, were recorded with notable producer John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, U2, Damien Dempsey) and were critically acclaimed, garnering the pair several ECMA and CFMA nominations. Their 3rd and 4th releases, No Fool for Trying and The Good In Goodbye are homegrown collections, recorded in Ontario with producer Les Cooper at the helm. Their 5th studio release, was recorded in Toronto by acclaimed producer, Tino Zolfo (Carly Rae Jepson, Soul Decision, Hawksley Workman), and solidified the duo as musically versatile powerhouse songwriters.
Madison Violet have acquired quite a few accolades, including a Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Critic’s Choice award from Country Music People’s Magazine. Their songs have featured in the notorious music magazine MOJO’s Top 10 Playlist, and have earned the duo the Grand Prize in the 2010 Maxell John Lennon Song Writing Contest (voted on by a panel of distinguished artists including Elton John, Tim McGraw, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, John Legend, Enrique Iglesias and Mary J. Blige). Madison Violet were on Germany’s WDR’s list of ‘Best Bands of All Time’.
Brenley and Lisa are singer-songwriters. Multi-instrumentalists. Harmonizers. Dog lovers. Painters. Tennis fanatics. Amateur chefs. They have been described as folk, pop, roots, indie & Americana.
www.madisonviolet.com
https://www.facebook.com/madisonviolet
https://www.instagram.com/madisonviolet/
https://twitter.com/madisonviolet
https://www.youtube.com/user/madisonviolet
“Madison Violet really are a joy to experience. . . there are few other acts that can provide such a strong statement of quality musicianship coupled with songs of the highest caliber.”
– Lonesome Highway
“I shouldn’t have been too surprised to find a queue stretching down three flights of stairs . . . I soon became as engrossed in the girls’ instrumental skills as I already was in love with their songwriting.”
– Maverick
“Sometimes it all comes together in unexpected ways . . . it might come in the form of two dazzling women singing songs that are pure ear candy, blending perfect harmony with melodies and life-forged lyrics that insunuate their way into your psyche. So it is with Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, who call themselves Madison Violet.”
– AcousticLive
Presented By
Rocky Creek, 24 October 2018
The Rocky Creek/Mt Emlyn Soldier’s Memorial Hall was built in 1935. Life was busy in the 1930s. The many small 320 acre blocks were all occupied, mostly by dairy farmers. After the Depression progress was made with the aid of new tractors, vehicles and crops. The Rocky Creek Cheese Factory had operated since 1918; the … Read more
Mallanganee, 25 October 2018
Mallanganee is a small village approx. 40 K from Casino, heading out towards the border regions of Queensland and New South Wales. There are about 100 people living in the district and about half of those live in the charming Mallanganee village, at the centre of which lies the Mallanganee Memorial Hall. The Mallanganee … Read more
Jiggi, 26 October 2018
Jiggi Hall : 111 years old, and still going strong! Jiggi Hall is set in a beautiful valley, far from the hustle and bustle of big city life. Less than half an hour drive from Nimbin in the North and Lismore in the south, Jiggi, which is said to mean ‘A place of plenty’ , … Read more
Moonie, 27 October 2018
For over fifty years, The Moonie Sports Club has been the social hub of this small rural community. Providing Moonie and surrounds with facilities for sporting events, fitness classes, visual arts days, fundraisers and the iconic Moonie Yabbie Races. When approaching the intersection of the Leichardt Highway and Moonie Highway, slow down as you may … Read more
Peranga, 28 October 2018
Can you see that ghost? The bearded man leading the team of bullocks behind that tall strand of trees! Some say it’s Leichhardt leading out his team of explorers from Peranga – the last place they were seen alive. Peranga is a proud town who have survived the march of the prickly pear, floods, drought … Read more
Wallumbilla, 31 October 2018
Wallumbilla is a rural town situated on the Warrego Highway 40km West of Roma. Erected in 1928, The Wallumbilla School of Arts Memorial Hall was built to commemorate those who served in World War I. Since then it has seen many a wild wedding and high-stepping shindig. The hospitality of our small town is as … Read more
Clermont, 01 November 2018
Clermont’s hall was built in 1961. The small town has a large number of buildings with great architecture and stories to go with them. Look for the country wave as you drive around. The town is over 150 years old and built on gold, copper and gold mining and agriculture. Famously know as the the … Read more
Alpha, 2 November 2018
More information on Festival of Small Halls Alpha coming soon! Doors open at 6.30pm Tickets available online here
Jericho, 3 November 2018
More information on Festival of Small Halls Jericho coming soon! Doors open at 6.30pm Tickets available online here
Barcaldine, 4 November 2018
The Barcaldine Town Hall was built in 1912 but has had several alterations. It was constructed in the Federation free style and was designed by architects Alfred Mowbray-Hutton and Fredrick Boddington. The design is a link pavilion form. There were two separate buildings with council offices at the front and a hall behind, linked by … Read more
Aramac, 6 November 2018
More information on Festival of Small Halls Aramac coming soon! Doors open at 6.30pm Tickets available online here
Muttaburra, 7 November 2018
This was the original Hall that was constructed as a memorial to the 1914-1918 veterans by public subscriptions in 1935. Records show a donation of 100 pound was given by the Aramac Shire Council and land for the site of the Hall was donated by members of the community. It was referred to as Muttaburra … Read more
Moranbah, 8 November 2018
Moranbah Arts Centre is home of of Moranbah Arts, a not for profit organisation dedicated to promoting The Arts and cultures in the Moranbah and surrounding community. Moranbah Arts was founded in 1974 and continues to thrive in Central Queensland. Moranbah Arts has been in our community for a number of years promoting & coordinating … Read more
Dimbulah, 11 November 2018
Dimbulah Memorial Hall in the glory days of tobacco farming and mining saw many descendants of migrant farmers come together for nights of laughter and dancing at regular social gatherings. This was also the place for the beginning of togetherness for couples. It was the place to be in days gone by. Festival of … Read more
Nebo, 14 November 2018
Nebo Memorial Hall is a beautiful, classic country hall, with high ceilings and red velvet curtains defining the raised stage at the front. Built in 1956, it was used as a community cinema from the late 1950’s to early 1960’s showing strip film movies on projectors. During the 70’s, the hall played host to many … Read more
Ilbilbie, 15 November 2018
Ilbilbie Community Centre is located next to the Ilbilbie Service Station approximately one hour’s drive south of Mackay. Over the years, the centre has been a hub for the Ilbilbie and Greenhill district, hosting many functions such as birthday parties and community meetings. The members of Ilbilbie Craft Group meet there every Tuesday sharing their … Read more
Goovigen, 16 November 2018
Goovigen – the small country town with two halls The School of Arts was built in 1929 with lots of volunteer labour from the early pioneers of the district. Constructed of corrugated iron and local timber, it was to become the social venue for the district. The first function was a dance held on the … Read more
Kalpowar, 17 November 2018
The Kalpowar Hall was built in 1954 using locally milled timber from the Kalpowar Forest, built only by voluntary labour and without debt. The village of Kalpowar is situated in the foothills of the Burnett Range, beside the Kalpowar State Forest which protects a mosaic of forests. Patches of dense rainforest with towering … Read more
Felton, 18 November 2018
The original Felton Hall was built in 1931 by local farmers. The same spirit of self-help survives to the present day. In 2015, Felton Hall Association members took a decision to replace the old hall. This was done by bringing an existing building from St Anthony’s school in Toowoomba. The cost of re-locating the St … Read more
Festival of Small Halls Spring Tour is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.