Tony Hillier | January 05, 2009
Article from: The Australian

Woodford Folk Festival
December 27-January 1.

STICK-smashing morris dancers risked meltdown under the merciless southeast Queensland sun. A kilted Scottish stiltwalker wilted as wizened, Guinness-guzzling folkies belted out broadsides in a tented hostelry nearby.

Some cool relief came courtesy of pristine peals emanating from the 21 strings of a Malian maestro's kora and the sweet high-and-lonesome vocal harmonies of a pale-skinned Appalachian twosome.

Welcome to the stimulating if uncomfortably warm world of Woodford, arguably the most eclectic and egalitarian show on earth (23 venues, 500 acts, 2000 performers). Tastes cultivated in this cauldron of culture could last for a lifetime.

If thematic sessions in the Folklorica marquee dedicated to subjects as diverse as Bulgarian boogie, Turku and Kurd music, feet percussion, ceremonial drum, and banjo and yodelling queens proved excessively esoteric, there was plenty of blander fare to be found in pop presentations at the Amphitheatre, the Grande and the Bazaar.

Alternative treats were available elsewhere. Over at the Blues'n'Roots tent, the ever reliable Backsliders skilfully erected their Delta-based wall of sound. Amiable pun-slinger Mic Conway and his National Junk Band provided the corn and cheap conjuring tricks, while the fetching Kara Grainger and her boys put an irresistibly funky stamp on 12-bar standards. Jeff Lang excelled on four different stages with his superlative slide guitar and self-penned roots-flavoured masterpieces.

Kristina Olsen was her usual ubiquitous self; only Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, who notched up a heroic 10 gigs in five days, were busier than the Californian songstress and raconteur. Their exquisite a cappella sessions with the rest of the Fagans were a highlight of the traditional folk program, along with Virginia's beguiling Whitetop Mountaineers, Scotland's Alistair Hulett and David Rovics from the US.

On the world music front, Mamadou Diabate's kora virtuosity held audiences spellbound. The sassy Sydney-based Latin group Veneno, Brisbane's dynamic Balkan-grounded band Doch and Melbourne's manic but intensely musical gypsy punksters the Barons of Tang had the younger punters on their feet in a trice.

The Dya Singh Group, the Habibis and flamenco troupe Arte Kanela consolidated burgeoning reputations as the best concert acts of their type in Australia.

Proven crowd-pleasers Jigzag, the Borderers and Fiddlers Feast were as energetic and entertaining as ever, despite the steamy conditions.

The testing weather exacted some toll on veteran Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean, who seemed content to let the audience do much of the singing.

Coming direct from the icy depths of a Canadian winter didn't inhibit the impressively tight Newfoundland band Hey Rosetta! or their quirky and equally hard-hitting compatriot Hawksley Workman. If intricate arrangements and instrumental acoustic expertise were the criteria, Perth's David Hyams and the Miles To Go Band were among the standout acts.

An abiding memory of Woodford 2008-09 was watching the event's hard-working director whiz around the site in a homemade chariot. As he recovers from a recent knee operation, Bill Hauritz will be able to savour yet another successful festival.

With the enduring goodwill of its patrons, allied to thousands of well-drilled volunteers and Hauritz's vision, the future of Woodford is assured, even in these economically austere times.