I’ll try to paint you a picture.
I am sitting at a table somewhere near the centre of Canberra’s Exhibition Park (EPIC) – a HUGE 70-hectare (173 acre) showground and multi-building venue.
We’ve parked our car (still on EPIC land) over a kilometre away from the centre of the action. There are shuttle buses, but we decide to walk. The carparks look something like those around the MCG at a Collingwood v Carlton footy game.
The sun is shining in a cold blue sky, and large puffy cumulus clouds are growing over the surrounding densely treed hills. We are only 7km from the CBD but there is little sign of suburbia. It feels like country.
In every direction there are tents, campers, caravans, and motorhomes of every type and size. Copious bunting is flapping, and I shudder as we pass the small tents being blown sideways. It must be freezing inside them during the night.
Many of the people here carry musical instruments on their backs. While I write this with a BentSpoke Crankshaft (Canberra’s own) beer close, the table next to me has burst into song. As people walk past, they join in. There seems to be a general lack of inhibition. Sort of a sanitised and mature experience for many Baby Boomers about 50 years on from the wildness of Woodstock.
There is the constant hum of music of many varieties. At any one time you can choose to enjoy musical genres from the silly to Ska to Skiffle, from ‘The Waifs’, or the raw anti-establishment in-your-face Billy Bragg, to the more serious Fred Smith and ‘The Sparrows of Kabul’ – about to go on a national tour. Fred is one of Australia’s foremost balladeers, who is also an Australian diplomat involved in trying to make the best of the disastrous withdrawal of troops and civilians from Afghanistan. He was there at the heart-breaking exodus.
Our daughter Lauren plays sax in the ten-piece ‘This Way Orkestra’ – Canberra’s very own enclave of Afrobeat and Ska and Reggae. They play every day here and are just awesome. (I’ll confess to some paternal bias.)
This Way Orkestra with Lauren Thurlow (centre) on sax.
Photo: Andy Thurlow
Our first experience of this group was last Friday when on a wet (and cold) evening ‘This Way Orkestra’ were scheduled for 11.15pm! Who would want to go to a gig at that hour? Marlene and I thought there would be no-one besides us, until the marquee filled with people, ready to dance and party.
Besides performances, there are workshops, dancing, choirs, arts, and craft.
On Sunday evening ‘This Way Orkestra’ ran a popular workshop deconstructing their Afrobeat music, where each of the 10 members talked about and played their parts. Then they asked anyone in the audience to join them. Musical instruments appeared and it was a blast.
After we retired to have a beer and mix with musicians who all seem to know each other and are encouraging and collegiate.
There are the smells from rows of food vans selling (expensive) delicacies from many countries.
It’s sort of Bohemian. Nobody seems to care what colour you dye your hair. And you can wear anything, as long as it’s warm. About 4pm the cold seems to drop on us from the mountains. We are close to snow country.
I would suggest that of the 30000 people who came here, a good many are retired. Maybe this weekend is on their annual caravan pilgrimage around Australia.
My friends and I often talk about regrets. I don’t see it. But if I had one, it would be that we didn’t know about this event. If we had, with the musical talent our kids got from their mum, we would have been here at the National Folk Fest with bells on when the kids were younger. We will be back, maybe in a caravan with a good heater.
To read more by Andy Thurlow on The Footy Almanac site click here.
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About
Born on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, my parents migrated to this wonderful country when I was 7. As teachers, my wife and I ‘worked’ in some pretty SA and Queensland tourist locations and ended up in the Barossa Valley, where I enjoy gardening, socialising, reading, writing, sport, travel, handyman projects and wine. Since retiring I’ve written 3 published biographies about Kieran Modra, Rolph and Marg Mayer and Margaret Ames. I started a Valley social cycling and coffee-ing club called the ‘Sprocket Rockets’ https://www.facebook.com/cyclingfunbarossa/ After some success at hockey, volleyball, tennis, golf, Church picnic sprints and the ‘Henley on Todd’ regatta, I’ve settled down to walking, cycling, Fantasy Football and watching sport, particularly AFL and cricket. A Queenslander described me as an ‘Ex-Pommie, ex-Victorian who barracks for Port Adelaide’ so it can only be up from there!
FYI, Lauren’s next show is this coming Saturday (15th) when she plays sax with a Pink Floyd tribute band called ‘Wish You Were Here’ at the Irish Club in Canberra. To add to her versatility, she plays blues with a very popular Canberra band called ‘Key Grip’, while she manages a busy day job.
There is something special about a folk music festival, and as you mention, the bohemian, collegiate feel of like minded people makes them a joy to be at. I haven’t been to National FF but I was a regular at Port Fairy for 25 or so years. Andy, the added bonus of your daughter playing must have been a wonderful treat.
Great stuff. It’s a joy when the next generation find their place in the world and are happy and fulfilled. Thanks for sharing. Music nurtures the soul (golf torments it).
Could not agree more PB.
Music is special and more so when it is your own child playing. This reminds me of a WOMAD in cooler weather. Love the atmosphere We attended Blenheim 6 years go and yes we had to wait for WEEZIL Scotts band to play at midnight!!