Tony McManus

Hailed by John Renbourn as "the best Celtic guitarist in the world," Tony McManus is a master of the acoustic guitar who has redefined the boundaries of contemporary Celtic music

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Apolline

"AFMA Youth Artists of the Year 2024, Apolline is a lively trio of young folkies combining fiddle, cello, double bass and an extensive collection of colourful socks. The group views folk music through fresh eyes with foot-stomping sets and original songs to bring a unique experience of genre-bending folk."

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Azadoota

Azadoota blend traditional Assyrian dance rhythms with worldbeat grooves, performing catchy originals in Assyrian Aramaic. Founded by Iraqi-born Robin Zirwanda, the band features musicians across three generations, dressed in the vibrant costumes of ancient Assyrian royalty. Azadoota deliver an energetic, dance-friendly set that celebrates culture through rhythm, humour and connection.

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Mad Kelpie Playdate

Mad Kelpie Playdate is an instrumental Celtic six-piece, born from a shared love of crazy dogs and high-energy bagpipe tunes. They bring a fresh, modern edge to traditional Celtic music, with a sound that blends intricate harmonies, original compositions, and driving rhythms into a foot-stomping, heart-pounding celebration.

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Nerida

Nerida is a regional songwriter crafting thoughtful, rootsy songs that speak into deep places — hope, grief and the everyday beauties. Her performances are moving, relatable, and often joyfully unexpected. With decades of musical experience — including touring the UK and outback NSW — she invites listeners into laughter, singing, and connection.

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A Brief History of Human Stupidity

Stand up philosopher and comedic storyteller Stephen Sheely presents a randomly selected bunch of stories about the human fondness for doing regrettable, inexplicable, and ridiculous stuff, in an attempt to unravel why we as a species do so many dumb things and what if anything we can do about it.

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Aljamía

Aljamía is a music collective inspired by mediaeval Europe and La Convivencia. Songs and dances from the golden age of Islam and Judaism, Christian musician kings, visionary saints, and anonymous minstrels and street performers. Aljamía takes you on a journey to a forgotten and erased past of multiculturalism, wisdom, and beauty.

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Anousha Victoire

A weaver of everyday dreams, Anousha Victoire crafts timeless bilingual stories with fingerpicking guitar, bell-over-water vocal tone and sparkling violin accompaniment. Enthralling festival audiences from Woodford to Cresfest, she generates an emotional intimacy that keeps audiences spellbound, whether in on a large festival stage, in a hall or folk club.

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Black Bird Hum

A unique, driving blend of roots reggae, soul and dub, wound together with captivating hooks, solid grooves and striking harmonies, resulting in the type of big‐band reggae that throws everything at you from horns to percussion to tripped‐out synths and delay‐drenched keys.

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Black Joak Morris

Black Joak Morris performs the traditional Morris dancing of the bucolic English Cotswolds, danced to live music provided by our talented musicians. We are an energetic side from Sydney who couple athletic display with bright costumes and loud bells to delight and mystify audiences of all ages.

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The Butter Trackers

The Butter Trackers play regular traditional Irish sessions at various venues across Gundungurra & Dharawal country (Southern Highlands & Illawarra). We welcome any musicians who'd like to come and join along with us.

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The Cicada Club

The Cicada Club is a four piece jug band that will take you back to the time of speakeasies, flappers, hokum, bootleggers, ragtime, prohibition, and dirty low-down blues. Serving up catchy songs guaranteed to get your feet moving and hips swinging. Tunes to cheer in tumultuous times.

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Duck n Cover

With a musical foundation built from Blues based Folk music, The Duck plays a variety of unique instruments. Yes, there is the standard Acoustic Guitar, as well as Cigarboxes; Broom sticks and Buckets. There are stories, laughs, and songs to take your mind away from the troubles of the world.

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Echo Deer

Echo Deer sing about drinking, death and desire with sweet folk-country harmonies. Regulars on Sydney’s folk scene, they’ve played Illawarra, Majors Creek, Gulgong, Sydney and St Alban’s festivals. With two EPs gaining national airplay, the band is now working on their debut album, bringing heartfelt songs to new audiences.

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Gailla

Gailla creates golden folk-pop songs about climate, community and cycles. Soaring clarinet and guitar melodies, driving rhythms and magnetic lyrics weave together to invite you to dive into our future with fresh hearts and ears. Folk music that you can dance your legs off and think your heart out to!

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Gene Gibson

Gibson is a classic Americana artist with a modern lyrical twist. A charismatic and engaging performer, his shows with his four piece backing band are high energy and thought provoking.

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The Hootie Tooties

The Hootie Tooties are a Bluegrass/Blues n' Roots quartet from Melbourne. Drawing influences from artists like Tom Waits, Ink Spots and Jerry Garcia (of The Grateful Dead). Their music is a vibrant mixture of toe tapping rhythms and soaring melodies tangled with intricate fingerstyle guitar pieces and four-part harmonies.

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Isabelle Davis

Isabelle Davis is a Naarm based singer/songwriter of musical theatre inspired pop and folk tunes. With a strong focus on storytelling, Isabelle’s poetic lyrics are insightful, hopeful and often humorous. Greatly inspired by Ben Lee and Missy Higgins, Isabelle’s music adds a theatrical flair to a classic Australian sound.

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Jodee

Jodee is a unique collaboration between leading tabla player Maharshi Raval and jazz/new music flute and piano improvisor Keyna Wilkins with special guests. Jodee means "duo" in Hindi. Jodee is melting pot of ethno-jazz blending new music from all over the world. Keyna and Maharshi have been collaborating together since 2013, performing together in many ensembles from large flamenco groups to intimate duos in many festivals.

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Joe Terror

Joe Terror, a dynamic singer-songwriter from the Mid-North Coast of NSW, known for his unique fingerpicking style and emotive voice. His latest release explores a soft alt/country sound influenced by legends like Townes Van Zandt and Gillian Welch, performed alongside his partner Jasmine Loma.

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The Koalas Band

We are a Year 5 band from Sydney's inner west, debuting in 2024. We play jazz, pop and our own compositions with plenty of fun.

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Lisa Richards

Lisa Richards is a Canberra-based singer and guitarist. 8 indie Albums of narrative-rich songwriting sit between indie folk and jazz-informed pop. Years in New York and Austin underpin her distinctive phrasing and tone. Solo performance.

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Marcus Sturrock

"I was fortunate enough to catch a performance of Marcus; emotively weaving folk, funk, jazz, Middle Eastern, Celtic, flamenco and more with technical ease, diverse percussive beats on the guitar's body, while simultaneously playing melody, harmony, and scatting; a stand-out, innovative composer." — Robin Lumley (Audio engineer / producer for David Bowie, Phil Collins).

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Maypole with Molly

Maypole with Molly sessions are colourful, energetic and a whole lot of family fun. They provide interactive dance and percussion at many festivals, the first being at the National Folk Festival in 2009. The dance sessions specifically cater for younger folk and family members.

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Miau

Miau are a Sydney trio blending trumpet, bass, drums, and spoken word into hypnotic folk-jazz. Their original songs evoke urban and bush landscapes, with captivating rhythmic nuances and haunting tones. From Paris to Port Fairy, they now bring a unique sound to St Albans for an unforgettable experience!

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Moon Over Water

Experience the vibrant energy of our folk fusion, where folk rock collides with Latin bolero, bossa nova, and Brazilian MPB. Come on a musical journey that moves hearts and feet alike!

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Nerd on a Wire

Nerds & Music consists of two cyborgs assembled by some deranged mechanic in his back shed in Newcastle. Their repertoire ranges from sea shanties about the national broadband network to protest anthems about chicken salt. Audiences have been rendered dumbstruck by their weirdness, witticisms, wordplay, and alliteration.

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North and Elsewhere

Hazel and Roanna Law were raised on folk music and family harmonies and performed from a young age with their family band. When you're born into folk music, it stays with you. Their songs reflect nature, their childhood, the fast-paced and sometimes harsh world we live in, and the connectedness of all things.

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O, The Observer

O, The Observer drifts through the festival as a living cosmic eyeball, watching and reflecting audiences back to themselves. Its glowing gaze transforms ordinary encounters into extraordinary experiences. Both surreal and grounding, it invites wonder, joy, and connection, reminding us that every moment is worth seeing and being seen.

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The Palace Dancers and Drummers

The Palace Dancers and Drummers are an all-women acoustic drum and dance troupe from Amera's Palace Dance Studio, Marrickville. We perform Middle Eastern, North African and Turkish dance, rhythms and music.

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Peter Campbell

Poetic and powerful, Peter Campbell’s music has a timelessness to it – a rare blend of infectious alt-folk and contemporary relevance. Expect raucous participation, striking finger-style 6 string, feisty 12 string, tender banjo and arresting a capella – a powerful reminder of music’s ability to heal and inspire.

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Peter Mace Bush Poet

Peter is a performance bush poet and writer who has entertained audiences at most of the country’s major festivals and poetry competitions including The Gympie Muster, Tamworth, Woodford, Port Fairy and The National Folk Festival. He may have you laughing one minute and shedding a tear the next, but either way will be sure to entertain.

Possum

Acclaimed as one of Naarm’s most disarmingly honest and hilarious songwriters, Possum’s unique brand of hyperlocal folk captivates audiences with tales of Victorian towns and outlandish nights out in Melbourne. A modern take on Australian songs from the ‘60s folk revival, this is music definitely best enjoyed with a pint.

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Saplings

Youth musicians (about 8 – 18 years), come and have some fun learning Australian tunes and songs, or learn some percussion. A daily session just for you so bring your own instrument – music supplied or play by ear. Some percussion instrument will be available to borrow. Expert tutors from the BMC will be there to help you no matter what level you play at.

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The Silver Foxes

The Silver Foxes are the Sydney-based duo of Anousheh St Germain and Josh Shipton that improvise on classic Middle Eastern tunes as well as protest songs. Their fusion of Persian melodies and bass sounds aims to lead listeners on a meditative journey of peace and fury.

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Seal Prince and the Roof Rats

Seal Prince and the Roof Rats flow with a sound that’s raw, real, and utterly unforgettable. Grounded in a vision of re-connection with self, place and community, they channel the struggles of modern times into something soulful, joyful and deeply human.

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Solidarity Choir

Solidarity Choir sings powerful songs for social justice and freedom. With passion and purpose, they amplify these messages, celebrate struggles past and sing in solidarity with those struggling now. Join them for a moving experience that celebrates unity and the strength found in standing together, singing in harmony for harmony.

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Song Brother

‘Song Brother’ was an affectionate term used by Anthony Woolcott and Miguel Heatwole during almost 25 years together in the Gaelic vocal trio Triantan, It’s the banner they now sing under, together with their song-sister, Sophie Moore. Always loyal to the ancient and modern folksongs that nurture them, the group nevertheless finds harmonious pathways to other music. Their quest has taken them as far as Middle Earth where they intone an eerie reverence for Tolkein’s Elvish gods. Who knew that 1970s prog-rock, with its drums, guitars and synthsisers replaced by only an occasional bodhrán, would yield such gems of lyrical and melodic beauty? And through it all their voices weave tradition.
“An exquisite intertwining of heavenly voices.” - Fran Robertson, Numeralla

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Southern Cross Bush Band

Southern Cross Bush Band has been providing great music for bush dances for over 40 years. Many of these dances are simple folk dances and, with the bands' callers helping you put your feet in the right places, easy to learn and fun to do.

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Todd Cook

Emotive lyrics, earthy tones and raw appeal connect to a wide variety of listeners. His songs float from intricate folk fingerpicking styles to driving rhythms that stir the soul. His stories of Australian landscapes and people are accompanied by mesmerising instrumentation and a depth that constantly engages and entertains.

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Whiskey Dram

Bringing you a refreshing blend of sea shanties, bush ballads and old-time tunes – with a peaty profile of Irish trad, Australian Americana, blues, bluegrass, a briny punk palate and a burnt tonewood finish – Whiskey Dram invites you out of your seats and into the crew.

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Yulugi

Yulugi is a collaboration between leading song man Gumaroy Newman, a proud Gamilaroi and Wakka Wakka man and Robert Waetherall, a Gamilaroi, Bidgigal and Yuin man on yidaki (didgeridu) and dance, Raph Hatz, a Gamilaroi and Anaiwun also on yidaki, alongside Keyna Wilkins, a British-Australian composer/musician. Yulugi is a dialogue across cultures, inspired by the Australian landscape and animals. The word 'Yulugi' means play, dance or have fun in Gamilaroi.

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