Music At The Creek - Majors Creek NSW

[zondrae]

Majors Creek is a tiny village just past Braidwood. It has a dozen or so houses and a pub. It was a gold mining town. There is a large sports oval and once a year in November it comes alive with a Folk Music Festival organized by the Braidwood Folk Music Club. You can check out the website by searching ‘music at the creek’. Festival starts on the Friday evening and goes on ‘til late Sunday afternoon. A Poets Breakfast is held on both the Saturday and Sunday mornings and the local community provided a great cooked breakfast at a reasonable cost.

This year I was co-host for the poetry with Barry Lake and David Myers. On the Saturday we had a total of 14 poets presenting everything from original to Traditional works. Programming allowed for 2 hours and a large appreciative audience thoroughly enjoyed the show. Some of the poets were; Campbell the Swaggie,  Mike Richter, Jan Loch and her husband Nick (from Gosford Poets), Jane Scott and her husband (and popular Morris Dancer) Bill Scott, Alan (The rolling stone) Stone, Tony Shepherd, Bill Quinn, and Graeme Jolly. Time allowed for everyone to present two poems. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday. When I arrived at the venue 20minutes before start time the chairs were filling nicely and by start time we had to send for more chairs. We were joined by Fred Smith, Lorraine McCrimmon and Bob McLeay, with Barry Lake from Narooma, David Myers from ACT and myself filling the programme.   

You often find someone new pops up and ‘wows’ the crowd. This weekend was no exception and a tall young gent in a Kimberly Crush style hat appeared from nowhere and presented a Neil MacArthur poem. I have not come across him before; his name is James Norton from Currajong. He recited with a very confident manner and had the crowd in stitches. He was able to repeat this on Sunday so I am looking forward to meeting up with him again.

Aside from a short shower on the Friday evening and heavy fog (quite normal for Majors Creek) both evenings, the weather was comfortable. The flys, which are often a problem there, were held at bay by the slightly cooler days. There are 8 venues in the festival ranging from the main marquee, the acoustic venue in the Church to the local pub, workshop tent and the hall. There is a dedicated dance floor, and a kids festival and a full range of market and food stalls. All in all it was a great weekend.

[therese]

ahh, sounds great zondrae........... and oh so east, to enjoy!

[jim tonkin]

Would have rather heard about the event beforehand rather than sent an email being told to read about it after Jim

[zondrae]

Therese,
Yes, it is rather like Wintermoon, except the setting is not quite so lush.

Jim,
Don't miss out on Illawarra festival in early January (so that it does not collide with Tamworth) and Cobargo Festival  which is in February. We south-east NSWelshmen and women have about seven or eight festivals that have a good sized poetry input and following.  And don't even start me about the OTHER delights of folk festivals!

[jim tonkin]

Thanks Zondrae,
                       I will google them to try and find out something,but haven't got a clue where they are,maybe somewhere near Gulgong? Jim

[therese]

nice to see campbell there as well zoncrae.  quite some distance from his home base of wintermoon. 
he certainly gets around, lol

[zondrae]

Jim,
Illawarra Festival is held at Bulli, a northern suburb of Wollongong. (camping on site) and Cobargo is just south of Batemans Bay also camping on site.

[jim tonkin]

Thanks Zondrae,but besides the poetry I dont know any of the artists.Eric Bogle is the only name I know regards Jim

[zondrae]

yes Jim,
But how do you discover new performers if you don't take a chance and look in on them. Some of the dancing displays are worth watching, and there are always new and old friends to meet and chat with. These festivals are really worth the ticket price. There are workshops on all kinds of things that you can sit in on and, maybe learn something.  Illawarra in particular has comedy, Limericks, and the session bar for people who want to make their own music.

[jim tonkin]

Sorry Zondrae but I like Australian performers from Farnsey to Barnsey to Slim.Don't see why we should import other countrys cultures when we have the best in the world.And as a "normal "Aussie bloke I would rather be castigated than be seen on a dance floor.As for workshops I believe I've been to the best in the game,Ray Essery and Jim Haynes.Think I'll stay with real Aussie festivals regards Jim
.

[r. magnay]

G'day Jim,
jeez mate, I reckon you need to get out a bit, Barnsey!! sooner listen to a couple of tom cats settle a score than that no talent, screaming self centred git, who might I add is also the same bloke who vowed he would never return to Australia a few years back when one or more of his business ventures failed and no one would bail him out! I see he is back and never mentions that lot....reckon it was about the time he tried to make a fortune out of a few kids, unsuccessfully, then he snuck back without comment. And just for interest sake............he is an import too!

[therese]

hi jim,  some of our favs from the folk festival circuit are .. women in docs ... nadia sunde ... jigzag ... houseprouds ... perch creek famlly band ... the harmonics ... ploughboys ... richard karl ... and many more aussie acts. 

check them out they're great

[zondrae]

Thanks Therese,

(You know, some people think that folk festivals consist of only frantic Irish fiddlers and redneck bluegrass banjos)

There are hundreds of great Australian musicians playing at Folk festivals and often there isn't a tambourine or a bongo drum in sight. You couldn't get more Aussie than Fred Smith or Pat Drummond. If some people don't wish turn off the TV and radio and catch some great live entertainment then it is they who miss out.

[jim tonkin]

Ross fair suck of the sav-I'm an import too only been here 55years.Flame trees is possibly one of the nicest songs I've heard and also sang by the choir of hard nocks but you would not have watched that,from what I've heard of your politics.I've been out enough to sing a drunken ke-san badly at a karaoke night have you? And as for women in docs my sheilas daughter is a personal friend of one of them and I've been to the Gold coast where they have performed together.They have a big following of women who prefer the company of other women though not her daughter.I don't tell anyone what they should watch but if they're not happy with Australian maybe they'd be happier in another country maybe India or Thailand Jim

[r. magnay]

G'day Jim,

I have never said that there was anything wrong with being an import, on the contrary in fact, as long as they stick with your philosophy regarding their new home. The whole excercise is only a light hearted shot at Jimmy Barnes actually, my missus is a fan and I hate him! As for my politics, not too sure just where you are going there but it is not important, they have never stopped me from participating in whatever I want to get involved in, though I will admit I don't recall ever singing karaoke, which is probably quite a blessing really.
Each to his own mate, have a good Xmas