Folk club plans 'grand opening' for 2021

The Peninsula's Troubadour Folk Club has scheduled a grand opening for its 2021 concert season for Saturday, February 27, at the Everglades Club in Woy Woy.

The night will feature traditional-electric folk band Traditional Graffiti, formerly known as the Wheeze and Suck Band.

With British roots, Traditional Graffiti presents a lively folk harmony in the style many find reminiscent of the great Steeleye Span, according to Troubadour president Mr Michael Fine.

With fantastic vocal harmonies, exciting instrumentalists and always with a powerful foot thumping rhythm, they give life to many of the great old British folk ballads as well as other songs from the folk and contemporary repertoire.

Mr Fine said the club was geared up for a great year despite the uncertainties resulting from the coronavirus.

"The current climate of uncertainty and threat of contagion, local lockdowns and the unpredictable closure of interstate borders make implementing any plans involving social gatherings difficult to implement."

However, the club planned concerts for March and April, as well as February, and was also hoping to hold garden concerts, he said.

The March concert would be held on Saturday, March 27, and would feature the WeMavericks duo, with fiddler and mandolin player Lindsay Martin and songstress Victoria Vigenser.

The duo were recipients of Australia's Troubadour Foundation Award 2020.

Mr Fine said three-time Golden Guitar winner Michael Fix will join with award-winner songwriter Mark Cryle for the club's April 21 concert.

He said they would provide "a unique musical perspective on Australian history with a catalogue of important original songs".

Mr Fine said plans for two garden concerts featuring local performers in January were put on hold, due to coronavirus restrictions.

"When it becomes possible to have 30 or more people together in our homes, we hope to implement the plans at relatively short notice.

"We'll announce them on the Troubadour web site and will let club members and others interested about them by email, phone, social media and word of mouth.

"Fortunately, current guidelines do enable us to hold our sessions and jams twice each month.

These are held according to Covid-safety protocols in the Eco-Gardens at Kariong Community Centre on the first and third Sunday afternoons of each month.

Tickets for the concerts can be purchased via a link on the club's website troubadour.org.au.

Further information is also available by phoning 4342 6716.

SOURCE:

Media release, 22 Jan 2021

Michael Fine, Troubadour Folk Club