The Strides

The Strides

Fronted by legendary Roots man Ras Roni from Barbados via London, Fijian LTL GZeus and Sierra Leonean Blaka C, The Strides deliver a musical experience that is as powerfully explosive as it is authentic.

With three acclaimed albums already under their belt, a European label signing, festival appearances across the country and having graced the stage with the likes of Julian Marley, Tony Allen, Third World and Groundation, The Strides’ music faithfully builds on the foundations of classic Roots Reggae with a Hip-Hop edge, forging a sound that brings together modern dance hall, dub beats and reggae-pop. Their 2018 Boomerang performances will have the Juke Joint bouncing.

The Strides have forged a truly global sound, melding a diversity of cultures and instrumentation under the one universal consciousness.

Yirrmal

Yirrmal

New gen Indigenous Australian artist Yirrmal Marika, from North-East Arnhem Land, has made a huge splash on the music scene. Inspired by his Grandfather, Dr Yunupingu, former lead singer of Yothu Yindi, he fuses tradition and with class and passion. Yirrmal is an inspiring songwriter and guitarist with a beautiful voice, singing songs about his homeland and culture with feeling and depth beyond his years.

Yirrmal has lived in Geelong since 2011, where he has been continuing his education and participating in the Marrma’ Rom Two Worlds Leadership Program. He aims to set an example for Indigenous youth and to be a strong, positive role-model for the next generation.

Over the past 3 years Yirrmal has worked with song-writing mentors Neil Murray, Shane Howard and released his debut EP ‘Youngblood’ in November 2016. Yirrmal is currently working to write material for his first full-length album.  2018 is already off to a great start for Yirrmal, he featured on the highly successful song “Marryuna “with Baker Boy that came in at Number 17 in Triple J’s Hottest 100

This festival season he will perform with his band ‘Yirrmal and the Miliyawutj’, giving a rocking edge to his potent songs. ‘Miliyawutj’ is a Yolngu word that refers to fertile waters where the fresh and salt water meet, describing the delicate balance between two powerful entities. Yirrmal and the Miliyawutj’s powerful live performances are something every Australian should experience.

Sorong Samarai

Sorong Samarai.

“Powerful”  – Rolling Stone

“Takes it toe to toe with the heavyweights of Hip-Hop”  – Rhythm Magazine

Papua New Guinea (PNG) /Australian musician Airileke’s latest project Sorong Samarai brings together rising stars of PNG and Indonesia’ s underground urban music scene.  Heavy beats and fierce log drumming of the Manus Islands combine to create a fresh sound that’s truly unique to their part of the globe. 

Razor sharp lyrics from multilingual MCs Sprigga Mek (PNG) and Ukam Maniczy (Indonesia) bring an insight into the ghetto life of Port Moresby, and the aspirations of freedom for West Papua.  Bass man Richard Mogu, based in the highlands of PNG and Master percussionist Airileke combine to create one of the most unique rhythm sections in the region bringing ancient Melanesian rhythms to the future. Hauntingly beautiful flutes that depict the Birds of Paradise, chants and sound scapes will take you deep into the jungles of PNG. 

Dance duo The Roem Brothers hailing from the highlands of West Papua came to Australia as refugees before they were teenagers. They have since developed one of the freshest forms of Pacific Island dance. Sorong is the name of a town on the northwest tip of West Papua, Samarai is a town on the southeast tip of PNG, the band represent the unification of the 2 regions that were once divided and isolated from each other.

The first single of the band “Sorong Samarai” took the Pacific region by storm in 2016 breaking through the silence in the mainstream media on the issue of West Papua. This is music of resistance from one of the newest and harshest urban environments on the planet, right here on Australia’s door step: Papua.

Benny Walker

Benny Walker

“Walker’s voice has the drag and timbre of a natural soul man …his music is pure blues-rock, buoyed by clean, lyrical guitar solos and the throb of electric organ”. – Michael Dwyer, The Age

“Ghost oozes class. Sophisticated and soulful, it’s another step on Benny Walker’s road to superstardom.” – Jeff Jenkins

“A year ago Benny Walker showed potential. Now he’s the real deal, a soul singer as ready to sing about the world as about the heart, in a rich song that sounds old-before-its-time yet anything but old-fashioned.” – Bernard Zuel 

Yorta Yorta singer/songwriter Benny Walker is the real deal. His love songs and epic tales are mixed with passion for people, the land, summer vibes and deep grooves that reach the soul. Capturing hearts with darker tracks reflecting a shadowy side such as those on album ‘Through the Forest’ through to upbeat songs such as “Summer Sun”, Benny’s killer voice and song writing talents have impressed audiences far & wide. 

Nominated for 4 NIMA awards in 2016 (New Talent of the Year, Best Song, Best Cover art and Best film clip) for “Oh No You Don’t” a song that shot to number one on the AMRAP chart was soon followed by another number one with the heart wrenching single “Save”. 2016 closed on a winning streak when Benny took home the gong for Best Aboriginal Act at The Age Music Victoria Music Awards.

In September 2017 Benny released his new single “Ghost” from the new EP ‘Undercover’; both debuted at Number one on the iTunes Blues Chart. In recent years Benny has played some of the country’s favourite festivals including Woodford, Festival of King Island, Deni Rhythm, Blues and Jazz, Blue Mountains and St Kilda Festival.

Benny Walker is a star in the making and has performed alongside some of Australia’s finest, including Archie Roach, Alex Lloyd, Blue King Brown and Tim Rogers. An accomplished solo performer, Benny is regularly joined on stage by his band, where he replaces his acoustic guitar with a Telecaster and indulges his passion for a big blues-rock sound.

He’s going to win a lot of hearts during his 2018 Boomerang sets at Bluesfest 2018.

Narasirato

“Punchy, distinctive and full of energy…these guys really rock.”  – Simon Broughton – The London Evening Standard

“The pipes show their funkier side, with western touches in the percussive onslaught…”  – Neil Spencer – The Observer

“The hottest band in the Pacific.”  – Seth Jordan – Songlines

“I danced like a loon.”  – Christopher Condor – fRoots

Narasirato. Say it out loud: Na-ra-si-ra-to. Then picture a kind of bamboo orchestra, hammering polyrhythms from log drums and ‘stomping tubes’ and blasting away on giant pan pipes; a sound the London Evening Standard called ‘punchy, distinctive and full of energy’, that the Observer newspaper deemed ‘funky and bluesy, with a reggae pulse and tracks that rock out’.

Abandon all stereotypes: anyone who has seen their spectacular live show or heard their acclaimed 2012 debut “Warato’o” – an album made with the support of Strummerville, the Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music – will know to expect the unexpected. Sunshine aside, that is: right from their first international show in Japan in 2010, and for the dozens of festivals including Glastonbury and Roskilde they have played since then, Narasirato have stopped the rain, cleared the skies and seen the sun shine through each and every set. 

Their latest album ‘Inoni Ana Totoraha or ‘Man of Culture’ is fired by the confidence that comes from two world tours and unanimous acclaim; from wowing tens of thousands at festivals including Sziget, WOMAD and Fuji Rock as well as Glastonbury and Roskilde; from watching everyone from indie-kids and metalheads to world music fans wigging out to Narasirato’s feel good grooves.  From a pride in who they are and where they live, and in a musical tradition that stretches back generations.

“The success of Narasirato has had an enormous effect on the cultural music of the Solomons,” says Houanihau. “The youth see them as icons; the number of panpipe bands across the country has increased. They’ve created a national identity where people at home and abroad now connect ‘panpipe music’ with the Solomon Islands.”

It’s an image set to be reinforced by “Inoni Ana Totoraha”, a firing-on-all-bamboo-cylinders-album that Glastonbury co-organiser Nick Dewey has already fallen for: “I love it,” Dewey says. “It’s a big step on and just a great record.”

A record made with heart, and one that begs repeated listening. “We are men of culture,” says Manu’asi. “We want to draw attention to our way of life, to use music to raise awareness of what is happening to our forests, sea and land. We have learned much from touring, rehearsing, and rehearsing some more.” He flashes a grin. “With Inoni Ana Totoraha”, Narasirato is ready to take the world by storm.”

Move It Mob Style

Move it Mob Style with Darren Compton

Darren is a proud descendent of Yugembeh, Minjungbal, Munanjali, and Gamillaraay nations of the mainland, and the Mer people of the Torres Strait Islands.

Darren is a proficient Yiggi Yiggi (Didgeridoo) player, a visual artist/craftsman and a multi-skilled Indigenous performer and dancer in both traditional and hip-hop dance. Darren has been dancing since the age of 13 and has performed in over 5000 shows across Australia, from remote communities to urban corporate functions. Darren’s cultural back bone was solidified with The Doonooch Dance Company who are one of the world’s premier traditional Aboriginal dance companies.

 They are the dynamic result of the self-healing program begun in 1998 by Bobby McLeod (dec).  Tradition, culture and ceremony inspire and define The Doonooch Dance Company and this has been passed onto Darren who has also performed internationally, travelling to over 24 countries representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture.

Eric Avery

Eric Avery

Eric Avery is a Ngiyampaa, Yuin, Bandjalang and Gumbangirr artist. As part of his practice Eric plays the violin, dances and composes music. Working with his family’s custodial songs he seeks to revive and continue an age-old legacy – continuing the tradition of singing in his tribe – utilising his talents to combine and create an experience of his people’s culture.

Eric is currently engaged dancing with Marrugeku and has previously had a mentorship at The Australian Ballet (predominantly in Movement Education) and studied dance at NAISDA Dance college. 

An avid violinist Eric started learning classical music by “ear” when he was 11 and continued to train at Newtown Performing Arts and is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance, Violin) at the Australian Institute of Music. He combines his skills on the violin to perform classical music and create new contemporary music expressing his Koori (NSW Aboriginal) heritage.

Te Kopere Maori Healing

 

Te Kopere Maori Healing 

Under the guidance of healer Christine Bullock, New Zealand’s Rongoa Maori is the traditional healing system of Maori. It focuses on the oral transmission of knowledge, diversity of practice and the spiritual dimension of health. Rongoa Maori encompasses herbal remedies, physical therapies and spiritual healing.

Experience the real art of Rongoa Maori Healing at Boomerang. Maori are Indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand and at Boomerang Festival you will have the opportunity to take part in some very special workshops that will have you walk away feeling focused and centred.

Jannawi Dance Clan

Jannawi Dance Clan

Jannawi Artistic Director is Peta Strachan, a Darug woman with a passion for Sydney’s language culture and stories. Peta is a multi-disciplinary dancer teacher, choreographer, set designer, and costume designer. Jannawi dancers and students are predominantly from the inner west suburbs and
surrounding areas of Sydney.  Jannawi recognises the enormous benefits gained through indigenous contemporary and traditional dance. Jannawi can go far in filling the void and providing a nexus for the strands of talent development, education and cultural identity engagement required in the young people of our community.

The company and its member collectively have performed across many festivals and events such as Woggan-ma-gule ceremony, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Woodford Folk Festival, Homeground, the Dreaming. Internationally they were one of the highlights at the opening of the Muse Du Quay Branly, Paris, The Sydney Olympics Opening and Closing ceremonies, Barangaroo opening events and more recently the Darwin Telstra Art Awards. 

Muggera Dancers

Muggera Dancers

In 2015 Darren Compton and Jacqui Cornforth founded Muggera Dancers, a family group who prides themselves on their cultural knowledge and professionalism. The members for Muggera come from a long line of cultural leaders, song men, world-class dancers and didgeridoo players with a formidable respect for culture. All members of Muggera have been performing and sharing their culture for many years and have been guided by their Elders over many decades.

Muggera has ongoing support from community and family Elders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities to share culture, establish the Muggera Dance group and set a new standard for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural performance and engagement in Australia.

Bundjalung Local Artisans and Weavers

When you weave you have an instant connection to country as your using local flora hearing age old stories and reflecting. Weaving is an important cultural practice for both men and women. Intricately woven fibre baskets were traditionally highly prized for their practicality, and today treasured for their aesthetic excellence. Participants will learn the basic technique of varying styles from coiling to matting while developing an understanding of cultural importance of weaving and fishing techniques used by the Aboriginal community in this region. Weave a bracelet, basket, mat, and or a simple net to catch fish’ Open to all ages, relax and join the weaving circle.

 

THE 2018 ARTIST DAILY PLAYING SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE ON BLUESFEST.COM.AU

Festival and Camping tickets are now on sale through bluesfest.com.au or by phoning the Bluesfest office on 02 6639 9800

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