With the warmer months rapidly approaching, a new Festival in Glenelg on October 5 aptly called ‘Follow The Sun’ will be a showcase of Australian acts that will provide an amazing experience for several new and emerging artists, who will perform among established veterans such as Bonjah, Paul Dempsey and Dallas Frasca.
For locals Alice Haddy, James Abberley, Ciaram Granger, and Kym Higham (Voice Of Trees) this is an opportunity of a lifetime and will no doubt springboard them into new heights.
Awash with excitement at the prospect of appearing at the Follow The Sun Festival, Alice Haddy is literally a living experiment, given that she only left High School last year and started playing music as a school music project.
“A lot of my friends are a bit annoyed because they’re working at supermarkets during their gap years (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and here I am playing music- I’m very lucky in that respect. Also, some of them can’t get into my shows because they’re still underage,” says Haddy as she laughs at the irony of the situation. A relative newcomer who admits to an uncompromising hatred for, wait for it-coriander, Haddy is frequently appearing at venues across the country both as a soloist and as a support for others, and was influenced at a young age through getting out and seeing other performers. “There are so many great Australian acts going on at the moment, I think local people like Jesse Davidson & TKay Maidza are killing it in the industry. I’ve always loved music & my family were always seeing live gigs, so when I moved to Adelaide from the country four years ago I was able to see so much more. Musically- you can go to a gig literally every night of the week.”.
To get an idea of how good this girl is already, take a listen to her song ‘All We Are’ which she wrote in Year 12 after an experience in India, where she witnessed a woman on a bus dropping petals from her bunch of flowers as they died. “ It was really symbolic so I wrote it in my diary and the song evolved from that- it’s kind of morbid”. Not that that matters, death is an integral part of life’s journey, which she fully understands as evident in this lovely song.
22 year-old James Abberley quit his job as a paver to play music, and successfully launched his debut album in 2011 that set his place in stone, so to speak. He purchased an eight-track recorder with the help of his parents and made his mother cry when he played his first song to her. Of that, Abberley says “ I said to mum one day close your eyes and I’ll sing you a song, her crying was a good indication for me so from that moment on I kept writing. I really enjoy that process and having my own equipment to be able to do it when I can”. Having supported Xavier Rudd, Ash Grunwald and the boys from The Living End, Abberley is moving up the ranks of Independent artists as a headliner in his own right. His music is a blend of soothing and gentle acoustic songs with warmth and soul, as evident in ‘June Is Here’.
Not much of a city dweller, Abberley has lived in rural Owen, South Australia and has no intentions of locating in the city anytime soon. Perhaps that’s where the tranquility comes from in his songs. Often travelling the 160 km round trip to play in the city and sometimes getting home at 5 a.m, he uses the journey to vocally warm up and stretch his vocal chords rather than be worried about the long commute. “ There’s a strong folk music scene in Adelaide and it’s getting more competitive- there’s a lot of good muso’s getting around Adelaide now. With Follow The Sun there’s a good selection of underground musicians to support the headliners at the festival. It’s going to be a great experience”
Glenelg local Ciaram Granger has travelled Australia and Europe playinga blend of folk & blues with a range of instruments ranging from guitar, didgeridoo, harmonica and a range of effects that will leave you amazed that this comes from a single person! Originally from Warrnambool with strong links to surfing and the ocean, he now calls Adelaide home and is working on a new EP set to be released in September. Down to earth and laid back, Granger says that “Things are going pretty good at the moment, I’m working on the EP, excited about the Follow The Sun Festival and then I ‘m touring after that”. With a voice as smooth, smoky and mellow as a good whiskey, Granger is quite happy simply playing music and has a philosophical view of fame. “ I’ve been lucky enough to be able to travel and play, I couldn’t think of anything better really- I wouldn’t give up playing music for anything, I just love doing it”
When not impressing crowds with his music, Granger runs a solar electrical company, which keeps him busy but allows him to set his own schedule to play. He’s very realistic about the hardships involved with ‘making it’ in the music industry, and views his business as a back up plan should music not prove to be a sustainable full time venture. Ciaram Granger’s music can be sampled at his website, have a listen to ‘Long Ride Home’ which is an intoxicating tune indicative of Granger’s talent and has that ‘smooth whiskey’ feel. It’s a love story he wrote on a flight home from Europe and is about a girl he fell in love with who worked at the Moulin Rouge as a dancer.
He’s extremely excited to be playing for his home crowd at Follow The Sun. The Bay, as many other seaside towns experience, does most of its trade during summer but the past few years have been tougher according to Granger. “You always go through the slow winter period in Glenelg but I’ve never seen it as bad as it is at present, so it will be nice to see a Music Festival and hopefully it will spark some ideas to get it back to what it was (in terms of trade)”.
Kym Higham who performs as Voice Of Trees is an eclectic one-man band with a strong didge‘ n drum focus in what is best described as tribal roots and dance. Equally as excited about the Follow The Sun Festival as his counterparts, he says he really hopes everyone gets behind it. “Hopefully it’s going to be a beautiful day, I’m so excited about it”.
As a one man band, Higham’s sound is huge despite being the only person on stage. Heavy drums, percussion combined with didgeridoo, and samples have an entrancing effect on crowds and he is the perfect choice for this festival. “ I’ve played since 2012 and have done several other festivals such as Blenheimfest & Rainbow Festival last year , it’s been fun and right up my alley. It’s good fun and as long people are on the dance floor it’s good times.” Beginning his musical career playing drums for other bands, he learnt to play the didgeridoo on the road & kept at it. He had his unique style already on his mind and has built on it from there with the addition of sample pads and congas etc.
If multiculturalism has a musical equivalent, then Voice Of Trees is it!
“My music is based on good vibes really, where it’s at now is what I’ve been working towards for the past few years”. Higham also allows audience members up for a jam, which adds to the whole experience that Voice Of Trees offers. “It builds on that tribal dance vibe”, he adds. Another musician that utilizes the innovative idea of house concerts, Higham sees these as an excellent medium to share music and says that they bring everyone together. “They’re some of my favourite experiences due to the intimacy of them. The feedback from guests is great, people are having the time of their lives.”
Check out some of Voice of Trees music here, “Hip Not Ik” is a didge meltdown groove track that rides the serpent all the way home!
Being able to share the stage with BONJAH and Paul Dempsey from Something For Kate is a perfect opportunity for all four of these locals, giving them not only exposure but also the chance to learn from some of the best Indie musicians in the country. The Follow The Sun Festival will be at Wigley Reserve, Glenelg, on October 5. Be sure to support local music and businesses by attending this awesome day!
Early bird tickets are available NOW through FOLLOWTHESUN.OZTIX.COM.AU
More info on the Festival and lineup at: http://www.followthesunfestival.com
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