MATT GRAHAM, KURLIPA REACH AND 'UPTOWN' BROWN! at Woodford Folk Festival

Singer-songwriter Matt Graham reminded me what it was like to fall in love. As soon as he opened his mouth I was transported back in time and re-lived each touch, smell and sensation of what it was like to meet my partner for the first time. His voice was melodic and vulnerable as he shared stories of love, hope and heartbreak. As a listener, I was hanging on his every word, waiting to hear what was going to happen next. His set was intimate and he made sure that the audience felt like they were at home, which was such a lovely touch. Personally, I can't wait to download his music on Spotify and see what happens next for this Brisbane based performer.

Kurlipa Reach is a five piece alternative band which pioneer the form of 'smiley reggae'. However, the only band member smiling was the drummer and the bass guitar player on stage right. Everyone else had bored expressions on their faces. Maybe it was because it was day four of Woodford and they were tired which is fair enough but, as an audience member, it was very distracting. I did quite enjoy their jam session as they let loose a little and it was nice to see them finally give each other a smile. Overall, they had a very rich sound musically but hardly any performance energy.

Seeing 'Uptown' Brown perform in the streets of Woodfordia is always one of my festival highlights. His self-invented musical contraption which he wears on his back that even features wires connecting to his feet, has a plethora of music instruments built inside it; enabling him to embody an entirety of a 1920s-1930s jazz band in just one stride. He truly is a one man band extraordinaire and if you are still at the festival, make sure to check when he's playing next in the program. I promise that you won't regret it.

WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL | 27th December - 1st January

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