By TANIA PHILLIPS
THE region’s newest festival – Boomerang – has announced another major coup as it counts down to its inaugural event from 4-6 October at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm just north of Byron Bay, NSW.
Fresh from last year’s performance at the London’s Olympic Festival and two sell-out performances at The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall in March, come Wantok SING SING performing Wan Solwara Pipel.
Wantok: SING SING represented Oceania at the London in an unforgettable concert that drew rave reviews from the media and standing ovations from the audience.
Outside of its two sell-out performances at the Sydney Opera House last March, Australia has waited to experience the music of the Indigenous people of Oceania in their joyous fusion of music and dance.
The group of 17 features sublime world grooves and a powerful mix of drumming, amazing vocals, Samoan street hip hop, reggae, dance and much more.
Wantok Sing Sing features artists, dancers and musicians from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, The Torres Strait Islands, The Cook Islands (Raratonga) and Indigenous Australians including Frank Yamma, Djakapurra, accompanied by the amazing George Telek (Papua New Guinea), Vika and Linda Bull (Tonga), Airileke (Papua New Guinea), Albert David, Mariwo (Torres Strait Islands), Kas Futialo (Samoa), Tieni Ruapene (Rarotonga) -17 on stage in full costume under the musical direction of David Bridie.
The group joins a host of other world and Indigenous music artists, performers and theatre groups including Gurrumul performing with The Queensland Virtuosi Orchestra, Archie Roach with Lou Bennett, Emma Donovan and Deline Briscoe and a 10-piece ensemble, Ernie Dingo – Shellie Morris, Sean Choolburra’s 50 Shades of Black – Thelma Plum – The Medics, Tammy Anderson’s I Don’t Wanna Play House – Larissa Behrendt and a Film Screening of Butcher Paper, Texta, Blackboard and Chalk – Arakwal Dancers
What: Boomerang Festival
When: 4-6 October
Where: Tyagarah Tea Farm, Byron Bay
Interested?: Limited three day and single day early bird tickets are now on sale through www.boomerangfestival.com.au or by phoning the Boomerang Festival office on 02 6685 8310.
