Lineup Announced For 50th Auckland Folk Festival

One of Tāmaki Makaurau's grandest festival traditions, the lineup has been announced for the 50th Auckland Folk Festival, happening this summer from 27th to 30th January at The Kumeu Showgrounds. Showcasing folk musical sounds of all varieties for a whopping half a century, artists from Aotearoa and overseas will perform at the festival's four day 50th birthday extravaganza. Internationals on the bill include Melbourne / Naarm-based Folk Bitch Trio, Edinburgh-based The Jellyman’s Daughter performing here for the first time, the return to our shores of US folk artist Sneaky Bones, Irish fiddle player Manus McGuire, from Australia We Mavericks, and returning kiwis Kerryn Fields and The Frank Burkitt Band. The local contingent includes Theia's reo Māori project TE KAAHU (also recent Trash Recital guests), chart-hitting five piece T-Bone, Albi & The Wolves, Monty Bevins and many more.

Following a brief hiatus due to the pandemic in early 2022, the family friendly festival will happily be back in full force for their fiftieth year. Along with live performances there'll be "traditional dance performance and songwriting competitions, dancing workshops for those who want to ‘give it a go’, children’s concerts and sessions," plus those essentials of "camping with friends and family, music, dance, stalls, food trucks" and lots more. Scope out the details for this very special Auckland Anniversary Weekend event below...

Auckland Folk Festival 2023
Friday 27th January to Monday 30th January - The Kumeu Showgrounds, Auckland (Auckland Anniversary Weekend)

Featuring... Across the Great Divide, Albi & The Wolves, Alpaca Social Club, Butter Wouldn't Melt, Criu, Rthno Aotearoa, Folk Bitch Trio (AUS), Kerryn Fields (AUS), Manus McGuire (IRE), Monty Bevins, OrigiNZ, Rough Town, Sneaky Bones (USA), Songs from the Old Country, Sweet Bottom (NZ/USA), T-Bone, TE KAAHU, Te Wehi Haka, The Frank Burkitt Band, The Jellyman's Daughter (SCO), TUi MAMAKi, We Mavericks (AUS), Wheel of Experience

Tickets available at www.aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz

Take in Folk Bitch Trio's June 2022 set at Fight Night Records...

Experience TE KAAHU's video for 'Pai Maarire'...

Touring throughout Aotearoa in January 2023, check out the clip for Sneaky Bones' 'Sore Eyes'...

Press release:

The countdown is on! We are delighted to reveal the line-up for the 50th Auckland Folk Festival, Jan 27th - 30th 2023!

After two years of restrictions, and a brief hiatus in 2022 due to Covid-19, we are celebrating the 50th Auckland Folk Festival with a bang, over Auckland Anniversary weekend, Jan 27 - 30th, 2023 at The Kumeu Showgrounds!

In 2023 we are so happy to be welcoming a wide variety of exceptionally talented, international and local artists, continuing to push the boundaries of the genre, with music to surprise & delight! The huge music lineup sits in 2023 alongside a special 50th birthday celebration programme. Early bird tickets are now on sale so get in quick!

In no particular order for 2023, Melbourne/Naarm based Folk Bitch Trio blends the voices of Heide Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington and Gracie Sinclair into lush three part harmony, with a style which draws influence from contemporary and traditional folk, alt-rock and pop.

Edinburgh based The Jellyman’s Daughter are gracing New Zealand stages for the first time. Singing with an affinity and closeness that can often have audiences puzzling over who is singing which harmony line, Emily Kelly’s honeyed voice and Graham Coe’s soft introspective tone have an almost matching vocal range, like a fantasy collab between Norah Jones and Elliott Smith.

TE KAAHU honours the craft and skill of Māori songwriting and storytelling and is the brainchild of singer and songwriter Theia (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tīpa). Her critically acclaimed debut album has seen her receive accolades including nominations at the Rolling Stone Awards, Aotearoa Music Awards, and a Top 3 Finalist in the APRA Silver Scrolls Maioha Award.

From the United States is Sneaky Bones (Matthew Bean). Without needing to be categorized, Sneaky Bones is pure American folk music. The foundation of simplicity in words and music is ornately decorated across the sonic spectrum, freely roaming through the colors and tones of both tradition and contemporary exploration. All the way from Ireland, acclaimed Irish fiddle player Manus McGuire has recorded 15 albums since winning the prestigious Fiddler of Dooney, Irish national fiddle competition at age 14 in the 1970s.

From across the ditch we welcome We Mavericks, known for their uniquely gritty, evocative songs. Lindsay Martin’s masterful strings and vocal meet songstress Victoria Vigenser’s magnificent voice and driving rhythms in a connection that is hard to describe. This trip follows their sold out NZ tour in 2022. Another taking the trip from Australia is the award-winning Kiwi Kerryn Fields, who grew up in Te Kuiti but moved to Melbourne in 2007 and spent years touring Australia, NZ and Canada. After moving back to Australia post pandemic, she cemented her place in the music scene, winning the AFMA Contemporary Album of the Year in 2021.

Known for his solid live shows and also returning from overseas we welcome back The Frank Burkitt Band, returning to Aotearoa from the UK, and reuniting with their NZ based band members, after four years. Continuing with the raw live energy and magic onstage are five piece T-Bone. Storming onto the scene with their debut album Good 'n Greasy,in June 2022, and debuting at number two on the New Zealand Album Charts. The eclectic group has Americana flavours and a Kiwi folk feel.

These all join a veritable feast of exceptional local acts from Aotearoa including Wheel of Experience, Albi & The Wolves, Criu, Tui Mamaki, Monty Bevins, Alpaca Social Club, Across the Great Divide, Rough Town and Butter Wouldn’t Melt.

Stay tuned for traditional dance performance and songwriting competitions, dancing workshops for those who want to ‘give it a go’, children’s concerts and sessions along with plenty of space to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

The 50th Auckland Folk Festival will bring together a unique line up of creative and talented artists for a very special 3-day celebration. Expect a fun weekend like no other, camping with friends and family, music, dance, stalls, food trucks, free showers and toilets, just 15 minutes from the centre of Auckland City – what’s not to love!