Frank Yamma, Ramshackle Army & More Chat Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest

The Ramshackle Army

Name & role: Kat, Fiddle

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? Dancing off the winter chills with some high voltage Celtic Punk. Part mosh, part jig, all fun. It also compliments well with a celebratory beverage or two.

What do you think separates the festival from others? The whole festival experience, the beautiful setting. There really is nowhere else like Tassie. Plus something for all the senses, sounds, sights, tastes. And the costumes. Every party is better when there's a chance to frock up. 

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? Very excited about Tovaresh, I'm a big fan of trad music from Eastern Europe. Also our local friends The Dead Maggies are always a hoot! 

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? July is looking rather busy for us with this and Leaps And Bounds Festival. After that, we're looking at getting to some towns and cities up the coast, and we're keen to get back the US in the not too distant future. Also recording a new tune or two are also in the works too. 

FRANK YAMMA

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? I’ll play a selection of tunes from a variety of my records - She Cried, Nguta Waltjipa, Everybody’s Talking, I’ll Try To Keep My Hands Warm...

What do you think separates the festival from others? The beautiful Huon Valley, those big trees, the burning man, not many festivals are in winter.

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? I’m thinking ‘bout recording an album of my old man, Isaac Yamma’s songs.

The Scrims

Name & role: Matt, Fiddler

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? All The Scrims’ classic hits, foot stomping gypsy doof doof!

What do you think separates the festival from others? Most festivals are held in the warm summer months, it’s great to have a festival to celebrate the depths of winter; and apples.

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? Frank Yamma has a beautiful voice and is great live, The Scrims love Frank!

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? Heading down to the Salamanca Markets in Hobart to do some busking!

Silk ’N’ Oak

Name & role: Ricky Saunders, singer, writer, guitarist.

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? We’ve toured to Tasmania twice now and both times we’ve been lucky enough to put on a show at The Apple Shed. There is a little story behind how we originally got to play the The Apple Shed. The first time we ever saw the Shed was a Friday. We waited until the artist that was booked that night finished playing, and we spoke with Dan insisting he let us play for half an hour before they closed. He said yes, and that is how we made the connection in the Huon Valley. Now we’re super stoked to bring the full band to Tasmania for the Mid-Winter Fest and we can’t wait to put on a show!

What do you think separates the festival from others? If we’re entirely honest, we haven’t actually been able to experience this festival in person before. We look forward to the festival for that reason. Based on the location and the time of the year we would suggest that the freezing temperature would most likely seperate it from other festivals. Not to mention the brilliant cider. 

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? We love music festivals for the sole reason that you get to see so many wicked artists. Mid-Winter Festival is no exception, and we look forward checking out as many acts as we can!

What other plans do you have in the pipeline?

Our appearance at Mid-Winter Festival is part of our pre-release tour. We’ve spent the last six months working on a bunch of new tracks and it’s nearly time to release our next single. Upon our return we will be releasing one of the two singles we’ve recorded with Steve Robin, and John Hudson (Mayfair Studios, London). 

The Stragglers 

Name & role: Teresa Dixon, banjo & vocals 

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? Rat bag bluegrass and boozy folk tunes fuelled by the best cider in the world.

What do you think separates the festival from others? The fact that the best cider in the world will be available straight from the source and we all get to contribute to a bountiful autumn harvest through the wassailing tradition. 

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? Always excited to see our good mates The Dead Maggies play some convict punk and can't wait to see the Bootleg Gin Sluggers, with a name like that they're sure to be fun. We're also pumped to check out Frank Yamma's songwriting stylings and resonant tones. 

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? We've got a few exciting shows around Hobart and over the next few months will be concentrating on getting some recording done, before taking off early next year on tour up the east coast of the mainland. 

Grim Fawkner

Name & role: Grim, the fluffer

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? Words and fast finger pickin’. Some sombre, some boisterous, wrapped up in a wet and muddy folk-country bow.

What do you think separates the festival from others? The wassailing for starters, that old ancient pagan goodtime. And the geographical southern-ness... Southernity. Whatever the word is. Basically, this must be in the five most southern festivals in the world?

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? The Dead Maggies, and if you don't know why you should check them out, then you should check them out. Also the violinist is a spunk.

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? Netherlands tour a few days after this fest if anyone wants to come for a laugh. New album out later in the year, pretty excited about that!

The Dead Maggies

Name & role: Mark, double bass and some vocals

What can we expect from your Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest set? Stories of Tasmania's dark and oppressive history set to music that's fun and lively. Acoustic instruments played loud and fast, it'll make you think you're a convict on the run. It'll make you want to drink 'n' dance, and folk 'til you punk.

What do you think separates the festival from others? This is the only place I have ever seen an Ent walking around. In fact, as the night got late I'm pretty sure I saw some hobbits, gollum and an elven princess.

What other artists are you excited to check out and why? The Ramshackle Army are a great band that we've caught a few times around the traps. They'd rival us with high energy drinking and dancing music.

What other plans do you have in the pipeline? We are off to Europe next, we've got some choice festivals lined up in the UK including Boomtown Fair in August.

Check out the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival website for all the details.