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The 26th Nannup Festival program featured a beautiful design, integrating nature and music into one. Below the legendary Nannup tiger it boldly reads “A weekend of discovery and everything awesome”.

Having first attended the festival in 2014 there was only one band whose name was familiar with me (more of which later). So indeed it did turn out to be a weekend of discovery and as it is with  magic, everything was awesome.

With eleven venues and a cast of some eight-two musical acts, thirty workshops by the musio’s, three cultural discursive events and one  musical play on the life on the Edith Piaf story there was indeed something to be found for everyone. It also made the task of keeping this piece as a “summary” the writers equivalent of climbing Mount Everest!

So what follows is just some of the acts that caught my ear, eye, threw me around and everything in between.

Friday night finds were the Tijintu Desert Band. Hailing from Haasts Bluff, some 20 kms west of Alice Springs these boys know how to whip up musical treats, in the funk/reggie/rock style that just get you up and dancing. A mix of musical dexterity and haunting vocals keeps the vibe happening through out the set.

Folk singer Darren Hanlon cooked up an American style feast featuring some soul moods of the musicians he has met while on musical travels Stateside.

Closing act of the first night Kallidad, according to history should not have been there. It is festival policy to not let an act return for a following year. The boys from Bondi begged, begged and begged to return until the festival organisers just had to give in. To some they were the “find” act of 2014 with the high energy heavy metal influenced Mexican / Spanish flamenco instrumental musical madness. In 2015 they took it another level higher. Following the Friday show, a Saturday workshop of informative band history, playing tips and tricks and Sunday evening set entailed they indeed paid their debts. The last set finished with them and their belly dancing troupe being swamped by the invited front stage youngsters dancing up onstage. A Kallidad show is always A SHOW!!

As I’m running out of time and space the other act that has to be mentioned is Morgan Bain and The Swoop. Funk based blues rock that has a layered sound of keyboards and His Masters Voice over the top was, and is, amazing to witness in the raw. While Morgan is a musical genius so too are The Swoop. Words fail me at this stage so I can only hope you get the drift.

Other names to mention, and for you to take the risk and check out, are Jay Hoad (Butler/Jones style), Siobhan Cotchin (13 yo STAR), Harry Kakamarra (Banjo rock), Teischa (rock/accostic groves), Husband (country grunge), The Lord St Band (folk rock), The Pierce Brothers (amazing energy), Kat Wilson (country/pub rock) and finally The Muck Duck Bush Band (for the dancing lessons !!)

Nannup is indeed a musical / musio’s festival. With 2015 being the first sold out event I can only suggest you get your order for 2016 in now!!