THE renowned Festival of Small Halls will visit Allendale East on March 8 with internationally acclaimed folk artist Dave Gunning and Australia’s Claire Anne Taylor.
The Festival of Small Halls takes the best folk and contemporary acoustic artists performing at two of the country’s largest festivals and sends them on the road to tiny halls in communities all over Australia.
Gunning and Taylor will perform at the Allendale East Public Hall ahead of performances at the Port Fairy Folk Festival.
The artists were selected for the Small Halls tour for their ability to connect with the people they play for through storytelling, a wonderful warmth and a real interest in visiting places a little off the beaten track.
Each night of the tour is hosted by volunteers from the local community and is a chance for a town to show off their warmest welcome and most enthusiastic audiences.
Taylor crafts soulful folk songs that range from warm, mesmerising ballads to epic anthems.
With vivid storytelling, colossal vocals and a powerfully captivating stage presence, her live shows leave the audience in no doubt they have just witnessed something extraordinary.
Gunning has become a masterful songwriter with his recording career approaching two decades in length.
Eleven albums in, he has earned peer respect from Canadian folk songwriting legends including Ron Hynes and James Keelaghan and has earned a shelf full of industry awards.
Tickets are available at The Bellum Hotel, online at www.festivalofsmallhalls.com and at the door if not sold out.
Adult tickets are $25 while children under 12 will be admitted free.
Doors will open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start, with a barbecue and supper supplied.
