Big Fella Festival - Falls Creek

For over 30,000 years Indigenous Australians have been coming to the high plains, in the shadows of 'Big Fella' (Mt Bogong) to share their rich culture and the best of contemporary Australian Indigenous music.

Big Fella Festival 2010 will be held Saturday, 2nd January in Slalom Plaza, Falls Creek.

The 2nd annual festival will feature performances by BOMBA, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, The Grenadines, Tjimba & the Yung Warriors and Deline Briscoe!

There will also be an indigenous marketplace and food fair courtesy of the Koorie Night Market, plus cultural games.

It is free to come along. So join us for a celebration of thousands years of indigenous culture in the shadows of the ‘Big Fella’ - Mt Bogong.

To download the Big Fella Festival Poster, click here.

To download the Big Fella Festival Program & Site Map, click here.

BOMBA Bio

Australia's funkiest dance/reggae/funk band BOMBA got 2006 off to a flying start on New Years Eve when the band performed in front of 15,000 at Woodford Folk Festival Amphitheatre, and hasnt looked like slowing the pace for one minute. Since then the irrepressible multi-instrumentalist master of groove Nicky Bomba has led BOMBA on tour with UB40 during February and then in March to the WOMADelaide Festival, the Port Fairy Folk Festival and finished with multiple performances at Melbourne 2006, the cultural festival of the Commonwealth Games.

Now the Northern summer beckons with the announcement that BOMBA will perform at Womad Rivermead, UK on July 29, as well as playing the Spiegeltent Edinburgh Fringe Festival opening night party. More Northern Hemisphere dates are set to be announced.

BOMBA was the ONLY band at the 2005 East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Byron Bay that required a water truck to hose down the tent after their gig to settle down all the dust that had been kicked up by the incredible dancing crowd! BOMBA caused a stir at the 2004 Narooma Great Southern Blues and Rockabilly Festival as a frenzied crowd formed an impromptu and inspired conga line when Nicky and the band joined them for some righteous chanting and heavy percussive rhythms. BOMBA was voted best band at the Queenscliff Music Festival in 2003 and Nicky was dubbed King of the Festival by Forte Magazine in 2005!

BOMBA is renowned for their energetic live shows and passionate performances. The secret of BOMBAs success has always been their eclectic and righteous party blend of riddems, beats, dubs and funky soul! Bombas third album Learn To Breathe blends all these sounds with their impeccable reggae sensibilities and finds them poised to convert new fans not only in Australia, but overseas as well. If you've got thirsty ears and itchy feet come out and sample some of the most intense dance grooves, rich harmonies, powerful horns and soulful original material this side of the equator.

Band members:

Nicky Bomba: Vocals, Guitar, Percussion, Theremin
Paul Coyle: Trumpet, Trombone, Flugelhorn, percussion and Vocals
Dorian West: Bass, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Guitar, Theremin, Percussion, Vocals
Pete Mitchell: Saxophones, Guitar and Vocals
George Servanis: Drums, Percussion and Vocals
Michael Caruana: Keyboards, Percussion and Vocals

For more information and song samples from BOMBA click here to visit their web site...

Archie Roach Bio

In 1988 much of Australia was celebrating two hundred years of white settlement but a young Archie Roach was expressing in song what many who weren't celebrating were feeling.

For many indigenous people there was anger, despair, disadvantage, land rights battles and deaths in custody. Archie Roach dealt with this by writing songs about his own experiences and feelings and then performing these songs to whomever would listen.

Twenty one years later, Archie will launch his new album Music Deli Presents Archie Roach -1988 which feature some of the first ever recordings by a young Archie Roach.

For more information and song samples from Archie Roach click here to visit his web site...

Ruby Hunter Bio

Ruby Hunter, a proud Ngarrindjeri woman, was born at a billabong near the banks of the Murray River in South Australia. When only eight years old, Ruby was forcibly removed from her family and grew up in foster homes and institutions, eventually living on the streets in Adelaide where she met Archie Roach. They are part of Australia’s stolen generations. In 1990 Archie made his first recording Charcoal Lane and one of the album highlights was the song, Down City Streets, written by Ruby Hunter. In 1994 Ruby released her debut album, Thoughts Within and was the first indigenous woman to be signed to a major record label. A second album, Feeling Good followed in 2000. In 2004, Ruby and Archie collaborated with Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra to produce Ruby’s Story, an intensely rich musical experience charting Ruby’s search for identity and hope through love. Ruby’s Story won the 2004 Deadly Award for Excellence in Film and Theatrical Score. Ruby’s songs reflect her personal history. She is firmly established as a unique and powerful voice in Australian music.

For more information and song samples from Ruby Hunter click here to visit her web site...

The Grenadines Bio

The Grenadines are a Melbourne based contemporary rock band playing critically acclaimed original music. They have been described as “explosively rocky one moment yet sweetly soulful the next. Their mature and intelligent lyrics avoid preachiness”. Fusing rock, reggae, soul and country sounds these musicians combine to create urban songs about a future Australia. The Grenadines began in September 2002, when they also included singer, songwriter and keyboardist Alex Landragin and Gregory Fryer as original founding members. In February 2003 Polash Larsen joined the fray and, for a short period, the Grenadines operated as a five piece. The band has had various temporary line-up changes over the years, enjoying the live contributions of artists such as Kutcha Edwards, Nick Larkins, Benjamin Wicks, Michael Burke, Peter Rotumah, Bill Skermer and Simon Lasslett. Linc Yow Yeh and Brad Boon are of Aboriginal descent with Linc hailing from Queensland as a Murri and Brad being from Gippsland as a proud Koori. Polash Larsen is of Bengali heritage. They share a uniquely strong bond which plays out in their soulful urban sound. The Grenadines were nominated as "Band of the Year" in the prestigious Deadly Awards after releasing their Australia Council and City of Melbourne funded debut album "Story of Woe".

Band members:

Linc Yow Yeh: Guitar and Vocal - Polash Larsen: Guitar and Vocal - Bradley Boon: Drum Driver - Nick Larkins: Four string bandit

Key Gigs:

The Grenadines have performed at many, varied venues over the past five years with highlights including:

- SoCo Cargo – St Kilda Festival in February 2008
- Woodford Folk Festival 2007/2008
- Victorian NAIDOC Ball, July 2007
- Heart and Soul: in honour of Jacqui McCoy Geia, June 2007
- Songlines Survival Day in Treasury Gardens, January 2004 and 2007
- Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Federation Square and Victorian Arts Centre.
- Folk, Rhythm and Life Festival 2004, 2005 and 2006, Wangaratta.

Recent Career Highpoints:

Nominated as “Band of the Year” in the prestigious Deadly Awards, 2007.
- Recorded and Launched debut album, “Story of Woe” with funding from the City of Melbourne and the Australia Council for the Arts in November 2006.

For more information and song samples from the Grenadines click here to visit their web site...

Tjimba and the Yung Warriors Bio (Hip Hop)

The Yung Warriors have a plan! Their aims since last year were to start earning income, polish their stage show, record a brilliantly produced album, do live shows for their communities and in the mainstream and to tour regionally.

They achieved all they set for and more. As well as shows and workshops for their community they performed their original style of Hip Hop in mainstream clubs and festivals and even supported international act and hero 50 Cent. To cap it off they played an intro at the Anthony Mundine world title fight.

They played out live for their community right across Regional Victoria at Lake Tyers Community, Tarerer Festival in Warnambool, Yorta Yorta communities along the Murray, Wathaurong Community in Geelong and even Brambuk Forrest in remote Victoria.

The guys are inspired to show indigenous youth everywhere that ‘there’s always something good out there’ and to ‘hold your head up’. They reach out with ‘Aussie Hip Hop’ for everyone out too saying ‘our music is for everyone’.

Tjimba and the Yung Warriors supported causes dear to their communities such as the Snake Safe Sex program, Reconciliation Victoria, The Long Walk, the Melbourne Youth Custodial Service and Indigenous colleges at La Trobe Uni, VCA, Melbourne Uni, Monash Uni and KODE School. The guys helped out Fitzroy Express when they came to Victoria from WA too.

During the year they developed a workshop for schools with spectacular feedback from Camberwell Boys Grammar School and Melbourne Ladies College where students generally agreed ‘The Yung Warriors are the first cool indigenous people we met and heard songs from and now we are fans too.’

Warriors Tjimba Possum Burns, Danny Ramzan and Narjic Day Burns are all under 22 years of age Aboriginal musicians writing, rapping and playing their own style of Aussie Hip Hop with songs from their widely copied ‘WARRIOR FOR LIFE’ album now a hit across indigenous and community radio and TV

These music warriors are an awesome team and all family. Tjimba and brother Narjic and cuz Danny have that natural communication on stage that only blood brothers can have. Their connection is musical too. They work on tracks together, always producing their own beats and playing all instruments; every note is original and recorded live.

Born south of Alice Springs but now living in the backblocks of Melbourne’s northern suburbs around Broadmeadows, Tjimba is renown in his community and a very accomplished musician…. playing any guitar, keyboard, and didgeridoo as well as sequencing beats and writing lyrics.

His musical and artistic heritage is awesome…his father is the renown Aboriginal guitarist and songwriter Selwyn Burns (Coloured Stone, Mixed Relations, No Fixed Address, Blackfire and more) and his late grandfather, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjari, was the first representational dot painters and left an outstanding legacy of true genius.

Tjimba and Danny are so proud of their Grandfather’s achievements and how his paintings sell at world record prices. ‘Grandpa pointed at me one day and predicted “you’ll be a musician son”. The whole family is gifted in the arts with Tjimba’s three younger brothers and sister already playing music, acting and painting. Clifford Possum’s ‘Warlugulong’ sold for 2.4 million dollars recently.

Tjimba and the Yung Warriors have played at many Indigenous celebrations and festivals including at the NAIDOC Ball, the Songlines festival and at Australia’s most popular festival the Big Day Out in Melbourne 2007.

They hope to perform in Central Australia soon and one day in the USA next and plan to produce their second album next year. Tjimba and Danny are working on a ‘mix’ tape encouraging emerging indigenous rappers, already putting back to show how indigenous youth can earn a living and make progress in the music industry.

The ‘Warrior for Life’ album is out now in independent record shops, JB Hi Fi, Leading Edge Stores, the CAAMA Shops, Koori Heritage Trust and more.

For more information and song samples from Tjimba and the Yung Warriors click here to visit their web site...

Deline Briscoe Bio

Deline is one of Australia’s most talented Indigenous singer songwriters, hailing from Mossman in Nth QLD, now calling Melbourne HOME. Deline’s songs are a delightful mix of rootsy soul, gospel and tear-jerking ballads. Some of her tunes will take you on an emotional journey, capturing your imagination, while others are a mix of groove and evocative melodies. Her former outfit the "Briscoe Sisters" performed all over Australia at events such as Womad, Big Day Out. In 2004 she grabbed the attention of the country with many radio stations giving the Briscoe Sisters debut EP, “Check It Out” ample airplay, allowing them the opportunity to be voted as one of Australia’s ‘Most Promising New Talent” (at the 2004 Deadly’s). In 2005 the Briscoe Sisters received the Port Fairy Folk Festival award - “Maton’s Young Talent of the Year”. In January 2006, Briscoe Sisters recording a live album “Live @ The Tanks”, and then went on to play the set before Jimmy Cliff at WOMADelaide. In 2008 Deline began collaborating with producer Airi Ingram (Drum Drum/Grrilla Step). The CD is due for release later in 2009.

Band members:

Deline Briscoe: Guitar/Vocal
Airi Ingram: Percussions/ Drums
Nui: Percussions
Duzzy: Keys/Hammond
Phil: Sax
Daniel Dow: Bass Man

For more information and song samples from Deline Briscoe click here to visit her web site...

Koorie Night Market Bio

The Koorie Night Market (KNM) is an Aboriginal festival celebrating and promoting Koorie arts, culture and identity. Consisting of well known Koorie musicians and a range of arts, crafts and services offered by in excess of 40 Koorie artisan-stallholders at each market, the Koorie Night Market has an electric atmosphere and is a bridge between cultures.

Organised by Koorie Night Market Inc the markets are a meeting place, community builder, cultural showcase and business incubator. They provide the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community with an opportunity promote their talents and their cultures, and to build sustainable relationships. Attended by in excess of 2,500 people from the Koorie and mainstream communities, the Koorie Night Market provides an evocative cross-cultural experience within and between these communities.

KNM Inc is a newly formed, majority Indigenous controlled organisation. Board members include representatives from partner organisations, stallholders and the Koorie community.