Adelaide Guitar Festival tunes up for first annual event

Adelaide Guitar Festival is bringing together some of Australia’s best guitarists in a thrilling mix of local talent and visiting musicians for its first-ever annual event, with tickets on sale for an exciting range of shows at Adelaide Festival Centre venues from 4 – 25 July. 

The line-up includes chart-topping blues and roots musician Ash Grunwald with soulful songs from his extensive back catalogue and most recent releases. With five ARIA award nominations across nine studio albums, Grunwald will present an intimate concert experience supported by renowned local musician Nick Kipridis and the debut of his new side project History of Trees. 

Adelaide’s own international cabaret star Carla Lippis makes her first Adelaide Guitar Festival appearance in 2021, performing her sultry vocals with a backing band including guitarist husband Geoff Crowther. Lippis will share the stage with a world premiere collaboration between homegrown jazz guitar giants Hugh Stuckey and James Muller. 

Trailblazing classical ensemble Melbourne Guitar Quartet returns with its dynamic blend of innovative arrangements, contemporary compositions and newly commissioned works in a double bill with 2019 Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition winner Andrew Blanch from Sydney.  

Melbourne Guitar Quartet

Known for emotive lyricism and energetic live shows, acclaimed folk duo Hussy Hicks is teaming up with fellow Queenslander Lecia Louise, a guitar virtuoso and singer-songwriter who effortlessly moves through the styles of rock, pop, groove and blues.   

Adelaide Guitar Festival is also showcasing some of South Australia’s most respected bassists with The Lowdown – a celebration of the bass guitar across funk, jazz, rock, experimental and country. Dennis Kipridis will lead the concert with fellow bass guitarists Flik Freeman, Damien Steele Scott, Nick Sinclair and Ross McHenry, along with double bassist Lucinda Peters. 

On the back of sold-out shows across the country, Paco Lara will highlight the flamenco guitar in all its authenticity, culture and artistry with The Andalusian Guitar. Across a career spanning more than 30 years, Lara has played with some of Spain’s most prestigious artists and has recently relocated to Sydney from Jerez de la Frontera – the birthplace of flamenco. He will share a double bill with Adelaide flamenco ensemble Compañía Alma Flamenca for an exhilarating evening of music and dance.  

Paco Lara

Adelaide Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan: “We are very fortunate to have so many extraordinary guitarists living right here in Australia, and this year is the perfect opportunity to celebrate their artistic excellence with a selection of inspiring performances and unique collaborations.  

“As always, we will shine a light on the guitar’s ability to star in any genre of music – everything from classical and jazz to rock, blues & roots and flamenco. It’s going to be a spectacular few weeks as we explore all the magnificent possibilities of this instrument, and the musicians who have spent years and even decades honing their skills.” 

Tickets are already sold out to headliner show The Stones’ Sticky Fingers, an exciting tribute concert boasting Australian rock royalty – Magic Dirt’s Adalita, Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson, The Cruel Sea’s Tex Perkins and You Am I’s Tim Rogers – at Her Majesty’s Theatre.  

Adelaide Guitar Festival has also co-commissioned The Bridge of San Luis Rey, a thrilling reimagining of the Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name, by Adelaide’s Brink Productions.  

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Previously held every two years, Adelaide Guitar Festival is the most significant festival of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Festival favourites including the Resonance programme will return in 2021, along with a free concert from this year’s Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition finalists and the ever-popular Guitar Winter School.  

Directed by acclaimed guitarist Paul Svoboda, a classical intensive featuring tutorials and workshops from 5 – 9 Jul will culminate in a performance by the Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra as the support act for the Melbourne Guitar Quartet and Andrew Blanch.  

A week-long blues & roots course will boast tutors Cal Williams Jr and Lecia Louise, along with special guests including Ash Grunwald and Julz Parker from 12 – 16 Jul. The course will focus on chord progressions, creative songwriting and blues guitar techniques as students prepare for a performance with Hussy Hicks and Lecia Louise. 

Hussy Hicks

This year’s Adelaide Guitar Festival will reach more regional towns than ever before with its On the Road programme, which already visited Hindmarsh, Lobethal, Kangaroo Island, Port Augusta and Clare and Gilbert Valleys. Even more town-wide activations will be held in Edithburgh on 10 July, Tumby Bay on 17 Jul and Cleve on 18 Jul.   

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM: “Continuing Adelaide Guitar Festival’s growth, we are extending our ambition this year to become an annual event while also expanding our calendar of community engagement and outreach programs. We are committed to sharing our love of all things stringed with audiences across South Australia, and we greatly value their ongoing support.” 

For more information, visit www.adelaideguitarfestival.com.au.