What’s On – Adelaide Festival Centre

Adelaide Festival Centre’s Adelaide Guitar Festival is Australia’s favourite guitar festival. The biannual festival runs 9-12 August and features an eclectic, exciting line up of local, national and international artists across all genres of guitar, from rockabilly to rock, soul to blues, classical to country and everything in between.

Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan’s 2018 programme champions 20 international artists, five world premieres, two Australian premieres and four Adelaide premieres as well as workshops, artist talks, a guitar expo, masterclasses, competitions and more.

Adelaide Guitar Festival celebrates one of the world’s most popular instruments

Australian legend Tommy Emmanuel will show off his artistry on opening night, along with special guest guitarists Pedro Javier Gonzalez and Richard Smith. The festival also features Grammy-award winning electric guitar legend Albert Lee. The Guitar Festival Symphony Gala is a festival highlight, and this year’s Festival Finale features South Africa’s Derek Gripper.

Australian legend and global favourite, Tommy Emmanuel brings rock ‘n’ roll spirit and guitar mastery

The 2018 programme celebrates women in music. Perth’s formidable Abbe May will host a night of female performers at Clam Jam. Audiences can expect a kaleidoscope of colour and a feast for the sense with cutting-edge performer Kaki King. In a festival exclusive, the Beijing Guitar Duo will perform with Marko Topchii. Martha Masters, Kelly Menhennett, and Hana and Jessie-Lee’s Bad Habits will also be featured.

Kaki King: an intrepid visionary guitarist at her dynamic best

Taking the festival to unexpected places, Guitars in Bars shines a light on South Australia’s vibrant live music scene and is the ultimate precursor to the festival. With this year’s expansion into regional areas, the programme is bigger than ever. Guitars in Bars is live from 13 to 29 Jul in Adelaide and regional South Australia.

Bringing world class music to places of healing, Resonance delivers Adelaide Guitar Festival to people who would not otherwise be able to attend. Lead by Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan, festival stars will perform in hospitals, community centres and homes for older people across South Australia from 28 Jul to 10 Aug.

Resonance brings the stars of the festival to the community

Guitar Festival Winter School, from 16 to 20 Jul,  is a one-week intensive programme run by some of the country’s finest guitar players, covering two streams of tuition across blues and roots and classical genres, for all ages and skill levels.

The Duesenberg Guitar Exhibition is a unique collaboration between two UNESCO Creative Cities of Music, Hannover and Adelaide, exclusively for Adelaide Guitar Festival. Famous for its art deco aesthetic and rock ‘n’ roll sound, the Duesenberg guitar collection will be on display throughout the festival.

Find out more about Adelaide Festival Centre’s events and activities here.
Visit Adelaide Guitar Festival’s website here.