From a Spanish guitar legend to rock n roll royalty, to an iconic princess, there is an abundance of music to enjoy for guitar fanatics and new fans alike as Adelaide Guitar Festival kicks off tonight. With a program that features the world’s finest guitar players performing the very best in classical, blues, rock, jazz, flamenco, country and more presented by Adelaide Festival Centre from September 12 to 29, with performances at Adelaide Festival Centre and Her Majesty’s Theatre and beyond.
Adelaide Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan: “‘It’s such a thrill to be here, at the cusp of this year’s Adelaide Guitar Festival. I’m incredibly excited to see so many extraordinary performers gathering in Adelaide, many for the very first time. I know that all of the concerts will be presented with great pride and respect for our audiences and I’m personally very excited to be involved as a player in a few of them. Let the guitar festivities begin.”
Adelaide Guitar Festival highlights include:
In an Adelaide premiere, and only one of two shows in Australia, Adelaide Guitar Festival opens tonight with the majestic Requiem for the Earth with legendary flamenco guitarist, Paco Peña at Her Majesty’s Theatre. A monumental musical odyssey of passion and redemption, Requiem for the Earth celebrates our glorious planet while reflecting on humanity’s impact on nature.
This hopeful call to action features world-class musicians from Spain alongside the choral power of Adelaide’s own Rising Voices and the award-winning Young Adelaide Voices, merging the solemnity of a traditional Requiem with the vibrant energy of flamenco in an unmatched experience. Opening with Brisbane’s inspiring Aurora Guitar Ensemble of 26 young players, this concert will be a festival highlight on a grand scale, with a message for our times.
Celebrating music royalty, The Rolling Stones, Adalita (Magic Dirt), Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea, Tex, Don & Charlie) and Steve Kilbey(The Church) will bring a full-blown rock n roll spectacle to the Her Majesty’s Theatre stage for one night only in The Rolling Stones Revue. Enjoy the seminal Sticky Fingers album in its entirety, backed up by all the greatest Rolling Stones hits you know and love, on Saturday 14 September.
Experience the guitar in its purest form as outstanding artists from around the world bring their distinctive, virtuosic talents to Her Majesty’s Theatre in Travel Guide: A Global Gathering on Friday 13 September. Featuring China’s Xuefei Yang acclaimed as one of the world’s finest classical guitarists, Brazil’s innovative Chrystian Dozza and Australian global superstars, Grigoryan Brothers. Opening with the 80 strong Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra joined by Aurora Guitar Ensemble, this promises to be a spectacular musical journey. The ultimate tour guide, Megan Burslem from ABC Classic Breakfast joins the evening as MC.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM: “Adelaide Festival Centre welcomes performers and audiences to Adelaide our UNESCO City of Music to celebrate an exceptional program of ticketed and free events held across the three weeks of Adelaide Guitar Festival. Artists from across the globe will perform in Adelaide and be joined by the brightest Australian and South Australian musicians in a program showcasing the very finest guitar music in all its forms.”
At Adelaide Festival Centre’s Dunstan Playhouse, Blak Country will be a celebration of the profound resonance that First Nations people have found in country music through its themes of connection to Country, heartbreak and solace. Award winning Barkindji songwoman Nancy Bates who spent years touring with the late Archie Roach performs on the night, in addition to curating the Blak Country program. The bill includes exceptional performers Glenn Skuthorpe, Yawuri Penny Bonney, Scott Rathman Jr, Ngananyi Lakinyeri and Jess Hitchcock who wowed a sell-out audience at this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
This year’s festival will feature two album launches ARIA award-winning festival favourite, blues legend, Jeff Lang will be joined by some very special friends and play material from his forthcoming album More Life. While acclaimed local producer, singer-songwriter, lead singer (The Wanderers, 27 Club) and guitarist Dusty Lee Stephensen will debut his new solo project. Join Dusty, Ross Irwin (The Cat Empire, The Bamboos) and a 10-piece band as they share songs from DUSTYN live for the first time.
Dunstan Playhouse welcomes two exquisite solo recitals, showcasing the splendour of the classical guitar with South Korea’s Deion Cho who took top honours in 2023’s Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition and maestra Xuefei Yang. This is an intimate and glorious day time concert on September 14 featuring two stars of the classical guitar.
On Saturday 14 September, Dunstan Playhouse hosts Antoine Boyer and Yeore Kim as they return to captivate Adelaide audiences with their intimate, inimitable musical chemistry. When the pair visited Adelaide in 2023, they captivated audiences and critics alike, garnering 5-star reviews and a rousing standing ovation.
This year, Sydney’s Josh Meader Trio performs in Adelaide for the first time. Firmly based in modern jazz, this jaw-droppingly skilful team are rising stars on the global scene. Antoine Boyer and Josh Meader have collaborated online, with tens of thousands of views – this will be the second time ever that they share the stage and perform together live in a not to be missed Australian exclusive.
Space Theatre will host an exceptional array of guitarists over Adelaide Guitar Festival. Settle in for a blazing double bill featuring Lucas Day who is known for his soulful tunes and magnetic performances. Lucas Day will shine on stage with the support of his high-energy four-piece band.
Joining Lucas on the bill, award-winning Melbourne-based trio Opelousas will show off their swamp-soaked, psychedelic blues sound, a roux of Kerry Simpson’s whiskey vocals, Alison Ferrier’s guttural electric guitar and Anthony Shortte’s down and dirty grooves.
After decades in London and beyond, South Australian Music Hall of Famer Carl Orr returns to Adelaide for a special homecoming gig with Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan and revered jazz legend James Muller, backed by a brilliant South Australian band, in Carl Orr’s London Underground at Space Theatre. In a special festival flamenco fiesta, part of Paco Peña’s touring group from Spain, guitarist Rafael Montilla will be joined by dancers and musicians of South Australia’s acclaimed Compañia Alma Flamenca, and flamenco singer Cherie Morgan in a passionate performance at Space Theatre on September 14.
The Hon Andrea Michaels MP, South Australian Minister for Arts: “Adelaide Guitar Festival always shines brightly in the yearly calendar of music events here in South Australia. In an exceptional program put together by Slava Grigoryan and the team at Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide is set to welcome both international and Australian guitarists who join a talented line-up of South Australian musicians across the eventful three-week program.”
On September 28 to 29, The Princess Bride in Concert comes to Festival Theatre. The classic adventure-romance movie will be shown on the big screen at the iconic Festival Theatre with a live symphonic orchestra including Slava Grigoryan performing the evocative Mark Knopfler score and hosted by Australian comedy legend Steven Gates from Tripod. It would be inconceivable to miss it.
Catch the brightest rising new stars in the classical world of guitar when performers from around the world including Spain, France, South Korea, The United States of America, Germany, Malaysia, Japan and Australia descend on Adelaide for Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition. Be sure to check out the competition at a free public event at Dunstan Playhouse on September 15.
The popular Guitar Expo and Come and Try sessions are also back, where festival goers can experiment with the latest guitars and equipment. Across the festival there will be free talks including ABC Radio Adelaide Drive Live on Friday 13 September, activities and live music. Tune in to all the details via adelaideguitarfestival.com.au
Adelaide Guitar Festival will reach beyond the walls of Adelaide Festival Centre with its live music association around Adelaide’s best music venues with Guitars in Bars from 16 September and the festival will hit the road to perform in South Australian regional areas later in November with On the Road.
Adelaide Guitar Festival 2024 runs until September 29. Tickets on sale now at adelaideguitarfestival.com.au and via Ticketek.
