Festival of Small Halls

Claire Anne Taylor (AUS) 

Claire Anne Taylor crafts soulful folk songs that capture both the beautiful and dark elements of the human experience. Her music ranges 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 that they have just witnessed something extraordinary.

After winning the Byron Bluesfest Busking Competition, Taylor relocated to Byron Bay to record her debut album, Elemental. Released in 2016, Elemental received widespread critical acclaim with The Sydney Morning Herald describing it as “strong and assured”, FATEA Magazine calling it “exceptional” and the ABC’s Rick Eaves hailing her as “a national treasure”. Taylor’s poignant debut album has garnered her significant radio airplay on Triple J, Double J and ABC radio as well as international radio airplay on programs such as The International Americana Music Show, The Troubadour Show and Radio Nova.

2016 was a breakout year for Taylor. The album release was supported by two national tours and numerous festival appearances including Nannup Music Festival, Bello Winter Music, Mullum Music Festival, PigSty in July and Cygnet Folk Festival. Other highlights include supporting Liz Stringer on her album launch tour and a co-headline tour with William Crighton.

Book tickets here.

The Small Glories (CAN)

Folk powerhouse pair The Small Glories are Cara Luft & JD Edwards, a dynamic duo planted on the Canadian Prairies.  A self-professed “study in contrasts,” Luft’s folkie yin proves a perfect match for Edwards’ rocker yang.  Thrown together purely by accident for an anniversary show at Winnipeg’s venerable West End Cultural Centre, The Small Glories is a partnership that could almost make you believe in fate.   

Straight out of the gate these two veteran singer/songwriters built a buzz around their tight harmonies, authenticity, visceral live performances and equally well-matched guitar prowess that doesn’t come around often. Luft packs a mean banjo as well.  The Winnipeg Free Press asks, “can two singer-songwriters be better than one? Yes, emphatically, yes, if the two in question are Cara Luft and JD Edwards… It’s our loss they didn’t [join forces] sooner… It’s magic.”

Their 2016 debut album “Wondrous Traveler” is steeped in classic song structure, delivering instantly appealing melodic Americana with first-rate playing. The album found its way onto many critic’s Top 10 lists across North America and Europe, and The Small Glories are finding themselves on stages from Vancouver to London and beyond. Together, Luft and Edwards are a musical tour de force, a case of 1 + 1 = 3. 

Book tickets here.