Countdown to Woodford Folk Festival 2018

The Fergies are just one band in a diverse line-up of acts ready to ‘knock it out of the park’ at this year’s Woodford Folk Festival. We chat to them as they reflect on a big year and make plans for 2019.

The Fergies will be performing at Woodford Folk Festival 2018.

THE Fergies will take to the stage with a new-found confidence when play at this year’s Woodford Folk Festival.

The Narangba-based band is comprised of siblings Kahlia, Daniel, Joel, Shani and Nathan Ferguson, who have learned much about themselves and their music since they formed in 2007.

They shared the stage with Powderfinger during the band’s 2010 farewell tour performance at Caloundra and have also appeared on television.

Originally known as Freak Morice, they changed their name to The Fergies in 2012 and have spent much of the past four years busking in a bid to learn more about their sound and connect with audiences.

“There were times when we wanted to give up, but we pushed through and realised what made people stop on the streets and what we liked playing,” Kahlia said.

Daniel said playing acoustic music helped define the sound which has become a foundation for what they do now.

“Being eyeball to eyeball with so many different people. There’s so many different things that resonate with people,” he said.

They released their first full album, For Every Son and Daughter, in June 2017.

Daniel described the new album Love Hope Peace, which was released on December 2, as next level.

“We’re much more sure of ourselves this time. We’re in a really good place musically right now,” he said.

It follows a huge year — performing in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and at a string of festivals.

The siblings have learned plenty in the past decade and are grateful for the support they have had from fans who helped fund the new album.

They released the first few songs which were bought by fans, before releasing a second batch which also sold and enabled them to release an entire album.

Kahlia says they would not have had the money to do it without their supporters.

“We’re so unbelievably thankful,” she says.

Next year, they plan to take their new album around Australia and overseas before working on their next release.

“Every year we get to the beginning and think I don’t know what this year is going to bring,” Kahlia says. “It keeps life interesting.”

You can expect to hear plenty from the new album at this year’s Woodford Folk Festival.

Xavier Rudd will be playing at Woodford Folk Festival.

Festival head of programming Chloe Goodyear says key to ensuring the event is fresh every year is an ever-changing program.

“Sixty-five per cent of artists each year have never played at Woodford,” she says. “You can still discover things and see familiar ones that make it feel like coming home.”

She’s particularly looking forward to artist and speaker Lucy Peach, and listening to Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis and the ABC’s Dr Karl who will be a popular double act as part of the Children’s Festival component.

She also can’t wait to see Grammy-award winning Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Kimbra, Julia Jacklin and her favourite jazz singer, Vince Jones, on stage.

Add in The Cat Empire, Xavier Rudd, The Waifs, Deja Voodoo, Electric Fields, and the return of the circus venue and you get an idea of how diverse the program is.

The Cat Empire will be performing at Woodford Folk Festival 2018.

WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL

What: More than 400 acts across 25 venues with an expected audience of 125,000 people

Highlights: The Cat Empire, The Waifs, Xavier Rudd, Kimbra, Dan Sultan, Steven Gates and Paul McDermott, Mel Parsons

When: December 27 to January 1

Where: Woodfordia, 87 Woodrow Rd

Visit: woodfordfolkfestival.com for tickets