Warren Fahey

I should add that the festival is being produced by the Folk Federation of New South Wales, a not-for-profit organisation I was instrumental in establishing 49 year's ago.

Sydney, Australia, is set to host its first folk festival in over 40 years. It will be a festival like no other and staged across an entire block of the city's CBD - and using various venues from an 1841 church to two pubs. I have been appointed Artistic Director and as a concertina player I'd like to see a few players, especially English Concertina (I'm biased) at the sessions (I'll give special dispensation to the other systems!). The festival will be staged over the weekend 16/17/18 August and, hopefully, it will become an annual event. Don't say you haven't been warned.

Hello Stephen, Sadly no and I will be in New Zealand as of Monday and return later in the month. Ships in the night.

What an interesting thread. I spent my early years, about 30, as a singer in my own band (The Larrikins) and every single member (except me) was a brilliant musician. This made me nervous and probably lazy although I often dreamt of playing the concertina in the group. Fifteen years ago (yes, I am an early model) I gathered a new band (same name different musicians) and also gathered my nerves and became determined to play publicly. I got in the habit of playing in the local park and people seemed to enjoy my amateurish playing. I then started to play solo at Probis, Rotary and any other club that wanted me as a guest speaker (thankfully there were lots). I became bolder and found my individualistic playing suited my singing. My main reason in learning the concertina (I play English) was to accompany songs and, as you can imagine, tumbling words and melodies, can be a challenge. I had a few nervous experiences and then, I'm not sure why, I thought "bugger it" and I didn't give a tuppence if I made a mistake. The less I cared the fewer mistakes I made. Nerves are a curious thing. I now perform more than I ever have including being in a successful play, and always play concertina and rarely get bamboozled and if I do I laugh and keep going - HOWEVER joining in on a mass instrumental session is still bewildering unless I start it.

Folks, Something peculiar happened with the original Concertina Photographic Gallery page on my Australian Folklore Unit site. It has now returned and has been updated. Lots of fascinating concertina images including a photograph of Wheatstone's 'last female concertina tuner' (she couldn't lpay the instrument), cartoons, players, professionals etc. Enjoy, http://www.warrenfahey.com/enter-the-collection/the-collection-m-z/musical-instruments-in-the-australian-tradition/concertina-photography-cartoon-gallery/ By the way, another oddity (probably because the overall site is so massive) the scrolling with a mouse is often slow - better to use the scroll down key. Warren Fahey

I will be away over the holidays so I am sending Yuletide greetings to the forum readers of this highly enjoyable site. Thanks to those who make it all happen. The card is from the 1880s and portrays an Aboriginal Santa Claus riding a kangaroo and escorted by maids on emus. The young child is riding a galah! The sulky in the distance is driven by a Kangaroo and Goanna. You can't get much more Chrismassy than that! The second image, from the 1890s, shows Santa and a tree of watches - celebrating the first affordable wrist watch, The Waltham. The final image shows a bush dance led by (of course) a concertina player who just happens to be an alligator playing The Pioneer Polka. What with climate change we Aussies are faced with a hell-hot summer so please think of us whilst you sit by your cosy fires looking out the window at drifting snowflakes knocking out a few old tunes on your concertinas. Warren Fahey For those interested my Australian Folklore Unit has recently been upgraded and redesigned including the concertina pages. There are also svereal free radio programs you might enjoy (under 'concerts' in the 'enter the collection' panel. About 35 programs on Australian folk music, including 'The Songs That Made Australia' which features some of my collected recordings of traditional singers. There's also a crackerjack concert from Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger (with some concertina) and another from sean nos singer Joe Hearny at Sydney Opera House in the 1970s..

here's the link. http://www.warrenfahey.com/enter-the-collection/the-collection-m-z/musical-instruments-in-the-australian-tradition/concertina-photography-cartoon-gallery/

Friends. Here is a better link to the image page - apologies if the previous one was wonky .. I have now successfully migrated the site over to WordPress including the Big Squeeze section on concertina history. More to come.....

John....... it is a brand new site and I am still testing functionality but I just tried the above link and absolutely no problems scrolling down. Have another go

Oh, to make it easy for the other sections of 'The Big Squeeze' here's the site address for the free reed section http://dynamic.psgahlout.info/warrenfahey/enter-the-collection/the-collection-m-z/musical-instruments-in-the-australian-tradition/

I have just upgraded my Australian Folklore Unit website. Still have some correcting and heaps of material to add but I have just uploaded an entire section of rare concertina photographs, cartoons etc to delight you. http://dynamic.psgahlout.info/warrenfahey/concertina-photography-cartoon-gallery/ There's also sections on the concertina and melodeon in Australia plus a story on John Stanley 'The Concertina Doctor' who guaranteed his reworked Lachenal anglos (under his own name) were louder for accompanying dancing! There's lots more concertina history to come so sign up for my occasional newsletter. Enjoy the image gallery. Warren Fahey www.warrenfahey.com

I have been amassing a large numb er of cartoons, photographs etc on the concertina, particularly in Australia. I will be adding these to my Australian Folklore Unit website in a few weeks and I will advise Concertina Net readers when available (I am currently redesigning and upgrading my elephant of a site...) I thought readers might like this little story on the last of the concertina tuners. never trust the Murdoch press! Cairns Post 1949.pdf

Nice account of one soldier's concertina in WW1. http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RELAWM07996.002/

Joy. this is not a problem in Australia. The only thing you'll find, like most places, is that security sometimes thinks the concertina is a hand made bomb. I usually give the customs folk a tune and they do a wee jog. You don't need to claim you are bringing a concertina into the country hence no duties etc. Have fun in South Australia. There's a few squeezers in that city. Go look at the HATs Inc SA site etc