Current Issue #488

Silver Raven Festival unveils inaugural line up

Silver Raven Festival unveils inaugural line up

Set among the rolling hills of the Barossa’s Turkey Flat Vineyards, South Australia’s newest music festival features a handpicked lineup heavily inspired by the sounds of Americana.

Fittingly, the bill features a trio of acclaimed acts shipped straight from the US of A, with Alabama-born songwriter and former Drive By Trucker Jason Isbell, Idaho’s golden-voiced Eilen Jewell and Brookyln rock journeymen Endless Boogie giving Silver Raven plenty of trans-pacific cred.

It isn’t all imported stars however, with an enviable crop of South Australian artists set to bring it all back home. Having risen from Adelaide hometown favourites to Robert Forster’s new favourite band on the back of their debut LP Dogs At Bay, Bad//Dreems are set to add some rock muscle to the lineup, while more sweeping, country infused sounds can be expected from the likes of Koral & The Goodbye Horses, ex-Sloe Ruin duo Hana & Jessie-Lee and the plaintive blues magic of newcomer Ollie English.

The festival will also give local audiences the chance to bid farewell (for now at least) to one of our State’s enduring favourites as The Audreys perform one of their final shows before dispersing for an indefinite hiatus. After four albums, a few of those pointy shaped national music awards and countless moving performances, there’s sure to be a lot of emotion in the air.

“This lineup is all about quality over quantity,” Silver Raven music programmer Dan Crannitch says.

“From arguably one of the finest songwriters of our generation, Jason Isbell, to the absolutely stunning songbird Eilen Jewell playing alongside some of Adelaide – and the world’s – great musicians.”

Neatly complementing the open air magic – and abundant wine – of the Barossa Valley setting, the crew from The Happy Motel will also be present to provide a typically colourful spread of food. Between Here’s To NowNebula Deluxe various Adelaide Festival pops and Moving Music, they’re fast becoming the flavour of interesting, curated SA music events. “Adelaide innately knows quality in their food, wine, music and environments,” Festival director Alex Schluz says of the event.

“We’re lucky enough to have some of the world’s best in all those areas. We wanted to create an event where our community can enjoy all this in one perfect day.” Silver Raven Festival Turkey Flat Vineyards Saturday, April 2 OzTix

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