8 Ball Aitken, one of the headline acts at the Grass Roots Music Festival, seen here in Nashville.
Annerley resident Megan Cooper will be a headliner at the upcoming Grass Roots Music Festival in Toowong. Celebrating a full decade of good times on the mountain, the Grass Roots Music Festival is set to bring the sweet sounds of fine Queensland country, blues, roots, folk and acoustic music to the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens, Toowong on Sunday 2 November, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. The show is completely free entry.
What could be lovelier than Brisbane in the springtime? As the sun rises ever higher in the sky, a few special developments let everybody know that South-east Queensland’s most spectacular season is in full swing. The warm breeze riffling through the trees, the return of warmer-weather flowers, the purple rain of swirling jacaranda petals, the unexpectedly violent attacks on unguarded heads by suburban magpies – all this tells Queenslanders that Spring has sprung. And there’s one more seasonal signifier to add to this list of springtime delights (hint: it’s a lot more fun than tangling with magpies!)
Megan Cooper, Annerley’s rising star, takes the stage with her elegant delivery of country-infused acoustic magic. Generously supported by the Brisbane City Council, the annual music festival has been running for a full decade now, and presents an ever-changing array of the best of the region’s original country, blues, roots, folk, and ‘alt.acoustic everything’ each year. Running this year from 11:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday, November 2, the 2014 Grass Roots Music Festival line-up continues to promise an eclectic and exciting free show. Hosted by the ever-convivial 8 Ball Aitken, presents a fresh collection of talent for the pleasure of picnic-packing music fans. Families are especially welcome (but please leave pets at home; and, as always, this event is drug & alcohol free.)
This year, 8 Ball brings some tasty picnic offerings with him to the Mt. Coot-tha bandstand stage. Brisbane River bluesman Coojee Timms kicks off the show with his tasty original musical groove. The 2014 Toyota Starmaker winner, Jared Porter, combines rootsy realism with fresh acoustic country rock. Down in the dirt blues grooves get served up on a blue plate special by Cleveland Blues. As the afternoon warms up, the dancers will come out to frolic in force, with music designed to get festival-goers up on their feet and prancing on the lawn. Fresh from his most recent Nashville tour, 8 Ball Aitken will be performing crowd favourites as well as introducing songs from his new album ‘The New Normal’, which he is preview-launching during Grass Roots ’14. The festival garden of musical delights then heads down an Americana roots music road with the moonlight keys and chiming guitars, tight soul-pulsing bass and vocals of Red Crow. Harmony James, Queensland’s award-winning country hit songwriter, will bring city audiences her unique style of original country-meets-21st century contemporary music. Tiama Ogburn, Capalaba’s cool soul and blues diva, will be delivering hot grooves as the springtime sun turns the bandstand lawns Mount Coot-tha into a gold-kissed meadow. The 10th birthday of Brisbane’s iconic Grass Roots Music Festival – you know you wanna be there!
What: 10th Annual Grass Roots Music Festival 2014
When: Sunday 2 November, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Bandstand of the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong
Details: Free entry – bring a picnic – family friendly
For information, please email bird@phoenixmovement.com or ring 0408 075 959.
11:00am – Coojee Timms 11:45am – Jared Porter
12:30pm – Cleveland Blues 1:15pm – Megan Cooper
2:00pm – 8 Ball Aitken 2:45pm – Harmony James
3:30pm – Red Crow 4:15pm – Tiama Ogburn
