Music of the world comes to Bulli

Mary Stratton (left) and Leneve Kelly from Woonona set up camp for this weekend's folk festival. Pictures: GREG TOTMAN

Lara Kelly, 5, and sister Grace, 2, added an oriental flavour to the Illawarra Folk Festival, which is being staged at Bulli this weekend.

A host of festival-goers were setting up shop yesterday afternoon at the camping grounds.

The Illawarra Folk Festival will erupt in song this weekend when music of the world comes to Bulli.Heading the charge will be Sydney outfit Tapestries of Sound, bringing its kaleidoscopic mix of Indian, Middle-Eastern and Celtic sounds mixed with a dash of Aussie ballads.Frontman Mahesh Radhakrishnan, 27, said the group's varied repertoire mirrored a cultural shift in the Australian folk scene.

Cool as folk: young plucky types shake up Illawarra festival"You've got second-generation migrants like myself bringing their own influences, taste and diversity into the music," he said. "It's good for world music and the folk scene that so many different styles of music are incorporated, and the cultural diversity of the audience has increased."Artistic director David De Santi said up to 10,000 people were expected to pass through the gates of this year's festival, which features a modern, multicultural line-up.Among them is Chilean wunderkind Nano Stern, who has carved his name on the world stage by fusing South American folk music with modern rock."The roots of the festival are traditionally Celtic and Australian, but now we're getting acts that bring in a jazz, blues, drumming, rhythm and salsa feel," Mr De Santi said. "They're referring back to their own traditions and bringing them through in a more popular way."

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Music of the world comes to Bulli

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