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Homeground at Opera House supplied by Emily Murphy 18 February 2014
T
he western boardwalk of the Sydney Opera House will be alive with the song, dance and storytelling from the first people of this country during Homeground on April 5 and 6. With Archie Roach, Steve Pigram, Stiff Gins, Shellie Morris and Casey Donovan taking the stage there will be a feast for music lovers. Street Warriors, Dubmarine, Pirra featuring Jess Beck, Marcus Corowa will be joining the mix of eclectic singer/songwriters providing something for everyone of any age. The ground will be stamped hard with exchanges handed down over the centuries with dancers from across Australia, sharing their stories through movement. Building on 13 years of the acclaimed Message Sticks festival, the Sydney Opera House is hosting Homeground, a celebration of music, dance and culture, against the spectacular backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Head of Indigenous Programming, Rhoda Roberts, said the weekend would present performers from around Australia, including remote communities, and add a dash of the world’s best in a free outdoor event for all ages to enjoy. “Homeground is a feast of music and dance that will showcase the uniqueness of First Nations culture,” Rhoda said. “We have made this a free event to encourage all Sydneysiders and visitors to discover the cultural
Jess Beck. Images supplied
Marcus Corowa
diversity in our own backyard and on our doorstep. “From R&B to the traditional Gaelic harmonies of Woking, there is something for everyone. Join Australian rock icons such as Shane Howard and hear the newest voice from Arnhem Land, Yirrmal.” At the Dancestry Grounds, audiences will be able to join Move it Mob Style’s modern fusions and learn the Maori haka or the Polynesian hula. At Bar Badu (‘bar on the water’), some of Australia’s finest musicians will take the main stage, including Shane Howard, Shellie Morris, Casey Donovan alongside the Celtic bagpipes of Breabach who add a taste of the unexpected. The Boomerang Concert on Saturday night will present a unique collaboration of song, music, image and dance. This Australian premiere, developed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games Festival in Glasgow, will feature some of Australia, Scotland and New Zealand’s leading First Nations musicians and dancers, with
choreography by Frank McConnell (Scotland), Kemara Kennedy (NZ) and Tim Bishop (Australia). On Sunday night, three dynamic artists will present a genre-defying spectacle – Australian Indigenous hip-hop pioneers Street Warriors, ARIA and Deadly Award-winning Casey Donovan and musician and playwright Troy Brady. This new collaboration is the culmination of the Sydney Opera House’s Songrites Project, in which the musicians worked with Playwriting Australia to explore their personal stories. Closing the festival, acclaimed Australian songwriter Shane Howard will be joined by special guests Steve Pigram, Black Arm Band’s Emma Donovan and an exciting new talent from Australia’s Top End, Yirrmal. The team behind one of Bondi’s favourite dining institutions, The Corner House restaurant, will keep visitors happy throughout the weekend with delicious food at a pop-up café under the Colonnade on the Western Broadwalk.
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