Acoustic festival aims to start trend

This weekend brings about the first of what is hoped to be an annual music festival celebrating all things acoustic in Tauranga.
The Tauranga Acoustic Music Club plans to reintroduce people to folk or acoustic music with a festival showcasing original and traditional tunes, Celtic, bluegrass, alternative country, ballads, and folk rock "guaranteed to have you dancing in the fig trees", organiser Sheryl Bond said.
Ms Bond said the Saturday festival was following the formula of folk festivals around the country, with a variety of styles and experiences - there were more guitars, whistles, violins, mandolins, banjos and double basses than you could poke a stick at.
Local musicians will be joined by four acts from out of town for 12 hours of continuous music on two stages, as well as guitar and harmonica workshops.
Among the visiting acts are Raglan-based Hand Me Downs. The band performs a variety of genres, including bluegrass, rock and Irish, and style-wise is best-placed somewhere between folk and rock. It has just played in the main event at the Oparau Acoustic Festival.
Hard Candy's eclectic blend of virtuoso multi-instrumentalists will be playing its mix of blues and country.
Singer/songwriter David Shanhun, UK-based harmonicist Brendan Power and the Wild Clovers - Caron Clay, Brian Shone, Smozmik and Helen Gudsell - will also be performing.
The festival will be held at 156 Work Rd, with limited gate sales from when the event opens at 10am.
Tickets are available from Creative Tauranga for $20.
The main concert, from 5pm, will be relocated to Katikati War Memorial Hall in case of bad weather. People are encouraged to bring chairs, picnics and warm clothing.