Grassroots festival attracts top band

Two-time Tui award winning band Great North are headlining the Rogue Stage Folk Music Festival. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua's very own folk music festival is set to hit the stage tomorrow and Saturday, with local and international acts, as well as two-time Tui award-winning folk band Great North headlining the event.

Rogue Stage Folk Festival organiser Karin Vincent said she had musicians contacting her as early as last April indicating their interest in performing at the event, which is in its second year.

Karin Vincent is gearing up for the second Rogue Stage Folk Music Festival.

"It's because of the attentive audience, that is the key and the whole thing about The Rogue Stage - everybody wants to have a listening audience, it has that key element that it's down to grassroots, it's simple ... it sounds a bit hippy but it's cool, nobody is too cool; we are just all a big family and that's great."

She said the event, which is being held at Waiotapu Forest Camp, had grown since last year.

"Last year we had five acts, this year we have 11, plus we will be headlining with Tui folk album of the year for 2013 and 2014 winners Great North."

Great North frontman Hayden Donnell was excited to play in Rotorua with The Rogue Stage for the second time.

"I love The Rogue Stage. We have played once before on the album tour last year ... [playing out of the main centres] you often get different responses and different characters giving you feedback.

"This time it's going to be pedal steels, double bass, two vocal harmonies and an acoustic guitar, so it's very acoustic country sounds coming through."

Mr Donnell said without people like Mrs Vincent, musicians would not survive.

"I guess she puts a real effort in because she's so passionate, and for making an event that's really positive to play at for musicians and also just really cultivating this culture of people just appreciating the music ... it's a different kind of environment."

Mrs Vincent said: "We've got a coffee lounge this time, meaning that we have got free jam sessions so people who have bought a ticket can go on the open mic."

-Tickets from eventbrite.co.nz, Music Works Rotorua or undertheradar.co.nz.