Festival of Small Halls showcases top International and local talent

The very popular Festival of Small Halls returns to Orange on Saturday 25 January.

Hosted by JAM Orange in liaison with Woodfordia Inc., this family friendly event will again showcase some of the best international, national and local talent in the unique venue that is Bloomfield Hall.

This year the festival will feature the multi-award-winning Scottish singer songwriter Siobhan Miller and her band together with Sydney based roots musician Jack Carty supported by popular local musician Gabbi Bolt.

Grab your tickets quick as previous concerts have sold out!

Adult tickets are $25 and children under the age of 12 years, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free. Tickets are available at Lander’s Music, Summer Street Orange or on line at www.festivalofsmallhalls.com

Depending on presales, a limited number of tickets may be available to purchase at the door. Food and refreshments will be available at the venue.

SIOBHAN MILLER

One of Scotland’s foremost singers, Siobhan Miller is an exceptional talent, renowned for her unique vocal style paired with her evocative song writing. Miller creates music with detail and rich melodies that combine the sounds of indie and alternative music with sounds from her roots in folk music.

Growing up in a musical family, she was immersed in traditional song and learned from many of Scotland’s finest source singers in her early years as a performer. Miller won the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Traditional Track, was nominated for Folk Singer of the Year, and is the only ever three-time winner of Scots Singer of the Year at the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.

Her three solo albums have received widespread critical acclaim. The most recent, Mercury (2018) is Miller’s first album of entirely original material and was recorded in Glasgow with many of her frequent collaborators, including producer Euan Burton. Her earlier albums, Flight of Time (2015) and Strata (2017), were both nominated for Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Awards, highlighting her extensive range through traditional, contemporary and self-penned material.

Alongside her extensive solo ventures, Miller’s unique vocal style has been honed through collaborations with many of Scotland’s top musicians, as well as guest appearances with the National Theatre of Scotland, a season on Broadway, and a role on US/UK TV drama Outlander.

JACK CARTY

Critically acclaimed Australian songwriter Jack Carty writes with an honesty, patience and love of the craft learned through the sheltered valleys and close-knit communities of a rural childhood spent in sleepy Bellingen, NSW. It’s a rare thing that has allowed the poetic traveller to take his quiet truths and breathtaking live show to audiences across The UK, Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia since he first started recording and releasing original music in 2010.

The nine years since have been fruitful. Carty has released five full-length studio albums and two EP’s amongst the constant touring, songs on soundtracks, collaborations, festivals and co-writes. Along the way he’s shared the stage with the likes of: Katie Noonan, Josh Pyke, Bernard Fanning, Matt Corby, Lisa Mitchell, Ingrid Michaelson, Dan Wilson, Brett Dennen, Justin Townes Earle and Joshua Radin; and was a recipient of the bi-annual APRA Professional Development Awards in 2015. His successes have been hard won. Earned on the back of tireless touring, dedication, and the kind of critical acclaim that only honesty in art affords. Jack has recently returned from two years touring, writing and collaborating from a home-base in London. He is currently working on new music.

GABBI BOLT

Hailing for Bathurst NSW, Gabbi Bolt has a unique history with music. She learnt classical piano for 10 years before quitting at 14 to pursue contemporary musical performance. She has been developing her craft as a musician and songwriter for the past 10 years and in October 2018 Gabbi released her EP "Grey into Blue".

Gabbi's vocals have been described as a soulful mix of Norah Jones, Janis Joplin and Adele all rolled into one weird alto butter blend. At the very basis of her performance is honesty, an ideology she believes is paramount to performance.