Folk Art & Blues Festival is a seed of an idea coming out of The Cambodian Space Project’s touring and networks as well as Julien’s three years of presenting Kampot Readers & Writers Festival.
Naturally KWRF’s had a great music program from day one so we can see that there’s an cool opportunity to grow this momentum into it’s own spot on the calendar as a proper little, cross-country festival focussed on presenting a diverse range of folk arts & blues styled music and artists. To this effect, we’re also keeping that famous Louis Armstrong quote in mind “all music is folk music….” in our programming style.
FAB festival kicks of in PP on Jan 25 at The Villa Grange Cambodia and will roll onto Kampot, Otres and Siem Reap with a line-up of French, Aussie, Cambodian and UK acts including The Kleps (FR), Frankie Teardrop Dead (UK), Justin Frew Trio (AUS), and The Cambodian Space Project (KH) (Otres only).
Aside from the musical acts traveling, there’s also workshops in woodcut design and printmaking by Borneo Artist Rico Leong, food stalls and art market at The Commandant’s House, Kampot and an open studio performance and recording session with Khmer American poet Kosal Khiev recording spoken word with the “Pot Boilers” – a music ensemble created in the tradition of The Last Poets.
The festival has ‘open mic’ spots for singer songwriters, duo’s, poets and spoken word artists on Fri 26 and Sunday 27. If you’d like to ride the FAB bus then please get in touch and email: kampotarts@gmail.com
Check dates below for FAB fest.
- THURSDAY JAN 25 – OPENING NIGHT AT THE VILLA GRANGE
- FRIDAY JAN 26 – AUSTRALIA DAY BBQ & ACOUSTIC BY THE POOL VILLA GRANGE
- SAT JAN 27 – THE COMMANDANT’S HOUSE, KAMPOT – 7PM – LATE
- SUN JAN 28TH – THE COMMANDANT’S HOUSE, KAMPOT – 2PM -8
- MON JAN 29TH – FAB FEST AT OTRES MARKET 8PM-LATE
- TUE JAN 30TH – Wrap party ONE ELEVEN GALLERY, SIEM REAP, 7PM-LATE
At the Villa aka The Commandant’s House – we’ve converted the old police chief’s HQ into a new venue for concert events as well as artist/writer/musician residencies – download pdf for more info RESIDENCY DETAILS The Lotus Pond Villa
FAB fest is made possible by the kind support of artists and volunteers and is something we hope to build as an annual event. Check out just a few of the amazing acts we’re presented over the past three years.
THE SHABBAB / PAUL KELLY / THE CAMBODIAN SPACE PROJECT / MASTER KONG NAY & KONG BORAN / THE MESSENGER BAND / NIGHTMARE AD / KHMER MAGIC MUSIC BUS / THE BATBANGERS / JUSTIN FREW / PHOUSA / RICH WEBB BAND / THE KAMPOT PLAYBOYS / WHEN THE TIDE TURNS / BOB PASSION / THE LUNATICS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE ASYLUM / LAWRIE, WES & HORSE / JIGSAW COLLECTIVE / JESSICA LISHA SHRIN / THE MUSICIANS OF BOU’SRA MONDULKIRI / SREY’S SCHOOL OF ROCK
