By Abbey Cannan
Charismatic, authentic and thoroughly entertaining, Lawrence Menard and Clare Quinn are the transpacific-troubadours known as Those Folk.
The duo is delighted to be performing an Irish music residency at Flanagans Bar at the Noosa Reef Hotel.
“I think Flanagans Bar is one of the best pubs on the Sunshine Coast,” Clare said.
“When you go in there, it feels like you’re in another country.”
You can catch Those Folk performing at the local venue on Wednesdays: 1 February, 15 February from 6pm, as well as a matinee gig on St Patrick’s day, Friday 17 March from 11am.
“We love all sorts of folk music, and we love the storytelling of Irish music,” Clare said.
“There’s a lot of humour in there as well. We’re going to have a lot of fun bringing our unique flavour to the Irish night.”
Having met in Scotland in 2012, the couple have since travelled extensively together and lived in the pine forest mountains of Southern California.
They now hang their travelling hats in the Noosa hinterland town of Pomona.
“We found a really beautiful place to live in Pomona, where we can look out and see the horses and trees, and it’s really inspiring,” Clare said.
A partnership forged in the fires of folk music, Those Folk explore sounds and influences from the 1960s’ folk revival and contemporary Americana music.
“We live in a really unique place where you feel like you’re stepping back in time, and that’s something we try to achieve in our music too,” she said.
“We are also producers and record our own music, so we live in the wilderness so we can have that space to write and record music.”
As songwriters they delve into love, hope, belonging, and the human condition. As performers they enthral, enchant, and leave a lasting impression.
“The most amazing thing about gigging on the Sunshine Coast is the variety of venue types that we get to play,” Clare said.
“Every week is different and it keeps it interesting.”
The intimate stage show that Lawrence and Clare deliver is constantly evolving with the introduction of new instruments, interesting anecdotes, and dynamic songs.
“The Sunshine Coast has a lot of sub-cultures and we’re really excited to be a part of the new wave of folk music here on the coast,” she said.
“Audiences are really keen for it. Historically, as far of the genres on the coast there’s been more of a dominance of roots-reggae, dance based, or surf music. I love to dance, and I don’t want to devalue that, but I think there’s a new space emerging for the folk singers and for people who are playing a different kind of music.
“Someone said to me, that the Sunshine Coast music scene is like a teenager, and she’s grown up a lot over the past 10 years.”
The sound of Those Folk is inspired by iconic duos such as Simon and Garfunkel and Angus and Julia Stone.
During their performance, breathtaking vocal harmonies are featured alongside rich instrumental work that is performed on guitars, accordion, mandolin and banjo.
“Keep an eye on our website and our socials for our latest gigs. We’d love for you to come along and join us,” Clare said.
For more information, visit thosefolk.com
