The heritage-listed and beautifully preserved Majestic Theatre at Pomona will resonate with glorious guitar sounds this November.
An assorted group of talented players from across the nation are about to descend upon the Noosa Hinterland to share their music, mastery and love of all-things guitar.
The Noosa Guitar Festival is this year extended to a three-day event. It offers emerging and established guitarists an opportunity to meet and connect, workshop, perform together, as well as explore the melodically complex instrument that has proven so incredibly popular across multiple styles of music.
Last year’s Noosa Guitar Festival was notable for its diversity in terms of the musical genres presented, the players’ ages, cultural backgrounds and professional experience.
Festival director Simon Gardner, says the goal of the festival is to become an international destination event, one that showcases outstanding Australian and international guitarists against the stunning backdrop of the Noosa Hinterland, a place that is synonymous with art and culture.
“And this is what we are all about! We’ve started small, but we are huge in spirit.” Gardner and co-producer Wild Goat Entertainment received terrific feedback from 2023 festival-goers, sponsors, the Noosa Hinterland community and participants.
“The undeniable feeling of positivity and excitement from the performers and the crowd was palpable. There was so much gratitude and love for what we had all been a part of.”
All the players showcased in last year’s Festival were shining examples of excellence, each demonstrating a fervent passion for their craft. “After our inaugural year, we gave the 2023 line-up first right of refusal to participate again. It didn’t take them long to respond with a resounding ‘Yes’!”
“For us, it was a day to remember,” says Solstice Guitar Duo’s Dominic Ward. “From chatting with jazz legend Jamie Clark, to interacting with the master shredder Simon Gardner, it was a wonderful networking opportunity for our young careers. Getting to see guitarists across a range of genres inspires us to introduce new styles to our own playing and help us grow as musicians.”
The Noosa Guitar Festival 2024 program features guitar veterans renowned for their multiple albums, session work and international touring. “We are excited to again present the ‘Young Guns of Guitar’, who will no doubt become the guitar legends of the future,” Gardner adds. “And this year we are offering masterclasses with the support of our sponsor Music at Noosa.” Perth-based metal guitarist Leon Todorovich will be presenting his “Holy Trinity of Metal” masterclass, demonstrating the technique he uses to churn out “big, greasy guitar sounds” for his band Ragdoll, a power rock trio that has steadily acquired a ‘hair grunge’ labelling in his home state WA.
“And, in my opinion, that pretty well sums up our balance of big melodic hooks and aggressive riffs,” he says. After seeing Live at California Jam VHS footage of Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore exploding his Marshall amps onstage, a then 14-year-old Todorovich was inspired to take up guitar. These days, he’s a fan of everything from 70’s progressive rock, hair metal from the 80’s, to modern metal, synthwave and even neo-psychedelic dreampop. “I can’t wait to feast my ears on all the amazing talent the Noosa Guitar Festival has been able to pool together. And I’m so looking forward to celebrating musical titan Jimi Hendrix with some of my favourite Aussie guitarists.”
Noosa Guitar Festival will be at the Majestic Theatre, Pomona from 1-3 November.
For tickets, visit noosaguitarfestival.com.au
