Zonnis – Eclectic Cabaret Folk – 15 February 2026 

With options to perform as a duo or a full band, Zonnis fits into any setting where music lovers are set to listen. Drawing upon their years of traveling and touring, their music takes you on a journey through upbeat and inspirational to somber and introspective, all with a healthy dose of humor thrown in for good measure.

While never hesitating to poke fun at the world around us, Zonnis rides the line to stay within enough boundaries that it can be enjoyed by folks of all walks of life. Styles range from traditional folk to bluesy rock, with a bit of funk and soul tossed in as well.

Andrea and Adam love to visit exotic and foreign lands, and will go anywhere the music takes them. They especially love outdoor music festivals, and participate in every way possible, by dressing up for the party and bringing their uplifting good natures with them wherever the winds of fate deliver them.

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Elias Bartholomeo – 19 February 2026

Elias Bartholomeo is a world-class entertainer ‘wow-ing’ audiences around the world and mixed with his contagious humour and energy, the show has been titled as a MUST WATCH among the live music community!

In recent times, Elias Bartholomeo has been named one of the top acoustic guitarists in Australia today, with his guitar playing being described as ‘Walking a tightrope between many genres all at once!’ with a fearless and energetic approach to his live performances.

Elias Bartholomeo international touring Fingerstyle Guitarist hailing from Sydney, Australia. From learning the guitar by his grandfather at age 4, to performing with his guitar hero Tommy Emmanuel at age 16. You will hear a blend of blues, country & jazz in his melody driven compositions as well as engaging and eye watering arrangements of well known songs.

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DAN WALSH – 22 February 2026

BBC Folk Awards Best Musician nominee Dan Walsh combines ‘virtuoso playing and winning songwriting’ (MORNING STAR). Describing what Dan does is no easy task but at the heart of it is British, Irish and American folk music delivered with a healthy dose of funky grooves – all performed with his unique and dazzling take on clawhammer style banjo helping to challenge all preconceptions about the instrument. Add to all that poignant songs, astonishing musical departures and lively humour and the result is a truly memorable live show which has wowed audiences across the world from intimate seated rooms to huge dancing crowds in festival fields.

Walsh has recorded seven solo albums to much critical acclaim. Most recently, he returned to his first love and recorded ‘O’Neill’s Tunes’ – a collection of traditional Irish tunes played in his unique take on clawhammer style, which was described as ‘expertly played’ and ‘difficult to find any fault with’ by Songlines magazine, as well as receiving airplay on BBC Radio 2. He is an in-demand performer with a hectic touring schedule across the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Europe. He has also released two banjo tablature books, including a very successful book of clawhammer arrangements of Irish folk tunes, which inspired the O’Neill’s album.

He is also an in-demand session musician, particularly on banjo which he has played on countless albums, but also has a sizeable number of credits on guitar and mandolin. He has worked with Universal Studios on film soundtracks and recorded in top London studios, including British Grove, RAK and Air Studios. He has performed or recorded with a wide variety of musician,s including Darius Rucker, Ward Thomas, Imelda May, Joss Stone, Seth Lakeman, the Levellers, Duane Eddy, Martin Simpson and even the City of London Sinfonia (although rumours of a collaboration with Beyonce turned out not to be true after a hilarious misunderstanding by Wikipedia and a Daily Mail journalist). Both solo and as a member of the award winning Urban Folk Quartet, this unique and eclectic musician has stunned audiences across the world.

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Kindred Spirit – 1 March 2026

Kindred Spirit is an Americana duo from the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Jeff Pardue and Randy Gambill have played music together in various bands for over 45 years, and as a result are Kindred Spirit.

Their repertoire includes tunes from the 1930s/40s, folk, singer-songwriters, country, western swing and originals.

Individually, they have performed at a lengthy list of festivals and venues nationally and internationally including: MerleFest (NC), Walnut Valley Festival (Kansas), Song of the Mountains (PBS TV Series), Albino Skunk Festival (SC), Mean Fiddler (London, UK), High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival (Colorado), AGEC Bluegrass (Paris, France), Didmarton Bluegrass Festival (UK), Ironbridge Bluegrass Festival (UK), Scottish Bluegrass Association, Hamishes’ Hoose (Scotland), Nelson McGee Memorial Bluegrass Festival (Texas), Midsummer Bluegrass Festival (Wisconsin), Güglinger Bluegrass Festival (Germany), Wyoming State BBQ and Bluegrass Festival (WY), Susanville Bluegrass Festival (California), Wickenburg Bluegrass Festival (AZ), Rocky Top (Tokyo, Japan), Mussel Inn (New Zealand).

Individually, they have performed on stage and/or studio with a wide range of prominent Americana artist including Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, The Chieftains, Tut Taylor, Crystal Gayle, Earl Scruggs, Tim O-Brien, Terry Baucom, Pete Wernick, Doug Jernigan, Alison Brown, Roy Huskey Jr., the Kruger Brothers, and others.

Jeff Pardue (Fiddle, Accordion, Vocals) – Jeff is a North Carolina native and his early introduction to music was through learning piano and harmonies he heard at his local church, which instilled a lifetime love for music. Jeff later took up the fiddle, banjo and accordion, which he added to his stage performances, along with his excellent lead and harmony vocals. Jeff is a founding member of the esoteric Americana band, Backstreet, and the band’s repertoire exemplifies Jeff’s love of a wide range of musical styles. Jeff toured England and Scotland with Backstreet in 2001 and is elated to be making his first trip to New Zealand and sharing his music across the South Island. Jeff also contributed writing original material for the newly released Kindred Spirit CD.
Randy Gambill (Guitar, Vocals) — Randy is a North Carolina native and was raised in a hotbed of bluegrass and old-time music. This blessing helped him develop his ear and has been performing and touring with bands and writing music for over 50 years. While living abroad, Randy toured Europe promoting Bluegrass and Americana music. Randy’s original songs have been featured on BBC Radio & the PBS TV Series “Song of the Mountains.” Randy continues to write music as a member of Backstreet, Sassafras, and Non-Prophets and contributed several of his songs to the newly released Kindred Spirit CD.

The Hummingbirds – 15 March 2026

An acoustic collaboration that brings together and presents the collective work of two musical partnerships, The Blues Mamas and the founding members of The Manuka Hunnies.

The Hummingbirds feature the uniquely distinct voices of singer-songwriters Lynette Diaz and Isabella (Izzy ) Miller Bell, accompanied by award-winning slide/finger-style guitarist Susan Leigh Grant.

 What to expect:

The uplifting programme promises a rich blending of soulful, earthy voices in a variety of genres. Expect original compositions and select covers encompassing alt-country/folk, blues, jazz ‘n’ soul. Just like a hummingbird, this collaboration imbues their music with messages of love, joy, hope and celebration.

Immigrant songbirds Izzy (Ma Bell) hails from Clydeside in Scotland, and Lynette Diaz is American-born with strong Mexican ancestral roots. Lynette has just launched her latest album entitled ‘Gratitude’. Both women have strong musical bonds with Dunedin-born Susan Leigh Grant, on guitar, and undoubtedly up there with the top slide/finger-style guitarists in the country.

Dr T & The Dangerous Women – 29 March 2026

Dr T & The Dangerous Women bring a bold and evocative take on Americana music—rooted in tradition, yet strikingly original. Born on stage at the 2022 Whare Flat Folk Festival, this collaboration has evolved into a dynamic five-piece outfit that blends the soulful grit of high desert country with the rich musical heritage of California’s borderlands.

Led by Dr Twang, whose musical roots trace back to the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard intermixed with the other influences like Joni Mitchell and Jefferson Airplane, the band weaves together original songs and reimagined classics with emotional depth and storytelling flair. For this show The Dangerous Women are – Sophia Bidwell on accordion and keys, Leigham Fitzpatrick on bass and guitar and Claire Louise on lead and backing vocals.

From intimate ballads to foot-stomping barn burners, Dr T & The Dangerous Women create a live experience that transports audiences across time and terrain. Authentic, captivating, and musically rich, this is Americana and country music the way it was meant to be heard—straight from the heart.