Background
“Across the country and around the world, a new type of street band is emerging.” (honkfest.org)
HONK! Oz takes its name and inspiration from Somerville’s (Boston, USA) annual HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands and Seattle's HONK! Fest West. The first ever HONK! Oz Festival of Street Music happened in Wollongong January 9-11, 2015. Twenty bands converged on the city centre to play music in the streets.
HONK! Oz is a free non-commercial music festival. Community and Social Justice are at the heart of HONK! Oz. Bands are not paid to participate - they come at their own expense, inspired to connect with other like minded musicians.
A HONK! band is colourful, acoustic and mobile. Honk bands are inclusive and community minded. They take their musical inspiration from Mardi Gras and Carnival, and from street music gatherings across Europe and South America. They borrow a fusion of repertoire from a diverse set of music traditions; New Orleans second line, Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music; Brazilian Samba and Frevo; Jazz, funk and popular music.
A Honk approach of music making blurs the line between artist and audience, between professional and amateur. Energetic, Irreverent, revelrous and with a somewhat DIY approach to instrumentation and attire. Honk bands perform on the streets to celebrate; to protest; to proclaim; some play for peace, some for activist causes; for community spirit; and all of them play to have fun!!!!
HONK! Oz was founded by members of The Con Artists community band based at The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. The concept was supported by The Illawarra Folk Club who generously provided funding to mount the first festival as a fringe event of the Illawarra Folk festival.
HONK! Oz is a free non-commercial music festival. Community and Social Justice are at the heart of HONK! Oz. Bands are not paid to participate - they come at their own expense, inspired to connect with other like minded musicians.
A HONK! band is colourful, acoustic and mobile. Honk bands are inclusive and community minded. They take their musical inspiration from Mardi Gras and Carnival, and from street music gatherings across Europe and South America. They borrow a fusion of repertoire from a diverse set of music traditions; New Orleans second line, Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music; Brazilian Samba and Frevo; Jazz, funk and popular music.
A Honk approach of music making blurs the line between artist and audience, between professional and amateur. Energetic, Irreverent, revelrous and with a somewhat DIY approach to instrumentation and attire. Honk bands perform on the streets to celebrate; to protest; to proclaim; some play for peace, some for activist causes; for community spirit; and all of them play to have fun!!!!
HONK! Oz was founded by members of The Con Artists community band based at The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. The concept was supported by The Illawarra Folk Club who generously provided funding to mount the first festival as a fringe event of the Illawarra Folk festival.
For getting us started . . .many thanks to . . .David, Mark, Mel and The Con Artists extended family, Lotte Latukefu and the tenacious volunteers in the first ever Honk Oz Committee, David Di Santi, Graeme Morrison, Linsey Pollack, Ken Field, Eric Dunan, Gregg Moore, Leslie Dalaba, Joe Correia, Mike Smith, Mike Antares, Tracy Camille, Robert Specogna, Ken Allen, Eleanor and Ian McPhee and many other local musicians, volunteers and the public who came out to support us.
