HOBOFOPO 2021 Returns In November

HOBOFOPO is Hobart’s Original Folk Punk Orgy, and it is returning in November 2021.

Since the launch party for Folk Til Ya Punk Records in 2015, folk-punk musicians and fans have been making an annual pilgrimage to Hobart for a pub crawl of rowdy acoustic punk singalongs. From 2016 it had become a 4 day event and they named it HOBOFOPO. In 2020 the plague hit and they scaled back to just one gig. In 2021 they are reinvigorated and an as they say, “are going for it again.”

Given the uncertain times, things are a bit stripped back, with three days of pub crawling (instead of four), and artists from two mainland states instead of most of them.

Some of the acts that’ll be fopo’ing down south 19-21 November include:

Wordsmith folk troubadour Darren Hanlon (QLD),

Party punk legends Flangipanis (QLD),

Hobofopo regular Quinton Trembath (SA),

Master of quirky observations Soursob Bob (SA),

QLD export = TAS import, the lauded, applauded and awarded songbird Ben Salter,

More gutter psychosis and acoustic anarcho-punk from This Is A Robbery (TAS),

Plus fun rogue folk from Zac Henderson, bush ballads from Hairyman, alt-country from Cotton Pony, klezmer & Balkan arrangements from Meyers & McNamara and intense personal rogue folk from The Dominic Francis Grief Ensemble.

That’s only half of it, the full lineup and ticketing are to be released at the end of the month. Lineup is likely to change on account of the plague (and which borders are open with Tasmania at the time).

DARREN HANLON

After years of touring the far flung corners of Australia and the greater world, Darren Hanlon has carved a sacred place in the hearts of many who cross his path with his candid and charming music and storytelling. He is known for his engagement with his audiences and having the ability to make a large crowd feel like they’re in a lounge room amongst friends.

Not deterred by the Covid situation Hanlon has managed to have a rich few years, appearing in and singing the credits of the new Slim Dusty bio-pic Slim & I and garnering high rotation on ABC with his pandemic themed song ‘We All Cope in Different Ways.’ He is also releasing what will be his 6th studio album ‘Life Tax’ (Jan 2022) written and recorded in the Uniting Church Hall, Northcote with his new band consisting of some of Melbourne’s indie elite: Leah Senior, Jesse Williams, Zoe Fox and Dylan Young. It’s his most stripped back and narrative driven album to date and features the single and already crowd favourite ‘Lapsed Catholic.’”

FLANGIPANIS

Flangipanis are a party punk Brisbane 4 piece renowned for their cheeky and melodic eff-you anthems. The band has toured nationally for a decade and developed into a stalwart of the Australian independent punk rock scene. After 7 studio releases, the sound has solidified into their now-identifiable style – loud, honest and openhearted. These larrikins love a drink and a laugh as much as they love to play, and that spirit radiates through their content and live shows. If you’re wondering how a fuck-you can be endearing, chuck on a Flangipanis record.

Flangipanis will hitting Tasmania for the first time ever for HOBOFOPO, and will be bringing a brand new album with them.

QUINTON TREMBATH

With a folk punk career originating at the first Hobofopo (2016), this November Quinton Trembath (SA) will be going back to his roots, performing stripped back (with long-time collaborator, Hannah Morrell), offering the die-hards a nostalgic treat, playing in-full, the two early EPs that fast became crowd favourites. “Good days, These days” and “Souviners” were both released in the prolific year of 2017 and produced a majority of the big singalongs crowds quickly grew attached to. The songs from these two releases exude positive energy, telling intimate and detailed stories through joyously yelled anecdotes with melodies sure to get stuck in your head. A set filled with songs that act as both tour travelogues & summer anthems, the performance should bring a lot of genuine feel-good smiles to a time that desperately needs it.

“I can’t help but be charmed by Quinton’s energy” – Dave Ruby Howe of Unearthed.

SOURSOB BOB

Soursob Bob released his first album, Living in the Long Grass, back when the Twin Towers were still standing in New York. Since then, there have been many other Soursob Bob recordings and notable international events.

His songs are up-beat, down trodden, lyrical, nationalistic, personal, serious songs, with humour. Soursob cites The Bedridden and Baterz as influences, as well as Banjo Patterson.

As Dan Bern, American songwriter, observes, “if you must put me in a box, make sure it’s a big box…”

Quinton Trembath – Teabags