The Sydney Festival will head west in January.
The festival kicks-off on January 9 with the Parramatta opening party — a street celebration known as POP 2015 — which festival director Lieven Bertels described as a "beautiful mix of live music, art installations, things to do for the kids and food".
POP 2015 will include a free concert by Australian music icon Paul Kelly to launch the The Merri Soul Sessions, a collaboration with Dan Sultan, Clairy Browne, Kira Puru and Vika and Linda Bull.
"That launch will only be held at Parramatta," Bertels said.
The opening party will include performances by hip-hop wordsmith Radical Son, of the Aboriginal Kamilaroi people and Tonga, as well as the Stiff Gins.
"I've spent a lot of time in Parramatta in the past, it's been a while but I'm thrilled to be coming back to perform as part of the launch for Sydney Festival," Radical Son said.
Look out for other western Sydney offerings including Timber! from January 8 to 18, a whip-crackin' circus show from Quebec, Disco Dome from January 9 to 24, a funky walking tour of Parramatta's former dance spaces, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show from January 8 to 18, which will bring Eric Carle's popular children's classic to life on stage, and dance extravaganza Puncture from January 21 to 25, which will explore the rituals of courtship and young love.
Music legend Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison performance will be revived in one of Australia's oldest penal institutions on January 16, 17 and 18 with a seated concert from Tex Perkins behind the bars and the sandstone walls of Parramatta Gaol.
"I've jokingly said that if anyone can prove they've served time there, they will get a rebate on their ticket price," Bertels said.
■ View the full program of events at http://sydneyfestival.org.au.
The 2015 Sydney Festival Parramatta program features an array of free and ticketed performances for the whole family including the Parra Opening Party (POP), returning as the first free public event of the Festival, a must-see performance by Tex Perkins inside Parramatta Gaol and The Very Hungry Caterpillar makes its way off the page and on to the stage.
■ Parra Opening Party (POP): Parramatta will be filled with music, street theatre and amazing food. Parramatta’s twilight opening street party begins with music from the legendary Paul Kelly who will present his new music collaborative project, Merri Soul Sessions starring Dan Sultan, Clairy Browne, Kira Puru and Vika and Linda Bull. As the sun sets, sit back and enjoy the sounds of Radical Son, Christine Salem, New York City DJ Small Change, street musician Uptown Brown and the Waratah Drumcorps. Friday, January 9, 6pm-11pm, Centenary Square.
■ Far from Folsom — Tex Perkins and The Tennessee Four with Rachael Tidd: Rock legend Tex Perkins performs behind the bars of the historic Parramatta Gaol to embody the spirit of Johnny Cash for one special night. In a re-creation of America’s notorious 1968 Folsom Prison concerts, Tex performs songs at a seated, outdoor concert in Australia’s oldest-serving prison on Saturday, January 17, 8.30pm. Tickets $44-$89.
■ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show: is adapted from books by Eric Carle. The show is at Riverside Theatres from Thursday, January 8 to Sunday, January 18 with performances at 10am and 2pm. Wednesdays and Saturday at 10am, noon and 3pm. There will be no performances on Monday. Tickets $30.
Details: http://sydneyfestival.org.au.
