Take your pick of the best

DO you love guitars? With its ideal acoustics, The Barn at Rosny Farm sure does — so much so that the Eastern Shore venue is set to host its own guitar festival next weekend.

Held over two nights, The Barn Loves Guitars will feature performances by eight of Tasmania’s most talented guitarists — four each night — plus feature sets from Brisbane guitar virtuoso Michael Fix.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s finest acoustic guitarists, Fix has won three Golden Guitars and numerous other awards, and released 15 albums over the past two decades.

Fix, who has his own signature model series of Maton guitars, tours the world performing live and running workshops, which are in high demand across Australia and internationally.

The first Barn Loves Guitars show next Friday (February 9) will feature performances by:

Tasmanian blues legend GB Balding, who specialises in the fingerpicking styles of the Mississippi Delta.

Hobart-based jazz guitarist Damien Kingston, who has enjoyed a successful career across Europe after studying in Amsterdam.

Young Hobart guitarist Harry Edwards, who has a passion for Manouche guitar in the style of Django Reinhardt.

Versatile “wildcard” Andrew Bond, who is the go-to guitarist for some of Hobart’s grooviest bands.

Then next Saturday (February 10), audiences will be treated to sets by:

North-West blues guitarist Jacob Boote, who has a strange fascination with resonator guitars. Bruny Island avant-jazz composer Julius Schwing, who has made music for theatre shows, sound installations and short films. Hobart flamenco guitarist Paul Gerard, who has been playing Spanish flamenco style professionally for more than 30 years.

Penguin classical guitarist Sam Kirkpatrick, who recently reached the semifinals of the Melbourne Guitar Festival’s annual classical guitar competition.

The Barn Loves Guitars will be held in The Barn at Rosny Farm (behind Eastlands) from 7.30pm next Friday and Saturday (February 9 and 10).

Tickets are $30 (plus booking fee). For bookings and more information go to www.clarence artsandevents.net BEFORE the Saturday night Barn Loves Guitars show, Michael Fix will host a special Fingerstyle Guitar Master Class, which will explore subjects including using the guitar as a percussion instrument, using digital effects, recording techniques, arranging, composing and stagecraft.

The master class will be held in The Barn at Rosny from noon until 3pm on February 10.

Tickets are $30 (plus booking fee) from the website.