Hamsterfest 2026
Description
Hamilton Folk Festival 2026 , Family Friendly folk music festival held over Easter at the historic Paeroa Racecourse, Featuring local and international guests presenting Concerts, Workshops and Jamming throughout the weekend
Lineup
Soft Punchlines
Soft Punchlines, or Chris Dent, is an earthy songwriter who keeps both feet on the ground while being expressive and heartfelt in his stories and music. His appearance is striking as he wields his albinism with pride in the form of a big white beard. His voice too, isn’t quite what you’d expect. He grew up in rural New Zealand and likes to tell tales about the little things, as those are what make our life rich and full. He’s mostly performed with award-winning indie-folk band Albi & The Wolves, but has written songs in many different projects, including a collaboration with Mt Eden Dubstep that has amassed over one million streams, or his side project Sneakers, which has a single with over 750,000 streams. Whether it’s on the stage or off Chris is known for his work ethic and as he sets out on a new journey, quietly creating new solo music, he’s excited to see his efforts lead!
Beans
Beans’ original songs are rich with humour, honesty and carefully crafted word play, borne of a love of language combined with a vibrant imagination and inner world. Hailing from Yorkshire, Beans has played at Moon, the Newtown Festival, Wellyfest and here at Acoustic Routes, making a big impression around the local folk scene. As well as singing, they play guitar, fiddle, and other instruments.
Paul Brown
Paul (Bolshie) Brown has been agitating the Auckland folk scene for the past dozen or so years since his arrival in Aotearoa. Hailing from Dundee in Scotland Paul has a vast store of Scottish urban working-class songs which he sings with great gusto at the slightest opportunity. Paul sings with his audience, not to them, so singing choruses is compulsory! So, together let’s use the power of song to change the system and celebrate the working class!
Bob McNeil & Emily Roughton
Bob McNeil & Emily Roughton are a duo based in Wellington, in the North Island of New Zealand. The music they play is their own strange brew, a Kiwi-ised, slightly folky, sometimes rocky sort of SoCal Mexicana.... It all started when the other two found out Bob had some songs and a cool place to rehearse. The songs might not have been great, but they started well and after a lot of rehearsals, some of them now have great endings as well. That's all people ever remember; the beginning and the end. They don't need to be good all the way through. Bob can also cook, and has a certificate from Glasgow College of Food Technology to prove it. This is a man who knows which fork to use, if not which scale. Emily .. well, she was a girl and as a bonus, she could also play; she was actually musical. This often doesn't matter, but crucially, she played the piano and the violin, both of which look excellent in promo shots. Also, Emily has an amazing collection of dresses and shoes and hasn't yet worn the same combination twice. She eats no fish, dances to anything, and isn't allowed to drive the band vehicle.
Roughtown
Party Time! Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Rough Town is a powerhouse ensemble on a mission to ignite the folk scene with their fun, infectious blend of traditional tunes and irresistable grooves. Grasping the universal elements of dance music with both hands and encouraging their audiences to bridge the gap between Irish, celidh and club dancing, Rough Town is a continuation of the modern Trad Disco movement, drawing inspiration from iconic bands like Four Winds, The East Pointers, Imar and Lunasa.
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