Byron guitar festival to celebrate virtuosic women in 2018

Organisers of the Byron Bay Guitar Festival have announced they will place particular focus on women in music at this year’s event.

The annual celebration of the six-string, taking place on October 6 and 7 at the Byron Bay Brewery, will feature a stellar line-up of female talent, including Dallas Frasca, Hussy Hicks, Minnie Marks and Legs Electric.

Festival Director Nick Sergi said diversity in the workplace was paramount across all industries and music was no exception.

‘It is finally being recognised in the mainstream conversation that women deserve their place on and off stage and deserve to be recognised for their talents and hard work,’ Mr Sergi said.

‘Half our festival crew are women, half our population is female, it’s pretty obvious that we should be working toward a larger representation of our population on stage.

Historically, it is rare for women to be celebrated for their guitar playing.

‘Countless women have been and are brilliant players, but just not recognised for it,’ Mr Sergi said.

‘Guitar has traditionally been seen as a man’s instrument. If you Google “100 Best guitarists of all time”, I think there’s only two women on the list, which is ridiculous.

‘If our festival can be a platform, however small, to help shift that perception and change the conversation a bit, then I’m very happy to do that”.