ARCHIE ROACH ANNOUNCES RESCHEDULED NSW TOUR DATES FOR 2022 + SHARES EPISODE 4 OF ‘KITCHEN TABLE YARNS’ SERIES FEATURING KEE’AHN

“COVID really stopped a lot of us from going out to do what we love doing, playing music and interacting with people. I’m busting to get back on the road again; it’s been too long,” explains Archie.

And Archie is thrilled to be introducing Kee’ahn as the next guest sharing the fourth episode of Kitchen Table Yarns – the twelve-part YouTube series initiated to support emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander singer songwriters. Chatting via Zoom at Archie’s kitchen table, the episode will go live on the Archie Roach YouTube channel at 5PM AEDT today, Wednesday December 8.

Proud Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal, Zenadth Kes song woman, Kee’ahn has achieved a lot since releasing her debut single Better Things in May 2020 – swiftly taking out the 2020 NIMA Archie Roach Foundation Award, as well as the Music Vic Award for Best Emerging Artist, and she’ll be repping Aus at the US Folk Alliance ‘Folk Unlocked’ international conference for some showcases in January, followed by SXSW in February, as well as playing her rescheduled Northcote Social Club show on January 27, supported by June Jones.

Thrilled about the opportunity to yarn with Archie Roach for his Kitchen Table Yarns series, Kee’ahn says, “I’m looking forward to connecting with Uncle Archie after learning of his story as a teen growing up, first watching him play at Woodford folk festival a couple of years ago and admiring his strength in truth-telling and vulnerability. Having a yarn over a cup of tea is the perfect way to meet him and speak with him propa, so I’m incredibly grateful and honoured to have the opportunity to connect and learn from him.”

“Kee’ahn is a gentle young woman, originally from Townsville in north Queensland. I love that her heritage is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander,” says Archie. “It was a pleasure for me to get to know her better through my Kitchen Table Yarns. Kee’ahn is a great singer songwriter. Her song, ‘Better Things’ just stops you in your tracks. It’s a song not just for the times we are going through now, but a song for the ages.”

The online series will feature 12 emerging First Nations songwriters and musicians from around the country. Earlier episodes have featured Allara Briggs Pattison, Rulla Kelly Mansell and Marlon Motlop, and Lydia Fairhall. Connecting through online video, Archie will continue to invite these exceptional young artists to yarn with him at his kitchen table to share stories about their songs, their communities, and their language.

And December will see Archie share two episodes of his Kitchen Table Yarns series with Black Rock Band appearing as guests on episode 5 which is set to air on December 15 at 5pm AEDT.  “I love the energy of the Black Rock Band, especially the front man, Richie,” says Archie Roach. “They are a great young band from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory and I am really proud of what they are achieving. And I’m really looking forward to having them join us on the Archie Roach Foundation stage at next year’s Port Fairy Folk Festival. I am sure people will come to love them and their music, as we have.”

The legacy of Archie Roach forges ahead with Archie Roach Foundation partnerships with NIMAs and Music Vic Awards in their fourth and fifth years. “I am proud of the Archie Roach Foundation’s partnerships with both the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) and the Music Vic Awards. The NIMA’s partnership with the Foundation is now in its fourth year. This year’s recipient of the Archie Roach Foundation award was young NT rapper, J-MILLA,” explains Archie, and J-MILLA will be Archie’s first guest back on Kitchen Table Yarns in 2022. Thrilled to have taken out this year’s Archie Roach Foundation Award, J-MILLA beams,“I’m over the moon, aye! It’s such a blessing to receive this award and I am so honoured to be recognised and appreciated by a proper legend! Thank you Uncle Archie.”

Archie continues, “Our partnership with Music Vic Awards is now in its fifth year. The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent (for First Nations Acts) will be announced on Thursday 10 December. All the nominees for the 2021 Award, Allara, Bumpy, Madi Colville Walker, The Merindas and River Boy are stars. The Awards are a way to recognise our young emerging singer songwriters and the prize money we offer hopefully goes some way to support their creative projects. We look forward to continuing both these partnerships.”

Already set to be a huge year for Archie Roach with the remainder of his Kitchen Table Yarns series rolling out and the rescheduled NSW tour, 2022 will also see the inaugural The Archie Roach Foundation Stage set up at Port Fairy Folk Festival. The stage will be curated by Archie Roach and the local Gunditjmara/Eastern Maar community of southwest Victoria, and will provide the opportunity to share the ancient knowledge of the Gunditjmara people through dance, art, music, storytelling and conversations.

Tickets to the NSW tour are on sale now from www.archieroach.com/tour

Episode 4 of Kitchen Table Yarns with Kee’ahn will go live at 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 8 December and episode 5 with Black Rock Band will go live at 5pm on Wednesday 15 December, tune in to each episode at youtube.com/archieroachmusic

WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER | 5PM AEST | KITCHEN TABLE YARNS | EP 4 FEAT. KEE’AHN | WATCH
WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER | 5PM AEST | KITCHEN TABLE YARNS | EP 5 FEAT. BLACK ROCK BAND | WATCH

ARCHIE ROACH 2022 NSW TOUR

WED 26 JAN – YABUN FESTIVAL, SYDNEY NSW

THU 27 JAN – SUPPER CLUB @ MARY’S UNDERGROUND, SYDNEY NSW
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 438 849

SAT 29 JAN – NORPA, LISMORE NSW
Tickets available from www.norpa.org.au | 1300 066 772

SUN 30 JAN – SARATON THEATRE, GRAFTON NSW (3PM SHOW)
Tickets available from www.saraton.com | 02 6642 1633

TUE 01 FEB & WED 02 FEB – JETTY MEMORIAL THEATRE, COFFS HARBOUR NSW
Tickets available from www.jettytheatre.com | 02 6648 4930

FRI 04 FEB – CITY HALL, NEWCASTLE NSW
Tickets available from www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au | 02 4929 1977

SAT 05 FEB – ANITA’S THEATRE, THIRROUL NSW
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

SUN 06 FEB – TILBA VALLEY WINERY & ALEHOUSE, CENTRAL TILBA NSW
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545

TUE 08 FEB – BATHURST MEMORIAL ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, BATHURST NSW
Tickets available from www.bmec.com.au | 02 6333 6161

WED 09 FEB – DUBBO REGIONAL THEATRE & CONVENTION CENTRE, DUBBO NSW
Tickets available from www.drtcc.com.au | 02 6801 4378

SAT 09 APR – GRIFFITH REGIONAL THEATRE, GRIFFITH NSW
Tickets available from www.griffithregionaltheatre.com.au | 02 6962 8444

SUN 10 APR – WAGGA CIVIC THEATRE, WAGGA WAGGA NSW (6.30PM SHOW)
PRESENTED BY GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS
Tickets available from www.civictheatre.com.au | 02 6926 9688

MON 18 APR – ALBURY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, ALBURY NSW (6.30PM SHOW)
Tickets available from www.alburyentertainmentcentre.com.au | 02 6043 5610