Junction Arts Festival Reviewed
Launceston, Tasmania
Junction Arts Festival 2025
Music Program 13 September
By Jim Jacob
By Rob Dickens
Junction Arts Festival is Northern Tasmania’s significant multi-arts festival, transforming Launceston’s landscape into creative experiences each spring – featuring diverse performances, visual arts, music and unexpected experiences.
Celebrating fifteen years, Junction’s immediate success sparked its evolution from local gatherings into an annual celebration that captures the essence of Tasmania’s (lutruwita‘s) vibrant arts scene.
Much of the festival is free, but there were some ticketed events. LTTL ambled into the festival’s first weekend of music and were not disappointed.
First up, we soaked up the dreamy urgency of Celeste Evelyn.
We have been fans of Christopher Coleman for some time, loving his Christopher Coleman Collective album (2014) and being swept away by his performances in Australia. After seeing him at the famed Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, we opined that “Coleman continues to impress, with his strong songwriting, individuality and irony”. Tonight he was with the Soft Knees band, an expansive five-piece that provided depth and colour to his carefully-crafted songs. “Dandelion Flower”, “Shave My Hair”, “Launceston”, the closing “Go Home”, which is a brilliant tale of resilience and the joys of the basic aspects of life. Christopher Coleman is one of Australia’s best and underrated artists.
The person who came up with the idea of teaming Cash Savage and the Last Drinks with Kutcher Edwards should be given the Collaboration Inspiration Award (if there was one…). The simmering and brooding band provided some serious muscle to the songs of this immensely impressive songwriter and vocalist. As well, Edwards seemed to be in a fiery mood this night, perhaps brought on by the ill health of a close friend.
The set list included the joyous “Singing Up Country”, a thundering take on “Mrs Edwards” which depicts meeting his mother and older brother at the age of six, the litany of broken promises outlined in “Scars”, the propelling “Roll With The Rhythm”, the dream-inspired “Mother Tongue” and his take on Savage’s heart breaking song “My Friend” – all were outstanding. As well, Cash’s own rendition of her song “Better Than That” was chilling.
This was one of our sets of the year.
More About Junction Arts Festival
Junction Arts Festival invites audiences to discover art in unexpected places throughout Launceston. More than a series of events, it’s a journey that brings the community together through common creative threads.
For fourteen years, Junction has showcased and commissioned work from local independent artists and arts companies, spanning disciplines from live music and dance to visual arts and experimental performance. This commitment to Tasmanian and Australian talent has established it as a vital platform for artistic expression and cultural development.
With support from Events Tasmania and City of Launceston, Junction continues to evolve. Each September, for four nights and days, it transforms the city into a creative hub where locals and visitors alike come together to experience extraordinary moments, forge new connections, and create lasting memories. The festival brings fresh energy to Launceston’s historic spaces, celebrating the unique spirit of our community while adding another vibrant chapter to the city’s story.
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Junction Arts Festival Reviewed
***
December 15, 2025
I discovered Cash Savage and her band last week. I listened to one of their albums and absolutely loved it.
December 15, 2025
Good to hear. Cash is broody and hypnotic