USA and Canada

18th ‘Ukulele Festival of Northern California

Location: Chabot College Performing Arts Center, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, CA 94545
Date: April 1, 2012 10:00am – 5:30pm
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalnorcal.org
Local Amenities: Map

The Fourth Annual Reno Ukulele Festival

Location: John Ascuaga’s Nugget Resort
Date: March 30 – April 1, 2012
Performers: The Quiet American, Gerald Ross, Lil Rev, Dominator.
Website: http://renoukefest.com
Local Amenities: Map

Gorge Uke Fest ’12

Location: Hood River, OR
Date: March 2 – 4, 2012
Performers: Boulder Acoustic Society, Lil Rev, Victoria Vox.
Website: http://www.gorgeukuleles.org/
Local Amenities: Map

Midwest Uke Fest

Location: Folkcraft Instruments wood shop in Woodburn, Indiana
Date: August 4-5, 2012
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.midwestukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Mighty MO Ukulele Festival

Location: Cedar Creek Conference Center, Olive Road New Haven, MO 63068, United States
Date: July 20 & 21
Performers: Cali Rose, Flea Bitten Dawgs, Craig Bandeau.
Website: http://www.mightymoukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

The Vancouver Ukulele Festival 2012

Location: Vancouver, Canada
Date: February 25th & 26th 2012
Performers: Ralph Shaw, The Ukesters, Guido & Daphne.
Website: http://vancouverukulelefestival2012.eventbrite.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Hawaii

6th Annual Maui Ukulele Festival

Location: Maui Arts & Cultural Center – Kahului, Maui
Date: Sunday, October 14, 2012. 1:00 – 6:00 pm
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/maui.htm
Local Amenities: Map

12th Annual Waikoloa Ukulele Festival

Location: Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa
Date: March 3, 2012 2:00 – 7:00 pm
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/waikoloa.htm
Local Amenities: Map

Oahu – 42nd Annual Ukulele Festival

Location: Kapiolani Park Bandstand in Waikiki, Oahu
Date: July 22, 2012 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/oahu/index.htm
Local Amenities: Map

United Kingdom and Ireland

Ukes for UNICEF – Ukulele Festival

Location: Berkhamsted Civic Centre
Date: March 3, 2012 – 11:30 to 17:30
Performers: Ken Middleton, Krabbers!, Keef Jackman.
Website: http://www.ukesforunicef.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele Festival of Great Britain

Location: Cheltenham
Date: June 1st – 3rd 2012
Performers: Gerald Ross, Nico’o, Manitoba Hal, Re-entrants, Winin Boys, Ukulollo, and more
Website: http://www.ukulelefestival.co.uk
Local Amenities: Map

Europe

Festival International de Ukulele de Lerrain

Location: Lerrain
Date: June 22, 23, & 24, 2012
Performers: TBA
Website: http://fiul.weebly.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Australia and New Zealand

Blue Mountains Ukulele Festival 2012

Location: 68 Lurline St., Katoomba
Date: February 3 – 4, 2012
Performers: Bosko and Honey, Bella Hemming, The Blue MUGs
Website: http://www.bluemugs.com.au/
Local Amenities: Map

2012 Cairns Ukulele Festival

Location: Cairns, Australia
Date: July 6, 7, & 8, 2012
Performers: Manitoba Hal, Aaron Keim, Paul Hemmings.
Website: http://cairnsukulelefestival.net/
Local Amenities: Map

Canberra Ukulele Festival of Fun 2012

Location: Tuggeranong Arts Centre
Date: October 27th 2012
Performers: TBA
Website: http://ukelyptus.com.au/index_files/CUFFs.htm

Melbourne Ukulele Festival 2012

Location: Melbourne
Date: March 8 – 11, 2012
Performers: Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Ralph Shaw, Bosko and Honey, U.K.E., Benny Chong.
Website: www.muf.org.au
Local Amenities: Map

Asia

Thailand Ukulele Festival 2011

Location: Parc Paragon, Siam Paragon
Date: February 25 – 26, 2012 11:00 – 21:30
Performers: Aldrine Guerrero, Kalei Gamiao, KYAS, Shigeto Takahashi, Kimo Hussey, Lula, Sungha Jung.
Website: http://www.thailandukulelefestival.com/
Local Amenities: Map

LP – Into the Wild (Chords)

For the first time ever, all my nominations have made it through to the vote for Ukulele Video of the Year. Which means either everyone who reads this blog now has impeccable taste or I’ve successfully alienated everyone that disagrees with me.

I only added LP’s Into the Wild to my nominations at the last minute. I was checking through the ‘Other Videos You Might Like’ list and realised that this song is pretty magnificent. Dead simple too. Only three chords in it: G, Em and C.

Whoever you want to vote for you can cast your vote here.

Suggested Strumming

She’s doing mostly down-up:

d u d u d u d u

Do that twice for every chord in the verse and chorus. Once for every chord in the pre-chorus.

Download it for free on her website.

If you can’t see the poll above you can vote here.

You can only vote once and polling closes at midnight Hawaii time on 13th February. I’d encourage you to watch any you’re not familiar with but other than that, go wild. Vote for whoever you like for whatever reason you like (who wins isn’t as important as getting some exposure for excellent videos).

If you haven’t made your nominations for ukulele video of 2011 yet head here and make your pick.

James Hill – Heart Shaped Tattoo

Ben Torres & Camryn Wessner – Banjo

Joy Ike – Movin’ On

Ledward Kaapana – Mama E

Kunia Galdeira – Hi`ilawe

Lily Harlott – Ukulele Necrophiliac Love Song

Aaron Keim – False Hearted Lover Blues

James Hill & Anne Davison – Assam/Like a Bird

For the first stage, everyone gets to nominate up to 5 videos – leave them in the comments. From those nominations, I’ll cobble together a list of ten (ish) that will be voted on in the next round. Use whatever criteria you like. I went with whichever videos/songs I enjoyed most.

The Rules

The rules remain as ramshackle as ever:

- There has to be a ukulele in there.
- Videos must have been originally uploaded in 2011.
- Videos must be publicly available online.
- Maximum of five nominations per person.
- Post your nominations in the comments.
- Nominations close midnight Sunday 5th February.
- Ten acts with the most nominations go into the final vote with their most nominated song going forward.
- No prize. Just the love and admiration of the heaving masses.
- No sucking up by voting for me.

Don’t panic if your comments don’t show up right away. First time commenters and comments contains a few links can get held back for spam checking.

My Nominations

A Banda Mais Bonita da Cidade – Oração
Amanda Palmer & The Young Punx – Map of Tasmania
Keston Cobblers’ Club – Pett Level
Lisa Hannigan – Knots
LP – Into The Wild

Videos You May Like

To jog your memory, here are some more videos that have caused a stir in the comments, on the net or in my pants:

Raymond Penfield – Addicted To Love
Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt – What Are You Doing New Years Eve?
James Hill – Hand Over My Heart
Eddie Vedder – Can’t Keep
Taimane Gardner – Taimane’s Toccata
Seryn – River Song
Keston Cobblers’ Club – Shoemaker’s Song
My Brightest Diamond – I Have Never Loved Someone
Nicholas Abersold – Those Punk Rock Days
tUnE-yArDs- You Yes You
Givers – Meantime
The Jive Aces – Bring Me Sunshine
Pegasus Bridge – Yoko
Celisse Henderson – Me and You
Ukulele Tim – The Summoning
Ukulele Bartt and James Hill – Kashmir
Sungha Jung – I’m Yours
Leftover Cuties – Places to Go
Jake Shimabukuro – 143
KYAS – Bad Romance
Kina Grannis – Michicant
Kate and Janelle – Star Witness
Jonathan Coulton – Down Today
Sophie Madeleine – Oil & Gold
U900 – I Want You Back

Current high-flyers are Lisa Hannigan, LP and Eddie Vedder. If you think someone else deserves a look-in head over to the post and make your nominations in the comments.

Vanilla Ice plays ukulele for hipsters (seems like the video only works in the US though), Warren Buffett ukes for the Chinese, and The Rock plays to promote his film.

Makers of the film The Descendants attempt to bribe Oscar judges with a ukulele. Although Brett McKenzie is the true uker’s choice for an Oscar.

The Ukes for UNICEF festival takes place in Berkhamsted (UK) on the 3rd March and features Uke Hunt friends Ken Middleton and Krabbers and plenty more.

Coverage of the industry-fest NAMM on Ukeeku and Ukulele Underground.

On Uker Tabs: Coheed and Cambria, Bombay Bicycle Club and Charlie McDonnell.

Pictures: Taylor Swift in Vogue, mustachioed paper valentine ukulelists.

How to learn the ukulele well enough to (almost) get you laid.

David Arnold – Sherlock’s Theme (Tab)

There’s a lot to love about the BBC’s updating of Sherlock Holmes (and a few things – like all the tilt shifting – to hate) and one of the parts I love most is the music (by David ‘James Bond’ Arnold and Michael Price).

It’s interesting to hear how similar the score for Sherlock is to the music for the film version of Sherlock Holmes by Hans Zimmer despite the music for the TV version being written before the film came out.

My version of Sherlock’s Theme is all done with fingerpicking. After the intro, it’s all:

C-string = thumb.
E-string = index finger.
A-string = middle finger.

Make sure the melody stands out from the backing (the notes in brackets)

Melody Version

Sherlock’s Theme (Melody Tab)

My arrangement of the tune is quite tricky. So here’s the plain melody for the tune (without the intro). You can play it as it is or jazz it up in any way you see fit.

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Download Podcast #13
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Podcast #13 in your face.

The January 2012 podcast features an interview with Lila Burns (where everyone finds out they’ve been pronouncing her name wrong) and plenty of excellent tracks.

Tracklist

1. Lloyd Gabriel – Unhook Your Heart
2. Kiwafruit – Alone And Thinking Of You
3. Megg Farrell’s Whiskey Social – O’ Fear Nothing, Ms Bennet
4. The Great Sebaldo – Man On The Train
5. Sara Dennis – Lost Times
6. Lila Burns – Witching Hour
7. Lila Burns Interview Part 1
8. Lila Burns – Again and Again
9. Lila Burns Interview Part 2
10. Lila Burns – Timeline
11. Spoon Blind Williams – Oh! Wow
12. The K – Unusual Possibilities
13. Manitoba Hal – Down In Pubnico

You can get in touch and submit tracks for consideration if you follow the rules (particularly the one about file format) via:

Facebook
Soundcloud
Email at podcast@ukulelehunt.com

Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (Chords)

I’ve had a bunch of requests for Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know since the five people on one guitar version went viral. Inspired by the success of that they attempted the same thing with a ukulele. And they do successfully play ukuleles sometimes.

Suggested Strumming

Use this once for every chord:

D – D U

The only exception is the C5 in the last verse. Play the same pattern loads of times (16 at my count).

Pay attention to the dynamics in this one. Start quietly and bash it out in the choruses.

Twiddly Bits

You can play the ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ intro like this:

And the bridge bit like this:

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