UPDATE: Find the ukulele festivals in 2013 here.

No shortage of ukulele festivals lined up this year. Here’s a preliminary list. If there’s any I’ve missed leave a comment or send me a message.

United States of America and Canada

Ukulele Melee

Location: Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park
51 Sandy Pond Road Lincoln, MA
Date: July 28, 2011, 5:00 PM
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.bostonuke.com/events/23593621/
Local Amenities: Map

Mighty MO Ukulele Festival

Location: New Haven, MO
Date: May 13 – 14, 2011
Performers: The Flea Bitten Dawgs, Victoria Vox & Katie Chambers
Website: http://www.mightymoukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

2011 Tampa Bay Ukulele Getaway

Location: Tampa Bay
Date: November 4 to 6, 2011
Performers: Tripping Lily, Holland Greco, Jen Kwok, Taimane Gardner.
Website: http://www.tampabayukulele.com/
Local Amenities: Map

New York Uke Fest 2011

Location: The Ailey Citigroup Theater and Studios, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 W 55th St at 9th Ave., New York, NY 10019
Date: May 5-7, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.nyukefest.com/home.cfm
Local Amenities: Map

Gorge Uke Fest ’11

Location: Hood River, OR
Date: March 4 – 5, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.gorgeukuleles.org/
Local Amenities: Map

Lone Star Uke Fest 2011

Location: Dallas, Texas
Date: April 7 – 9, 2011
Performers: Kimo Hussey, Mike Lynch (Ukulele Mike), Gerald Ross, Michelle Kiba, Ukulele Bartt, Pops Bayless, The Wahooligans, Mark “Spanky” Guiterrez, Dennis McBride
Website: http://www.lonestarukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Reno – Tahoe Uke Fest

Location: John Ascuaga’s Nugget, Spark, Nevada
Date: March 18 – 20, 2011
Performers: Daniel Ho, Kris Fuchigami, Victoria Vox, Boulder Acoustic Society, Matt Dahlberg, Ralph Shaw
Website: http://www.playuke.net/
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele Festival of Northern California

Location: Chabot Junior College Performing Arts Center
Date: April 3, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalnorcal.org
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele Hoopla

Location: River City Omaha, NE, USA
Date: September 24, 2011
Performers: Kimo Hussey, Pops Bayless, Brook Adams, Rebecca Lowry, Mark ‘Spanky’ Gutierrez, Heather Hooton
Website: http://www.ukehoopla.webs.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele World Congress

Location: Needmore, Indiana
Date: June 3 – 4, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://ukuleleworldcongress.wordpress.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Vancouver Ukulele Festival

Location: Vancouver Live Sound
Date: March 25th – 27th 2011
Performers: Jim D’Ville, Ralph Shaw, Guido Heistek, Black Gardenia (Daphne Roubini & Andrew Smith), The Ukesters and Ruby’s Ukers
Website: http://rubysukes.vpweb.ca/
Local Amenities: Map

West Coast ‘Ukulele Retreat

Location: Asilomar, Monterey Peninsula, CA
Date: May 18 – 22, 2011
Performers: Brook Adams, Andy Andrews, Mike DaSilva, Jim D’Ville, Dave Egan, James Hill, Gerald Ross, Del Rey
Website: http://winecountryukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival

Location: Wine Country, CA
Date: Sept. 9, 10, & 11, 2011
Performers: Aaron Keim, Brook Adams, Faith Ako, Gerald Ross, Jim D’Ville, Ken Middleton, Mandalyn May, Li’l Rev, Steven Espaniola, and many more!
Website: http://winecountryukefest.com/
Local Amenities: Map

Hawaii

41st Annual Ukulele Festival

Location: Kapiolani Park Bandstand in Waikiki, Oahu
Date: July 17, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/oahu/index.htm
Local Amenities: Map

11th Annual Waikoloa Ukulele Festival

Location: Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa
Date: March 5, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/waikoloa.htm
Local Amenities: Map

6th Annual Maui Ukulele Festival

Location: Maui Arts & Cultural Center – Kahului, Maui
Date: October 16, 2011
Performers: Herb Ohta Sr. (Ohta-San), Jake Shimabukuro, Holunape, Raiatea Helm, Manoa DNA, Paula Fuga, Richard Ho’opi’i, Brittni Paiva, Kelly Boy Delima, Derek Sebastian
Website: http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/maui.htm
Local Amenities: Map

United Kingdom and Ireland

Ukulele Festival of Great Britain 2011

Location: Town Hall, Cheltenham
Date: June 17 – 19, 2011
Performers: James Hill, Ukulele Bartt, The Re-entrants, Hot Potato Syncopators, Nico’o, Steven Sproat, The Anything Goes Orchestra, Krabbers, Ukulollo, Gabrielle Sproat, Paul Moore
Website: http://www.ukulelefestival.co.uk/Home.aspx
Local Amenities: Map

Hollesley 2011

Location: Alderton Road Hollesley, Woodbridge, UK
Date: July 22-25, 2011
Performers:
Website:
Local Amenities: Map

Extalgic Festival

Location: Hainault Forest Country Park, London, UK
Date: July 8-10, 2011
Performers:
Website: http://extalgic.com/about.php
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele Hooley by the Sea ’11

Location: People’s Park, Dún Laoghaire, Ireland
Date: 20/21 August 2011
Performers:
Website: UkuleleHooley.com

Europe

Festival Belgium Mei

Location: Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Date: Saturday, May 28 at 8:00pm – May 29 at 8:00pm
Performers: Winin’ Boys, The Original Redcats and THE HULA BLUEBIRDS feat. multi-instrumentalist Martin Wheatley
Website:
Local Amenities: Map

Festival International de Ukulele de Lerrain

Location: Lerrain
Date: June 17 – 19, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://fiul.weebly.com/le-programme.html
Local Amenities: Map

Youkulele – Roma Ukulele Festival 2011

Location: Centro di Cultura Ecologica inside V Municipio
Date: September 23-24, 2011
Performers: Aldrine Guerrero, Adriano Bono & La Minima Orchestra, Jontom, Ukulelezaza, Enrico Farnedi, Shelley O’Brien, Danilo Vignola, U.K.E, Quote Latte Boys, Paul Moore, Matta Ukulele Ochestra
Website: http://festival.youkulele.com
Local Amenities: Map

Ukulele Boudoir! Le festival

Location: Les Trois Baudets : 64 boulevard de Clichy 75018 Paris-France
Date: 15 – 16 April 2011
Performers: James Hill, Les Chauds Lapins, April Shower and more.
Website: festival.ukuleleboudoir.com and ukuleleboudoir.com
Local Amenities: Map

3rd Belgian Ukulele Festival

Location: Stadspark, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Date: Saturday, May 28 at 8:00pm – May 29 at 8:00pm
Performers: Winin’ Boys, Herman Vandecauter, Hula Bluebirds
Website: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189895931037374
Local Amenities: Map

The Ukulele Hotspot Winterswijk

Location: Emma School, Vredenseweg 170, 7113 AE Winterswijk (near Bocholt / Germany)
Date: June 3 – 5, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://www.kleinleed.nl/hotspot/hotspotwinterswijk2011.html
Local Amenities: Map

Ukefesta

Location: l’Ateneu Popular de Nou Barris, Barcelona, Spain.
Date: April 1, 2011
Performers: TBA
Website: http://ukefesta.com/en/
Local Amenities: Map

Australia and New Zealand

Cairns Ukulele Festival 2011

Location: Cairns
Date: July 1-3, 2011
Performers: Daniel Ho, Sweet Hollywaiians, IWAO, Shigeto Takahashi
Website: http://cairnsukulelefestival.net/
Local Amenities: Map

Katikati Ukulele Festival 2011

Location: Katikati, New Zealand
Date: April 2, 2011
Performers: Big Muffin Serious Band from Te Pahu
Website: http://www.culturevulture.co.nz/blog/ukulele/festivals-events/katikati-ukulele-festival-2011/
Local Amenities: Map

The Melbourne Ukulele Festival 2011

Location: The Thornbury Theatre and the Northcote Uniting Church
Date: February 25th – March 1st, 2011
Performers: Bosko and Honey, Ukulelezaza, Jontom, Uni and Her Ukelele, Shelley O’Brien, Paul Moore, Dino Divo.
Website: http://www.muk.com.au
Local Amenities: Map

Asia

Location: Thailand Ukulele Festival 2011
Date: March 12-13, 2011
Performers: Abe Lagrimas, Aldrine Guerrero, IWAO, Julia Nunes, Shigeto Takahashi.
Website: http://www.thailandukulelefestival.com/

If you’re quick, you’ve still got time to cast your vote for the 2011 ukulele video of the year. It’s really close between Manitoba Hal and Bella Hemming (just a handful of votes between them at the time of writing). Voted? Right, down to business.

I’ve done plenty of Christmas and Halloween posts but never a Valentines post. And not because I’m one of those people who hates Valentines. But because most love songs – mutual-love songs – are tripe. Not a word you could ever use to describe the Beach Boys’ Wouldn’t It Be Nice.

I wrote up the chords based on the Beach Boys version but She and Him’s version is in the same key and is very similar.

Suggested Strumming

You can use this as the main strumming pattern:

d – d u d u d u

In the verses use it twice for F and once for the Bb. Then split it in half and do d – d u on the Gm7 and d u d u on the C7 (in the She and Him version they do the full pattern for Gm7 and C7

In the bridge and the middle use it once for every chord.

Twiddly Bits

The main reason I wanted to do this song is so I could write up the intro.

Intro

Science Bit

Bollocks to L’Oreal, you can skip the science bit if you’re so inclined.

One small difference between my version and the She and Him version is in the middle section. I’ve gone with the F#m shape for Dmaj7 (2120). Zooey uses 2224. I went with that because I prefer the sound of it with a band playing along. Neither of the versions are particularly good with just uke though. I think I’d go for 7654 for Dmaj7 and 7675 for Gmaj7.

Two nominees for last year’s video of the year in this week’s selection (be sure to cast your vote if you haven’t yet). But the act that caught my attention (thanks to Humble Uker) was the Talilele Ukulele Orchestra from Kobe. They’re stretching the instruments used and creating a massive sound.

Also this week Uke’s Not Dead singing about Jeremy Kyle (think Jerry Springer without a sense of humour), Des O’Connor and Tricity Vogue singing a song that sounds like a Jeremy Kyle show (don’t listen to that song- I’m warning you), me breaking the Beatles embargo and more besides.

If you’re still jonesing for more: here’s William H Macy busting out the uke for pro-choice and an interesting video from Richard Durrant.

Read the rest of this entry »

You might have seen videos of the automated ukulele player. You can now join George Harrison and the bloke who directed The Goonies in the elite group of owners and buy one on eBay.

A pair of fine custom ukuleles: William King sopranino and Mike DaSilva soprano.

The MUKUDO: headless electric tenor ukulele (Thanks to Phredd).

Swagerty are known for their weird and wonderful ukuleles but this is a new shape on me. Not their most attractive uke but at least it’s cheaper than cheaper than a handful of Swagerty decals.

There’s a big hoo-haa over the Hawaiian music Grammy award – turns out someone cares (via Ukulelia). Daniel Ho, whose all-ukulele album is nominated this year, has won every year since 2006. He’s the living embodiment of the elevator-musicification of Hawaiian music and people aren’t happy.

AV Club interview ukers including Aaron Keim and Danielle ATS. “Why not just play guitar like a “normal” musician?”

Jake brings his ads.

Singing Ukulele.

Instrumental version of To Make You Feel My Love on Uker Tabs.

MP3s: Jake Wildwood has a new album out and you can download it – and all his other records – free on his website, After the Lung Collapsed has a couple of tracks from Mr B and Neon Musical Insight has one from Doug Hoyer.

An interesting one here. David is using the iRealBook ipod app to back himself up. It has chords, bass and drums for a bunch of songs plus you can punch in your own. I wasn’t sure about shelling out the fairly high (for an app) price before but I went for it after I heard this. I haven’t had chance to use it much, but I’ve had fun messing with it. The downside is that it doesn’t give you any notation (standard notation or tab of any kind) so you have to do your own research. Lucky for us, David was kind enough to tab this one out.

Two recommended versions to buy: Dinah Washington’s is best, but Willie Nelson and Diana Krall do a fine version too and that sticks closer to the melody so probably better for tune-learning purposes.

More from David:

The Stripper
Mississippi Blues
In the Mood
The Whistling Milkman

Voting Closed

The nominations are in and there’s a big shock already, after the last two years of fluffy winners, all this year’s nominees are human (with the possible exception of Jonsi). Other than that, it’s a good mixture of stuff running from virtuoso performances to strums, big groups to solos, international superstars to bedroom performers, cute ukulele girliness to big-hairy-man territory.

I must admit to a fuck-up on my part: Keston Cobblers’ Club’s You-Go was from 2009. Sorry to anyone who nominated it.

Make your choice on whatever criteria you like (I’m going to vote for the one I enjoyed most). Vote closes February 15th at midnight Hawaii time. Feel free to canvas for votes for your favourite (or yourself) on the net. No prize other than glory and admiration. All I ask is that you watch any videos you’re not familiar with before you vote.

The Nominated Videos

Slightly shorter shortlist than usual this year.

Secret Home Party – Reciprocation
Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra – Short People
Manitoba Hal – Poulet Shack
James Hill – Billie Jean
Jónsi and Nico Muhly – Go Do
Bella Hemming – (She might love you if you learn to) Play Guitar

The Result

1. Manitoba Hal – Poulet Shack: 411 (33%)

2. Bella Hemming – Play Guitar: 400 (32%)

3. Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra – Short People: 236 (19%)

4. James Hill – Billie Jean: 137 (11%)

5. Secret Home Party – Reciprocation: 40 (3%)

6. Jonsi and Nico Muhly – Go Do: 31 (2%)

The nominations for 2010’s video of the year are in, being tabulated and you’ll have a chance to vote on them tomorrow. This year it’s going to take some pushing and shoving to get a list of ten and this one is just on the brink. After the howls of protest when I didn’t include it in my ‘best of the year so far’ posts I thought it would be in easily. If I’d gone through with my plan to institute the Smash Hits Poll Winners award categories, he’d have got Most Fanciable Male by a landslide.

Suggested Strumming

There are lots of bits in the song where it’s just one down strum left to ring. The main part of the song you can go with this two bar pattern once for each chord:

d – d u – u d u
– u d u – u d –

One exception is the intro. For the first quick F you might want to use this version of F and C with this pattern

F C
d u – u – u d u
– u d u – u d u

And the quick bit at the end of the intro, do this once for each chord:

d u d u

The other is in the bridge section. In the session version he’s doing a bit of strum blocking with the thumb stopping the g-string ringing and the other fingers covering the E and A-strings. If you don’t fancy doing that, you can just play the C chord with the main strumming pattern.

Twiddly Bits

If you want to recreate the piano bit in the intro you could do it like this:

Visit Antarctica Takes It!’s Bandcamp and you can get this track free and buy the album.

Darren Hayman went against the grain and spent January recording one track every day. A few of them featured ukuleles but not the one I’ve chosen. I’ve bent the rules to allow my favourite of the month: a tenor guitar song with Elizabeth ‘Allo Darlin‘ Morris. Another of his duets was with Helen Arney who also puts in an appearance this week (and will be on Robin Ince’s Uncaged Monkeys tour which I’m definitely probably going to).

Also this week: the UOGB with one of their less familiar covers, a wonderful video from The Fancy Dress Party, Johnny Marvin under the name Honey Duke and someone who shares my first name (even spells it correctly) and my love of cardigans.

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No doubt about the hottest uke item on eBay this week: a Kamaka Jake Shimabukuro Signature ukulele. In 2006 Kamaka announced they’d be making 100 ukes to Jake’s specifications, individually tested by him and with his signature. And they were going to decide who gets them by lottery. The seller obviously isn’t a player and seems to have made a shrewd investment and is selling it now Jake is very big. If the seller gets the asking price, there’s a very nice $11,500 profit in it.

When I was a kid there was a big craze in the UK for American Football. I was a Bears man (because of The Fridge) and I demanded a Wilson Football for Christmas. It turns out that Wilson turned their hand to ukuleles with Ashland ukuleles.

An interesting new eBay shop in the UK: UkeniqueUkuleles. No seller feedback as yet but they’ve got some promising items off the bat.

Photos: I usually skip over the Hawaiians-in-grass-skirts photos but I found this one interesting. Girls w/ ukuleles in yard.