Folk Music Promoters

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Maltese folk music promoters

File:Serata għana fil-Pretoria Tarxien - May 2013.JPG"
Poster of folk music event held at the Pretoria Bar in Tarxien, May 2013.

are essential towards the survival of this musical tradition. Promoters usually identify a number of prime folk singers, għannejja primi who would be the eventual crowd pullers for a prospective event.

The promoter would usually recall these individuals for successive folk music events in other localities, and in turn expect them to stay within their group.


He would announce their participation by issuing a notice, known as il-karta in paper format which is distributed in wine bars, petrol stations, barbers or affixed to electricity lamp posts. After mentioning the name and nickname of the prime folk singers and guitarists, the words u oħrajn, lit. 'and others' or u sħabhom, lit. 'and their friends' refers to the unnamed lesser known folksingers.

It also adds spice to the event, since it delineates that the event might be a prolonged happening of over three hours. Once a promoter has a number of committed folksingers, he can approach the operator of a venue with the intention of organizing an event.

A more refined poster of the Bormla event, 12 July 2013.

The venues are usually bars frequented by unassuming locals, traditional bowls clubs or band clubs where a plethora of complimentary appetizers would be presented to the enthusiasts patronizing the bar facilities. The excessive noise that is generated by patrons being served at the bar is generally tolerated, knowing that further folk music events can only be hosted if these are profitable for the bar operators through their till takings.

Other promoters include those who film the events and upload the footage on the social media, or a few who create event pages on Facebook for publicity purposes or to engage the audience in order to attain new followers to this musical genre.

See also