''Music is part of something that's inside,'' Luke Carroll said, pointing at his heart. ''That's where its strength and value comes from.''
Carroll, of Gungahlin, is a public servant, ''very amateur'' musician and ex-army man who served in Iran. He will present today his second concert at the National Folk Festival, a work titled Patriotism, humour, lament and protest - the music of war. He sourced songs with those themes from the period of the Boer War to the present day, and will also sing two songs of his own creation. Through research, he learned that in the period of the Boer War there were plenty of patriotic songs, but now songs of protest are far more common.
His work in creating this concert focused on rehabilitating him. Two years ago he suffered multiple fractures in a high-speed car crash on the Monaro Highway. He was for a time wheelchair bound, and the left-handed guitar soloist worried about ever being able to play again.
''It's fairly daunting to be here, but this entire project gave me something to aim for.''
''Someone I met during my recovery period said recovery wasn't only about physical recovery, it was about emotional recovery - putting your life back together after a serious reversal is quite a complex thing.
''For this project, I had to research and think and search and sort which was quite difficult to do because of the severity of the accident.''
His daughter Samara, 11, said making music helped rehabilitate her father because it was something he truly loved to do.
''He's been practising almost every night,'' she said.
''I think everybody's quite proud of him. He recovered really well.''
Yesterday, Carroll and Samara were among the many visitors enjoying the festival. Festival-goers enjoyed bluegrass performers doing Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show or the rather different vocal stylings of bush musicians. Children avidly watched circus performers in a little tent and other highlights included a world poetry debate, the Infinite Mary Poppins Competition and workshops in songwriting, flamenco guitar and beginner's tin whistle.
According to a spokeswoman for the festival, visitor numbers are on track to eclipse last year's, when 49,500 people came.
About 10,900 people visited the festival yesterday and after 5pm there were hundreds of evening-ticket holders waiting to come inside. The spokeswoman said every venue was packed to capacity.
According to ACT Tourism Minister Andrew Barr despite tough economic conditions, the festival contributes on average about $7million to the ACT's economy during its duration and attracts visitors from interstate and overseas.
Mr Barr said, ''There's nothing like hard economic times to test the quality of any event.
''So I think the fact this year's festival has done better in ticket sales than other [comparable] major folk or cultural event is a testament to the quality of its content and organisation.''
Professional service organisation Ernst and Young is to undertake a full analysis of the festival's value to the ACT economy, with support from Australian Capital Tourism.
Luke Carroll will perform Patriotism, humour, lament and protest - the music of war at 12.30pm today at the Henley Theatre, Exhibition Park, Mitchell. The festival ends today.
Email a friend