From our Ears to Yours
Byron Bluesfest 2013 Day 2
Day 2 – Change – in the weather and the world. Also – BEARDS!
Concert: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2012 Day 2
Day 2 – Highlights include Sublime with Rome, Seth Lakeman, and The Specials! Stop yer Messing around…
Concert: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2012 Day 1
Day 1 – The latest from the Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival. Sun, Surf and lots and lots of musical goodness abound.
Concert: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3
Don't take the Brown Acid!
Another day of perfect blue sky weather – the swell was up, the wind was off-shore, the water was warm, and the Byron BluesFest was in full swing as we fought back Festival Fatigue for another round of amazing performances.
Imogen Heap is one of those unique artists who’s medium happens to include music – one of those art-first artists. Although she’s very much herself, I was reminded of other like minded weirdos, such as Amanda Palmer, or Kate Bush. As she played us some of her eclectic tunes full of lively arrangements, cello, piano, and some fantastic new age synth sounds, the crowd was kind of stunned – in a good way. It’s clear that Imogen has some incredible musical chops – and she has an equally incredible pitch perfect voice. A strange choice perhaps, for Bluesfest – but a good one – aren’t we all here for a new experience?
I also snuck over to the Jamablaya stage to catch the opening few tunes from Tim Robbins & the Rogues Gallery Band. Once you get past the fact that yes, that is totally the guy from the Shawshank Redemption, what you find is some genuine easy going laid back folksy blues with heart and a social conscience. A cover of Tom Waits “All the world is Green” featuring the singing saw was really impressive.
Missed:Trombone Shorty, Phil Jones & The Unknown Blues, Hank Greens Blues 
Hanging out at the Mojo Tent, I could hear Robert Randolph going off, big time over at the crossroads stage judging by the cheers of the crowd, and I was sorely tempted to scoot on over and join them – but then Wolfmother returned to the Bluesfest Mojo stage. I don’t know what this band would actually be doing if somebody hadn’t come up with music festivals. Wolfmother are a band that are made to play to big sweeping crowds, stadiums. The other thing that springs to mind whenever I see Andrew Stockdales mega-fro, is the question: Am I really supposed to take this band seriously? The hair, and the big, sweeping RAWK sound – long vamping solos, crunchy stompy distortion pedals. Wolfmother are the most cock-rock band I have ever seen – so much so that they are almost a parody of themselves. And the whole thing leaves me on a critical level, somewhat puzzled – but on a more primal level, I find myself punching the air, doing air guitar solos on my knees in the mud. Go figure.
Missed:Robert Randolph, Raul Malo, Grace Barbe Afro Kreol, Nat Col & the Kings
The Indigo Girls have been singing together for 25 years, and it’s clear that they are both still in fine voice. The duo sang their beautiful, inspirational tunes to a crowd of adoring fans – with just a couple of acoustic guitars and perfect harmonies, they were a long way from the preceeding act – back to campfire roots.
I also managed to take in Trinity Dub – a reggae/soul outfit from New Zealand – in fact one of NZ’s most successful recording artists of the 2000′s. There were more than a few Kiwi fans in the audience, cheering wildly as they busted out some huge dirty reggae grooves – the awesome fat basslines reverberating across the tent had the crowd enthusiastically bobbing their heads and smoking weed. (Actually, I don’t think that was really the band’s influence, folks probably would have done that anyway). With soaring three part harmonies, and tasty guitar licks, these guys are alright, bro.
Missed:Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, BB & the Blues Shacks, Victor Valdes & the Marin Brothers
Having been blown away by Michael Franti and Spearhead’s Thursday night show, I was never going to miss a chance for a second. This longer set had all of the hallmarks of the first – bursting with positive energy, amazing musicianship, audience participation, and Michael Franti working the whole massive Crossroads tent, everyone jumping and waving and singing along. “The Sound of Sunshine” featured giant yellow balloons tossed around by the crowd – “Hey, Hey, Hey” saw Franti again disappear through the crowd to turn up in the center of the tent. All the while, the outpouring of love from the crowd was growing and growing. As one bare chested sweaty fan yelled at me “Can you feel the Franti-Love?” Oh yeah. We can feel it.
For the closing finale, Michael dragged all the young kids out of the audience on to the stage to dance as the whole tent danced and sang to “Say Hey” – a stripped back, acoustic, barn-stomping celebration of love:
I say hey, I be gone today
But I be back around the way
Seems like everywhere I go
The more I see, the less I know
But I know one thing, that I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
If there is anything in the world than can make you forget your troubles, and lose yourself, to harness the power of music to transform your life, and to leave your soul refreshed and renewed, A Michael Frante & Spearhead concert has to be pretty close to the top of the list.
Missed:John Legend, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, The Bamboos, Blackbirds
[Each Easter Weekend, the most easterly point of Australia hosts a 5-day blues and roots festival that attracts some of the greatest names in music. Dubbed “Bluesfest“, the acts that are performing this year are amazing in their diversity and their talent. The biggest problem with a Festival this size, is determining exactly what to see, and more painfully, what to miss out on!]
Concert: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 2
Fishbone brings the crazy
I woke the morning of Day 2 with a little bit of a hangover, and a sore neck from dancing. I wasn’t really sure that I was going to be able to get through the whole of Day 2 – especially looking at the awesome lineup. But, after spending some time in the surf, I found that missing energy, and ended up pretty excited to hit the tents (and the mud).
The Crossroads stage was host to Los Lobos, the Mexican/US rock band (The Wolves) – they performed a hard rocking, blues-laden set that was tinged with salsa, accordion and varied wildly, culminating with a cover of The Who’s My Generation, much to the delight of the crowd.
Missed: Ernest Ranglin, Bayjah, Jack Thompson & The Original Sinners, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
The Blind Boys from Alabama have been playing for near on seventy years, and they brought their inspiring gospel blues to the Crossroads Stage, to the cheers of the crowd. I didn’t get enough of chance to really check them out, being busy getting food for the crew – but from all reports they were great – lots of happy twitter fans out there.
Missed:Fistful of Mercy, The Dingoes, Osibisa, The U Blues Band
From there, the audience began to pile into the stage to see the King of the Blues, B.B King. While the roadies were busy preparing the stage, I headed up to the Juke Joint to see Californian “Dirty Reggae” band, The Aggrolites. Their tight, high energy groove had the crowd really jumping – and with a bit of room to move, (as everyone was piling into the Crossroads Stage to see B.B King) I was quickly swept up into an enormous conga line, and before I knew it I was high-fiving my fellow newly discovered Aggrolites Fans as we all danced to the pulsing beat – without a horns section, the 5 piece rely heavily on their keyboardist, who was working hard. I wanted to get on back to see The King, but I found myself with a problem – I couldn’t actually stop dancing – eventually I managed to dance my way out of the hypnotic lure of the band to return back to see B.B finish his set. At 85, B.B King is a legend of the Blues Guitar, his career spanning over 50 albums, 14 Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades. After a few technical difficulties, things got underway with the enormous crowd cheering as B.B played the blues. Sitting down, he delivered some tasty blues licks – although it seems that age has slowed him down a little – It must be strange, having so much experience as a musician, having to chose between which notes you should play, and which notes you can play. Regardless, the guitar virtuoso that made No.3 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Guitarists of All Time was clearly on display, and his backing band were also incredible.
Missed:Toots & The Maytals, Ray Beadle, Luciano & Jah Messenjah Band
Up next, Rodrigo y Gabriela, the famed Mexican born, Ireland-bred, acoustic metal flamenco guitarists. As Gabriela herself intoned, they had been on the road for “about 10 years”, and they were looking forward to leaving the festival circuit behind to retire to Mexico to recharge, and work on their next album, following their self-titled debut, and last year’s 11:11. With the energy of a big farewell show, they played with ferocity and intensity that was astonishing. Every time I see these guys play, I can’t believe they are real. With Gabriela’s whirlwind flamenco strumming and percussive use of her instrument, and Rodrigo’s deftly-timed sweet-toned picked notes, these two musicians generate the most enormous musical sound you have ever heard fill a festival tent. Dressed both in black, and with nothing on the stage other than a couple of amp crates, they played without a setlist, just playing whatever they liked from their long tour. The crowd clapped along until their hands were sore, and their voices hoarse from cheering – but we did manage to get them to come back for three encores before the evening finally drew to a close.
I also managed to check out the last few songs from Fishbone. This LA based group has been playing it’s peculiar blend of funk/ska/punk/rock/hardcore for years – I remember encountering their records in the early 90′s as a teenager. At the time, I was never quite sure where I stood with them, because they seemed so frenetic and crazy. As I found myself sucked into the moshpit (at bluesfest?) I couldn’t help but think they were frenetic and crazy. They also were having the most insane amount of fun. Trombone, Flugelhorn, Clarinet, Trumpet, Bass, Keys – everybody in the band seemed to be able to play all of these things – and sing – and stage dive, all at the same time. It was like somebody spiked Duke Ellington’s Big Band with methamphetamine. An incredible show – and one that has to be seen to be believed.
Missed: Grace Jones. Lowrider
And with that, we filed out of the venue, staggered through the car park and made it back home to collapse into bed, reggae rhythms, blues licks and flamenco metal ringing in our ears.
[Each Easter Weekend, the most easterly point of Australia hosts a 5-day blues and roots festival that attracts some of the greatest names in music. Dubbed “Bluesfest“, the acts that are performing this year are amazing in their diversity and their talent. The biggest problem with a Festival this size, is determining exactly what to see, and more painfully, what to miss out on!]
