Byron by blues and roots - saturday at crossroads tent

[ozboy]

Reporting in from the Byron Bay Blues fest. For those that dont know Byron Bay on the North Coast of new Australia is the most easterly part of Australia. It's an icon on the international back packer trek. The surf was outstanding this year, the water warm and then in the afternoon it's off to the festival now in its 26th year.

We've so far seen "StPaul and the broken bones" and "vintage trouble".

St. Paul was an 8.5 out of ten. Fantastic singer, excellent voice, great horn section. Singer is standing on the speaker box, nearly fell off, nearly had a heart attack but created an excellent audience buzz.

Vintage trouble about a 7.5. 4 piece, James brown style singer, enormous energy worked the crowd right over from crowd surfing down from the mixing desk to all varieties of sways and Mexican waves. Very tight rhythm section with excellent high energy drummer and guitarist who really knew what he was doing. Singer's voice not quite as good and a certain sameness to the material with less dynamics meant some loss of marks.

3 more blues styles acts tonight and we will do other styles Sunday and Monday. Will be excellent if the rain holds off (unlikely).
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Next up was the rain dance, at least that was almost the high point of the Mick Fleetwood blues band. A good blues sound although Rick Vito voice not quite up to Peter Green's standard.

As predicted a tropical storm arrived. What wasn't so anticipated was the leak in the tent. Still at Byron that's the cue for a rain dance, no doubt followed by a mud slide. 8/10 for this band and 9/10 for the dancers.
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By band four the night is wearing, the noise I mean music starts to wear a little, the crowds have grown, the space and oxygen have shrunk. Tedeschi/Trucks didn't do it. Every American guitarist seems to think slide is the only way to play blues, a bunch of Duane Allman wannabes. Dereck Trucks is a fine guitarist and Susan Tedeschi almost a blues singer, backed by two drummers, bass, keys, a horn section and three backup singers it didn't quite cut through for me. 6/10

Only time for one song from the less serious and more fun "play for change band" but still a nice t shirt to have at home. 7.5/10

That leaves the talented but divisive Joe bonamassa, with the strategic timing of first to the car park high on the priority list. The tea and coffee tent is crowded and I almost tender two notes instead of one, but once served and sitting down it sure tastes good.
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Magic's back thanks to Joe Bonamassa. A genuine virtuoso on the guitar, I know of noone in the world playing at a higher level today. He's grown into singing and songwriting and looked the most complete I've seen him as an artist. Band included the keyboard player from the late great Stevie Ray vaughan's Double Trouble as well as some first class session musos.

There are times in a Joe solo where you feel your spirit lift at the sheer righteousness of the note and its timing. Despite the quality of the band I'm takin 0.5 marks off because the songs are not memorable, the playing brilliant an the lineup of this gig understanding 9.5/10

 

[ozboy]

 

[alphasports]

Awesome! Thanks for the live reporting, keep it coming

 

[ozboy]

Checking in from Byron Blues and Roots. The morning dawned overcast and rainy but spirits were high on Easter Sunday after a long leisurely breakfast.

We headed out to the festival at 5, the rain holding off but the grounds like a horse marshaling yard. The crowd had grown. First up was "Modest Mouse", a massive disappointment, three drummers,mature guitars, two keyboards, a bass player that shook the foundations non stop and an overly enthusiastic and totally inaudible singer added up to a 4/10.

"Jackson Browne "by contrast was pleasant, audible and mightily in tune, but I was asleep after the third song so we headed off for an early iron wok noodle. 6/10

"The Wailers" were next up and they had the crowd revved up Byron is a natural habitat for the species Rasta. All the old favorites were played with style and verve and a good time was had by all. For this critic the music was skittle one paced, but I liked the performance just the same. 8/10

Then it was the new to me "Melissa Etheridge". This was the surprise of the show for me. A full on display of blues and roots musicianship. Great guitar whether 12 string rock rhythm or electric groove blues or harmonica or even drums. Singing was also strong and the backing band really classy. They had a fabulous old time rock groove going and kept it going. I used to think female blues performers started and ended at Janis Joplin, on the assumption that Patty Smith is straight rock, but Ms Etherrige has shown me just how mistaken I am. 9/10.

 

[ozboy]

Last up for us this evening was "UB40". A great ska/reggae sound and some lovely singing. These guys know how to make a larger ensemble sound tight, helped by some sensational, although not in your face drumming. The crowd which had been up for the evening all night long went right off, creating a feel good vibe that lasted all the way back to town. 9/10

 

[veinbuster]

That sounds like a great lineup and tons of fun in spite of the weather.

 

[justmund]

I would have loved to make it up this year (OK I say that pretty much every year), I really want to see Joe B. play live (if he brought over Rock Candy Funk Party, I'd lose my shi...). His tone, chops, timing, versatility and taste are simply out of this world.

Thanks for the report!

 

[ozboy]

Winding up my three days at Byron Bluesfest we started with Brian Wilson's band playing Petshop tunes.

I could only give this 5/10 Brian has zero personality on stage doesn't sing the songs with any verve or passion and very little timing. This held the rest of the large band back. There were some great singers on stage but the overall result was a letdown.

Joe Bonamassa was on again and his second set was virtually a note or note recreation of the first set. This gave me more of a chance to appreciate the great bass work=k by Michael rose. Joe played his heart out but didn't make any effort to connect with the crowd. I didn't care. The crowd was in any event tiny because 9/10 people had packed into the "mojo" tent where a 75 year old Tom Jones showed he still has audience and sex appeal. The crowd stayed to the end of the set cheered every song and obviously loved it. A girl next to us was heard to yell "daddy I'm coming". Toms band was was classy without being overwhelming. Mixing of his set was immaculate and every word he sang could be understood, an object lesson to many other bands in how to mix vocals. It's not my music but it's 8.5/10.

Finally there was just time for a few songs from the original blues bros band before this ageing dude had to head home. The Blues Bros band were very tight with a great brass section, this was great party music although not original. Probably would have been 8.5/10 if I'd stayed to the end.

My band of the tournament would have had the UB40 guy doing lead vocals, although most would have chosen Tom jones. I'd have had the St. Paul and the broken bones guy on backup/second vocals with Melissa Etheridge on alternative vocals and rhythm guitar.

On keys it's Rhys from the Joe Bonamassa band, on lead guitar it's Joe, on Sax the guy from the blues bros band. On drums I'm going with the ub40 guy, watching his sticks hanging in the air before hitting another perfect beat was an experience in itself. On bass it was a tight contest between Mike Rhodes from JB band and Jerry Duplessis from Mel Etheridge and my narrow vote goes to Jerry.

Will I be back next year? if it's as good as year I think so. A fabulous ay to spend Easter, with the full moon rising over the Pacific just one of the many attractions on offer.