Bluesfest 2013 – Day 5
The legendary Bonnie Raitt was a resident at Mojo today. Not only did she play her set in the evening (opening for Paul Simon), but she managed to get on stage for both Mavis Staples and the Zac Brown Band. She played with Ben Harper when she last appeared at Bluesfest in 2007 and is clearly keen for collaborations.
Today was also a chance to catch the final set from BC band Current Swell. This group played on the APRA stage yesterday with the energy that you would expect for a main stage. That show encouraged fans new and old to follow them to see what they could do in a bigger space. Their set helped to pick up those who were weary after over four days of music and they were a great way to get through the afternoon for some.
It was country time with the Zac Brown Band on one stage while Kitty Daisy & Lewis delivered their vintage sound on another. Hearts fluttered for Ben Howard this afternoon. Xavier Rudd mixed up his set list and accompaniment for today's show, being joined by Bobby Alu on drums and percussion. Xavier began beautifully and ended powerfully.
Fat Freddy's Drop were doin' it for the love of music and played a less progressive set that last night.
Paul Simon is probably one of the biggest names to ever reach a Bluesfest stage in its 24 year history. He brought along a large band and played a long set which had a heaving weighting towards Graceland. There were three encores, at least one of which was not planned. The reception that the Bluesfest crowd gave was enormous and the chatter during and after his show suggested that punters were well and truly satisfied with the show and the experience. There is a lot to be said about the additional value and significance a Bluesfest performance has compared to a solo show at an entertainment centre. Paul Simon illustrated this perfectly.
The last hurrahs went to diehard Wilco fans; the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, who have made a habit of closing the Jambalaya stage; and another offering from The Bamboos who this time were joined by a very excitable Tim Rogers, who was enjoying the moment so much that his shirt and jacket came off.
On a personal note, I have accumulated a long list of unforgettable Bluesfest experiences this year, and heard about many from others, but I had the most serendipitous experience of my life at the festival this year. In 2002 I met a guy with a guitar and a bag of clothes at a Greyhound station in St Louis, Missouri, who was having a hard time and was running away from a bunch of things. He gave me a CD of his and we both went on our journeys.
Fast forward to this Sunday night, March 31st 2013, and I meet the same man again. Dumbstruck, he turns around and pulls out a CD he released in 2011 called Greyhound, which was written about that day in late September 2002 when he ran away from his existence in St Louis and took off to Florida. He is now part of the blues supergroup, The Royal Southern Brotherhood, who played a jaw-dropping set on the Jambalaya stage more than ten years after our chance meeting. Individually, they are all very accomplished musicians and together they are a blues powerhouse. Take away the mega stars like Robert Plant and Paul Simon and put personal bias aside, this was one of the most commanding and impressive shows of the festival.
It was a weekend of catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, being spoilt by music, sharing the love and having expeiences that will be remembered for a lifetime. Next year marks the 25th Byron Bay Bluesfest. This year will be a very hard one to beat, but the hype for #25 has already begun. It wouldn't be surprising if early bird tickets spike early this time around in anticipation for the usual quality of bookings and the surprises expected for next year. Bring on Easter 2014!!!
