BluesFest 2011 Byron Bay

I have been at BluesFest 2011 from Thursday to Tuesday this Easter , shooting from the media pit for the Home Brew Radio team.  Heading the bill :-    ZZ Top, Grace Jones, Leon Russell, Paul Kelly, Ben Harper, Elvis Costello, BB King, Osibisa, Mavis Staples, The Cat Empire, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Jethro Tull. 

... "every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man" according to ZZ Top .. just look at them ..

 

Some performers just excelled in their imagery and presentation, including "Bond Girl", Grace Jones ..

... Grace Jones, well, spectacular and always entertaining

 

... Hussy Hicks .. one of the best bands at the Festival ... sensational, just sensational .. also enjoyed Marshall's cameo appearance ..

 

 

.. Ian Anderson leading Jethro Tull, an elf dancing and singing his Songs from the Wood ... excellent .. the magic of Aqualung and Thick as a Brick remains

 

.. I think I first saw Osibisa in Sydney in 1974-75 ... whereas the lineup has changed, the electronic criss-cross rhythms of their Afro-Caribbean jungle music that explodes with happiness has not ... possibly the best band at Bluesfest this year

 

.. the Snowdroppers, ... plenty of colouful banter, I loved 'em ... and then from the entertaining to BB King ...

 

.. BB King ... well, he is BB King ...

 

.. as always, Kate Miller-Heidke, pretty, vocal acrobatics, funny stories, polished .......

 

... Mavis Staples is still belting it out ... I thought she was terrific ..

 

.. Ben Harper, famous, talented ... international ... the crowd thought he was great ...

 

More photos of these acts and other great bands and artists on the bill can be found by clicking on the Bluesfest 2011 link at the top of the sidebar ....

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See my pages on Band Image, Photographic Gear, Posters and CD Artwork ... plus all the photos from Bands I have shot - links at top of this page or in the sidebar

Calling Mayday - Back at The Hornsby Inn

I caught up with Em and Maggie plus their new band members Aika and Nicky at The Hornsby Inn.   The band is tighter with a fuller sound.  The two new members fit in well with the driving sounds of Calling Mayday.  Here are a few shots taken with my new Nikon D700 and f/2.8 24-70mm lens ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carmen Townsend

The best of the Canadian insurgents this year without a doubt, has been  Carmen Townsend.    Get to see her if you can while she is in Australia.

Hailing from Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Carmen Townsend is a pocket power house.  She'd make Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Tyler and Sinead O'Conor run for cover in terms of her talent and full-on performance.  Top stuff !

Chase The Sun

On Richard Glover's "Thank God It's Friday" tomorrow 11th Februay, appearing is my fave rave band of the moment, Chase The Sun.  I think highly of this band  ...

 

Pro Guitar & Sound

The Rock 'n Cafe {home of Pro Guitar & Sound} has held its official Opening Celebrations, fittingly on Australia Day !

Some great performers, including Phil Emmanuel, Smokin' Joe Robinson, Steve Edmonds, Stu Marshall, Ella Freestone,  Jesse Emmanuel, the Floorboards and Anno Domini were on hand throughout the day to support the new guitar and quality gear shop in Hornsby. 

 

 

Click on the thumbnail in the sidebar to see the photos of the celebrations.

Here are some of the other artists helping to celebrate the best guitar, drums, keyboards, PA and amps store in Sydney - manned by real musicians and current performers.

Here's Stu Marshall of Empires of Eden - guitarist and songwriter best known as a member of Dungeon for four and a half years and now the leader of Paindivision. Apart from these bands he also played on the album Fear No Decay by Japanese band Cerberus. In late 2007 he released a solo album entitled Altered States.

 

A bluesy set was played by the Steve Edmonds Band  - Steve has played guitar for  Jimmy Barnes, Renee Geyer, Richard Clapton, Matt Taylor,  The Australian Idol Band, Shannon Noll and Delta Goodrem.

 

The delighful Ella Freestone played in the lounge - this 18 year old from Manley has a lot of promise and talent ..

 

 

Down from Coffs Harbour and with quite a dynasty of talent in her forebears and rellies, Jesse  Emmanuel reckoned it was more fun playing and singing in Hornsby than spending Australia Day getting wiped on the beach ... she was terrific .. loved that green Fender acoustic !

 

... and then there was Joe Robinson .. for a young lad, this winner of the Australia'a Got Talent 2008 has played at a lot of places including London, New York, Helsinki, Budapest, Sydney, Berlin, Milan, Vienna, Bangkok, Rome and Amsterdam.

 

Finally, there was a the great wall of sound from Anno Domini ... striving for the death metal gong in Australia, like Dred, Templestowe,  Aeon of Horus and I guess the famous Behemoth from Poland ... just the job for Hornsby on a hot Australia Day arvo

On New Year's Eve 2010, I was delighted to shoot  Kate Miller-Heidke. 

Here is  Johnny Wishbone from the ever-so-colourful and disrespectful Snowdroppers.

 

 

... and here she is, star of TV's Spicks 'n Specks, Megan Washington performing with her great band Washington at The Bellbird, where I shot her for Home Brew Radio ...

 

 

 ... you may recognise both Martin Rotsey and that battered Fender Jazzmaster from Midnight Oil, now reformed after pointing Peter at the Parliament, as The Break ... wipeout, halfway between  The Chantays and the Beachboys .. which I guess is where The Oils started, in surfrock.  

 

 

 

 

.. and Ella Freestone, 18 and as talented as she is delightful, at Pro Guitar and Sound where you can buy the best guitars and gear in Sydney from the people who play them ...

 

 

At Thompsons Square Gardens, I shot the legendary Kevin Borich ...

I was lucky to find  bassist Suzie Bambach (pictured) and Ellie Plummer (daughter of well-known festival photographer Noel Plummer) from Paul Greene and The Other Colours at the Illawarra Festival.  

 

.. - and here's Phil Eammanuel at the opening of Pro Guitar & Music in Hornsby

 
  

.. adding some glam, Phoebe Juskevics on the drums and tinkle for Adam Hole & Marji Curran Band at the Fitzroy Hotel

 

... and in the blue light, Jan Rynsaardt of my fave rave band of the moment, Chase The Sun at The Macquarie Arms ... one of the best bands in Sydney .. get out and see them

One of the very best acts at the Peats Ridge Festival was Love in the Circus.

Strange and eerie, fronted by the sultry Leanna Rachel, who also swings a big bass, this is a hybrid act with a lot of front including dancers and bizarre presentation. To me, the band sounds like The Motels, sprinkled with Sade.  I like this stuff.

The music is a sort of gentle soul {like Martha Davis' Total Control} within a multi media performance. Regan Remy, on the harp {see her in the photos in the album in the sidebar}, creates a bizarre sight and sounds, with her great makeup and mask - and then there is troupe "Tuju Taksu" dancing around - plus trumpeter Johan Asplund. Excellent.

 

 

... and here's the Delta Riggs,  performing at The Underworld, led by the oh-so-colourful, smoking brave, Elliott Hammond

 

.. more photos as they happen by going to the individual band photo albums listed in alphabetical order in the sidebar.

Illawarra Folk Festival

I was down the south coast at the weekend .. great drive .. to shoot the festival at Thirroul, at the bottom of the Bulli Pass.  Click here to see images of the Illawarra Folk Festival.

To whet your appetite, here's Ami Williamson, doing her famous "Boil the Bunny" stunt while singing "Woman in Love" - great stuff ... she is just terrific ..

Love in the Circus

One of the very best acts at the Peats Ridge Festival was Love in the Circus.

Strange and eerie, fronted by the sultry Leanna Rachel, who also swings a big bass, this is a hybrid act with a lot of front including dancers and bizarre presentation. To me, the band sounds like The Motels, sprinkled with Sade.  I like this stuff.

The music is a sort of gentle soul {like Martha Davis' Total Control} within a multi media performance. Regan Remy, on the harp {see her in the photos in the album in the sidebar}, creates a bizarre sight and sounds, with her great makeup and mask - and then there is troupe "Tuju Taksu" dancing around - plus trumpeter Johan Asplund. Excellent.

Chase The Sun

One of the best bands I have seen this year is Chase The Sun.  I have seen them a couple of times, firstly at The Sydney Blues Festival in Windsor and again at the Peats Ridge Festival.  In the sidebar you will see two albums of photographs, one from each occasion. They are a tops, all-round band of fine musicians.

 

Above, Chase The Sun, appearing Thursday with a cracking opening set mid afternoon.

Jan Rynsaardt leads this powerhouse trio - with top bass player Ryan Van Gennip and drummer Jon ?Howler? Howell.  Excellent.  I will go and see them at any opportunity, one of Australia's best bands.

The Break

Give me The Break !   I love this band and their music.  It's sort of Duane Eddy with the Beachboys, a bit of Jet Harris - and is of course the guts of Midnight Oil - without Peter Garrett and with a new, driving bass player - and I am sure they have a Theremin. 

Maybe The Oils always had one, I dunno, but I have never seen one on stage before.  Here it is ...

If you don't know what a Theremin sounds like, watch Midsomer Murders on TV;  it's the instrument that plays the theme tune over the credits and intro. You just waft your hand near the aerial and it produces this wavering sound. Spooky. ... the Beachboys were using a Tannerin on Good Vibrations, not a Theremin. 

Washington

Now, here is a top performer ...an artist.  Megan Washington.  An individualist.  I have never seen anything like this.  An accomplished musician, writer and leader of her band.
 

I immediately liked Megan Washington - because she sings and plays with a feisty individuality and talent.  I thought she was brilliant and a breath of fresh doo-dah after some of the other stuff I have been listening to.

Full-on, no bollocks, no punches pulled; saying it how she sees it.  Sure some numbers carry a few riffs but it's not you know, pop;  she reminded me of Billie Holiday the first time I heard "Strange Fruit". Luved her. 

I felt quite gutted when she had finished, I guess because although I was crawling all over the stage with my camera, trying not to trip over amps and wiring, I was captured by her music.  Ever tried taking a great shot when yer fingers are popping, you can't keep still and yer feet start a-movin' around ?

Dan Kelly's Dream Band

Another great band taking the stage was Dan Kelly's Dream Band ...  I like the gravy ..

Forget his uncle, this guy is his own sailor.  Dan Kelly floated my boat.   This is a great band, and I love the texmex man - and the Bindi Irwin takes over the world number.  Excellent !

Delta Riggs

Hear come the Indians ... The Delta Riggs, a great band to watch indeed ... Elliott Hammond opens in his stunning Red Indian head gear ,  Alex Markwell an inspired lead guitar.  Loved 'em.

A strong, gritty band playing with gusto and perhaps some satire - the Boy George hat and the red indian headdress on the swivel-hipped Elliott Hammond - although I am sure the hat was intended to generate visions of the arch chameleon, not the fags.

They are moving to Melbourne, so watch out for them down there. 

Khancoban

I did not see much of Khancoban, as they had nearly finished the set by the time I got to their tent.  What I heard was terrific ...

I think they sort of echo a rhythmic, country folk band with a lot of oomph.  They are certainly pretty polished and sound like they are based you know, half way between Sydney and Melbourne.  Yass man, great stuff.

Barrel House

Roll out the barrel, it is New Year's Eve in Sydney ... and what ho, here is Barrel House.  I like this band.

Just three guys make up this tight outfit.  Plenty of dirty guitar and a balanced sound make this great stuff.  Loved it myself. 

Kim Churchill

He's a one-man band, Kim Churchill.  Harmonica, stomp box and guitar.

Indie and bluesy, plenty of effervescence ... a great entertainer and worthy of the centre stage, this finger-pickin' feller sure gets the party popping. 

Matthew Barber

Another representative of the Canadian genre, is Matthew Barber.

Yes another leftie, records recently in Toronto and composes rich, rather sad songs - but his delivery and presentation are tops ... welcome to the land downunder Matthew.

The Cairos

The Cairos - a pretty good, Brisbane based indie band ... I liked them ... the band is good ...

..  and there was also herself.

Ernest Ellis

Ernest Ellis was pretty, well no not pretty exactly, but impressive ... pretty good I think ..

I liked our 'Ernie ... music composed with some thought and balance ... a change from the screaming I sometimes have to hear ...  I will go and see him again for sure ... good stuff Ernest.