Tag Archives: april 2011

Bluesfest 2011 – Day Six, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Gurrumul, Paul Kelly and Buffy Sainte-Marie. – Live Review

  One of the beautiful things about a festival as large and varied as Bluesfest is that the discovery of something new and exciting, at least for the listener, waits around every corner. For this reviewer, Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie was the jewel of this year’s hidden treasures.

Already familiar with her 60s hit Universal Soldier and the rocking Bury My Heart at

Wounded Knee, as well as her Academy Award winning effort Up Where We Belong (who isn’t?), it was a pleasure to become acquainted with the other varied dimensions of her 40 plus year repertoire, and to experience the woman behind the music.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day Six, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Gurrumul, Paul Kelly and Buffy Sainte-Marie. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day Five, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, BB & the Blues Shacks, and the Old Spice Boys. – Live Review

by: Pepa Wolfe
Monday was another delightful mix of new discoveries and big names, with a good dose of puppetry and performance art thrown in.

The day saw the some rocking blues with plenty of keys down at the Crossroads tent as German outfit BB & the Blues Shacks charmed the crowd. Physically dynamic and looking sharp, BB and his boys really ramped up the audience participation. It was an onstage/offstage love-in, complete with dancing girls on stilts.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day Five, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, BB & the Blues Shacks, and the Old Spice Boys. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day Four, Featuring: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples & Her Band, and The Snowdroppers. – Live Review

It was Easter Sunday, the sun was shining over Bluesfest and the Crossroads tent was gearing up to celebrate with a solid block of gospel, soul and blues, kicked off by the enigmatic, effervescent powerhouse Mavis Staples and Her Band.

This year’s festival boasted an array of music a legends, not least of which was the incomparable Staples, who either solo or together with The Staple Singers has been >performing for over 60 years. Returning to Bluesfest with material from her Grammy Award winning CD You Are Not Alone, Staples is loads of fun. She’s got the moves, she’s got the attitude and that voice – a rich, raw, rip your guts out and make you happy sound that only improves with age.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day Four, Featuring: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples & Her Band, and The Snowdroppers. – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day Three, Featuring: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Indigo Girls, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band and Grace Barbe Afro Kreol – Live Review

By: Pepa Wolfe

Blues Fest 2011 – Day Three, Featuring: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Indigo Girls, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band and Grace Barbe Afro Kreol.

On day three, the Original Sinners were once again at the Jambalaya tent, running through the same set to an equally rapt audience. The afternoon also saw Melbourne’s The Red Eyes dubbin’ it at the Juke Joint, Bluesfest veteran Jeff Lang gracing the main stage and Trombone Shorty jammin’ at the Crossroads with Gospel legend Mavis Staples.

Celebrated actor and director turned musician Tim Robbins, touring Australia on the back of his debut CD with the Rogues Gallery Band, brought a mixture of blues, country and a dash of sing-a-long to the Jambalaya tent on Saturday. Robbins, on guitar and vocals, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, rumbling through Folsom Prison Blues before festival superstar and all-round maestro Trombone Shorty joined the Rogues for “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep”. A change of tempo and “Crush On You”, inspired by the young victim of a hate crime, demonstrated a simple approach, buoyed by beautiful instrumentation, as was a gorgeous, measured cover of Tom Waits’ “All The World Is Green”. Featuring the sweet wail and wallow of a musical saw over vocal harmonies, it was easily the high point of their set.
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day Three, Featuring: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Indigo Girls, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band and Grace Barbe Afro Kreol – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – George Clinton & Parliament, Elvis Costello, Grace Jones, Captain Matchbox Woopie Band – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: George Clinton & Parliament, Elvis Costello, Grace Jones, Captain Matchbox Woopie Band
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
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Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked – Photo Gallery

Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

Review By: Pepa Wolfe
Photos by: Silvana Macarone
Early birds and trivia buffs rocked up to the Jambalaya Tent on Friday to test their skill and perhaps earn a place on the panel of RocKwiz Live. Cracking the proverbial whip and vetting the various hopefuls was producer and co-host of the SBS series Brian Nankervis who after seven years with the show has it down to a fine art. Appearing across four days of the festival, Friday’s first taste had host and improv queen Julia Zemiro in top form, and featured musical guests Tim Rodgers (You Am I), Marcia Hines and Glenn Richards (Augie March), as well as a couple of impressive punters whose extensive music trivia knowledge was bested only by their brazen karaoke efforts, one contestant whipping out a harmonica and riffing with the impeccable RocKwiz Orkestra. A highly entertaining start to the afternoon, Richards, Hines and Rogers blasting Kiss’ I Wanna Rock and Roll All Nite, the icing on the cake.
Continue reading Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

Photos! Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – by Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: The Snowdroppers, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph, Jeff Lang, Washington
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Photos! Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – by Silvana Macarone

Washington @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne w/ Deep Sea Arcade – April 29th 2011 : Photo Gallery

Photographer: Naomi Rahim

Photographer: Naomi Rahim
Continue reading Washington @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne w/ Deep Sea Arcade – April 29th 2011 : Photo Gallery

Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands.

Despite dismal forecasts, the weather held out for music lovers as they descended onto the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm in Byron Bay, the new site for Australia’s premiere Blues and Roots Music Festival. Now extended to cover six days, campers and eager punters slowly edged their way into the grounds, with staff and volunteers doing their best to ensure that parking, setup and entry was relatively painless. The wet grounds were eclipsed by the buzz of excitement, a busy energy punctuating the usually laidback Byron feel.

Day one really hit its stride with festival favourite Xavier Rudd playing the main stage, the sounds of Let Me Be floating over the fence to greet those still passing through ticketing and security check points; a generous taste of what awaited them inside.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: ZZ Top, Jack Thompson & The Original Sinners, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Fistful Of Mercy, Funky Meters, Grace Jones, The Hands
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

CD Review: Gay Paris – The Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter

The Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter is the debut LP release from Sydney four piece GAY PARIS and from all accounts, it’s a damn good one.

  Gay Paris list themselves as Swamp Stomp/ Shack Funk/ Bastard Rock, and that’s exactly what this album delivers. The growling, gritty vocals of WH Monks complemented by dirty guitar driven rock riffs and killer drumming. There is an underlying 80’s stadium rock vibe throughout and with songs like “My First Wife? She Was A Fox Queen!” setting the stadium rock anthmatic standard.

One noteable variation came in at track 8 “Soliloquy From Either Station”. Slow chant stomp with Elvis styled vocal and haunting violin hovering above. An unexpected highlight.

Rating: 7.5
The Skeleton's Problematic Granddaughter - Gay ParisThe Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter – Gay Paris
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Music Legends, Movie Stars and Generosity of Spirit – Bluesfest 2011

By: Pepa Wolfe

  A mammoth six-day festival, hosting what many consider the best line-up to date, Bluesfest 2011 had it all. From bright sunny days to the traditional rain and mud, from international legends of music like B.B. King and Bob Dylan to the local sounds of Byron Ukulele band The Blackbirds, it was a celebration of community, culture, diversity and most of all, of music.

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Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 5

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 5
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Artists: Jethro Tull, Elvis Costello, Clare Bowditch, Warren Haynes, B. B. & The Blues Shacks, Buddy Knox, Hank Green Blues
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
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Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 4 – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 4
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Photos from Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3
Artists: Irma Thomas, Washington, The Snowdroppers, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jackson Firebird, Gurrumul,

Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 4 – Photo Gallery