Lift this section out! This year marks 25 years of Blues for Byron Bay. It’s like watching a child grow up – it’s hard to believe that someone you knew as a tiny baby could possibly be an adult in what seems like a blink of an eye. But that’s how it is for Bluesfest. I remember fondly the gigs at the Piggery (Arts Factory) dancing along to the Blind Boys from Alabama singing If I had a Hammer. Which I guess, now if it were to be contemporised might be something like If I had an Allen Key. I thought the Blind Boys were in their 80s then. They must be well into their 90s – maybe even 100 – by now, and still shining on. I guess it proves that gospel is better for longevity than botox or juice fasts. So in an economic landscape that sees the big festivals struggling, one wonders why a festival, in a regional location such as Byron Bay, seems to have established such longevity and such well recognised international standing. Perhaps it’s the town of Byron and the utopian mystique it still holds; perhaps it’s the nostalgia of seeing acts that we loved when we were 20, or the thrill of seeing acts that are breaking bad right now, the soul-stirring goosebump-producing thrill of authentic blues, or the feeling of hot sweaty bodies dancing beside you. Maybe it’s that there’s something gloriously adult to do at Easter when the kids are at home having their chocolate sugar rush. I guess some things can’t be explained, so perhaps they just need to be celebrated. In this issue we pay homage to the festival’s humble beginnings, we have a welcome from festival director Peter Noble, we share the stories of Bluesfest diehards, and I’ve done a pick of my top 50 acts that I want to see. Welcome to Bluesfest – 25 years on and going strong. I hope you make a sizeable deposit in your memory bank this Easter! – Mandy Nolan Inside: Full playing schedule Main image: John Mayer From top: The Wailers, How the Blues came to Byron Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, India.Arie and Joss Stone, The Doobie Brothers, Grace Mandy’s top 50 picks Potter & The Nocturnals, Steve Earle & The Dukes Why the locals love Bluesfest Beth Hart and Joss Stone interviews Enrich your Spirit “This place is like a magical land. You can walk a labyrinth, wander the gardens, buy some crystals, have a yummy lunch in the cafe (food is excellent), and even get your aura photo taken.” Trip Advisor Only 12 mins from Bluesfest Site, turn left @ Mullum Post Offi ce. harmonise your life with a visit North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au The Byron Shire Echo April 15, 2014 37 2 THREEWORLDS PLAYSHOPS African Drumming Intermediate A message from Peter Noble, Bluesfest director Total beginners: African Drumming Thursdays 5.45pm Tuesdays 5.45pm Whether this is your fi rst planet recently – I also want to put out a Saturdays 5pm $10/$15 with drum hire Fun grooves for hand drumming Bluesfest or you have been from Buddy Guy special shout out to the $10/$15 with drum hire GROUP AND to many of them – A Big to James Cotton, ladies of Bluesfest – what a Juggle Jam Wednesdays PRIVATE CLASSES Welcome to Byron Bay and Jimmie Vaughan, year for them! – on top of From 4pm – $15 all ages ARE AVAILABLE our 25th Anniversary Event. Robben Ford, those mentioned above, Come and share, explore, pass, twirl, UPON REQUEST! hoop, play, skip, slack line. Creating a We are ready to present Booker T Jones, Beth Hart, the incredible juggling community in the centre of town. what I really believe is our Aaron Neville, Dr Trixie Whitley (another Fire Twirling best Bluesfest yet. John; both the don’t miss), Suzanne Vega, Everyday during school There are artists performing North Mississippi KT Tunstall, Skye Edwards holidays 3.30pm $15 AllStars and Valerie back with Morcheeba, Single, double, contact staff, dragon who played the fi rst-ever staff, rope dart, poi and more. East Coast Blues Festival June are simply Grace Potter, Dyson, Didgeridoo at the Arts Factory in not to be missed, Stringer and Cloher… the Mondays and Fridays 5.30pm Byron Bay all those years as is Chain – plus list just goes on. $10/$15 with hire ago; they are Charlie so many others I would like to thank Musselwhite, The Paladins, including the best everyone for supporting THREEWORLDS of Aussie blues… I Phil Manning and The Bluesfest over all the years. FUN FOR LIFE could go on and on. 7 Marvell St Byron Bay • 6680 8317 • threeworlds.com.au Backsliders. We are grateful to the And there are many who On top of the community of Byron and have a special signifi cance abovementioned is the northern rivers. This is %# &$ to us over the years from a slew of the fi nest our home and we feel that guitar players including represented with original we have given something Candye Kane to Dave members of both Captain # Matthews Band and The Jeff Beck, the mercurial back over the years and 17-year-old Matthew Curry, Beefheart’s Magic Band contributed to the growth Wailers – keeping Bob and The Grandmothers Marley’s music alive as well Warren Haynes performing of the arts and music in the with Govt Mule, Joanne of Invention – featuring area. as so many others’. original Mothers of Shaw Taylor – winner of the &#$ !#% $% #$ ! My sincere thanks also There are familiar artists British Blues Awards Best Invention, WAR, The goes to our music fans $% !#% and those playing for the Female Artist at only 20 Doobies, Boz Scaggs, and "&%#%' (# $ who come along for one, fi rst time. There is a cutting- years of age, Gary Clark Jr one of our favourites, KC & three or all fi ve days and edge contemporary and John Mayer – phew! The Sunshine Band – plus element within the festival, a genuine supergroup are such are a huge part featuring artists such as There are quite a few in Coronet Blue. And of our success. Thank you Edward Sharpe & The recent favourites returning: of course we have alt- for trusting us to deliver Magnetic Zeros, Jake Bugg, Playing For Change, Elvis country and country an amazing and enjoyable Joss Stone, Matt Corby, Costello, Jack Johnson, music well represented festival each year. India. Arie, Kim Churchill, Erykah Badu, Passenger with appearances from This one is going to be very, new favourite Genevieve and Iron & Wine to name Steve Earle, one of our very special – a deafening Chadwick and our favourite just a few – sitting beside all-time favourite artists cheer for the blues and Zydeco artist Terrance what I believe is the best Kasey Chambers, John roots music movements ## #%#% &&( Simien… coming together of blues Williamson, Jason Isbell will ring around the world and soulful artists on the We have classic rock and Troy Cassar-Daley. this Easter. How the Blues came to Byron The story of the festival’s beginning The Echo spoke to who were only doing left in 92 to return to the Keven and Karin Oxford capital cities… at the time USA and never got to see about pioneering a there were no stop-off s for what he was responsible regional music industry international artists in the for, the Byron Bay he Variety products at value prices and just what it took to northern rivers,’ said Keven helped create.’ start one of the world’s Oxford who, along with Interestingly, the story of leading festivals. Karin and Dan, created the the international Blues EASTER MEANS BLUESFEST! early northern rivers music It has been well Festival was forged in an scene including the Byron • Gumboots Mens + Ladies $29.99 recorded that there is international friendship – a Blues Festival. (Bata – Made in Australia) something undeniably surfi ng music lover from • Ponchos $2.00 unique about Byron ‘They was pioneering days,’ the central coast – Oxford • Umbrellas from $4.99 Shire and so it’s no laughed Oxford. ‘Dan and – meets a US west coast surprise these days that • Camping Items I used to get into our car hippy musician – Doeppel – we are home to the go to the local truck stop • Chairs $11.99 transplanted straight from Byron Blues Festival, – we’d score some speed The Summer Of Love. • Sleeping Bags from $19.99 industry- and peer- off the truckers and go and ‘Dan and I had been friends • Tents from $25 recognised and ranked do poster runs all night, up • Portable Gas Stove from $19.99, Gas $2 alongside Glastonbury since 1967,’ said Oxford. ‘He on the counterculture and down the coast!’ • Camp Kettle $9.99 and Montreux as one of came out to Australia from pulse and a penchant Keven and Karin Oxford the US in 67 with a band • Camping Mat $6.99 the world’s best festivals. for promoting when the fi rmly believe that the called Nutwood Rug to • Air Bed: Single from $17.99 Byron’s coming of age is intrinsically linked with Australian festival industry late Dan Doeppel was dodge the draft. We met Double from $29.99 this seminal event created was taking its fi rst baby instrumental in setting at a midnight screening of Endless Summer Queen from $34.99 twenty-fi ve years ago by steps. Byron onto its creative in Gosford. • Camp Toaster $2.50 a rather unlikely crew of ‘Karin, Dan and I started path, yet little has been I was with friends and we • Hot & Cold Flask 1litre $14.99 people with an even more promoting music here written or acknowledged went outside to smoke • The Western Lantern $14.99 unlikely vision for a festival: in the 1970s – we had in that regard.