by Ryan Enns
It has been a very rough few years for music festivals in Australia. Bushfires, global pandemics and monumental flooding all make for sub-optimal festival conditions and walking through the gates of the 34th annual Byron Bay Bluesfest, it was clear that organisers were prepared for anything. Countless tonnes of crusher dust were spread to mitigate flooding and to minimise the traditional quagmire of knee-deep mud that often marks the Easter weekend festival. Countless volunteers in fluoro vests marked “Crowd Safety” were on hand to help everyone feel safer and new measures were in place to facilitate entry and exit to and from the grounds. In a festival that was prepared for anything, it was the unplanned surprises that became the real highlights.
On Saturday, throngs had gathered to witness the marvel of up upside-down blues guitar virtuoso Eric Gales. Early in his set, Eric noticed that Marcus King, Joe Bonamassa and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram were watching from side of stage. He remarked on the microphone that “In a perfect world, the production team behind me would get 3 more guitars and amps together so these fine gentlemen can join me on stage”. The stage crew frantically mustered some equipment. Eventually the stage was once again set, and the very lucky crowd witnessed the first collaboration of these 4 blues giants. This was not planned. This was unexpected awesomeness.
Another very awesome and equally unexpected event at the festival this year involved Yamba’s very own Chloe Morrison (aka “Chloe Jett”) who got a very last-minute call to play keys and guitar with Jerome Williams on the Mojo stage on Saturday. 21-year-old Chloe answered the Call and played to the biggest crowd of her life so far.
I guess the thing that made Bluesfest 2023 great is that they were prepared for another year like the past 3 and what they got was perfect weather and happy, healthy crowds. It felt like the good old days where something unexpected could be a good thing. The surprises were good surprises.