Blues News – John Lamp
No prizes for guessing what this column is featuring this fortnight. Yes, it’s Bluestone Blues Festival time again.
For those who have no idea what I’m talking about (where have you been hiding!?) the Festival is over the New Year and is hosted by the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club out at Murgheboluc Recreation Reserve.
Anyhow, getting back to the topic, there is an amazing line-up this year. On New Year’s Eve we have Brian Fraser and Dave the Bastard, Jump Cats, Nathan Beretta Band, The Detonators and Geoff Achison and the Souldiggers
On Recovery Day (aka New Year’s Day) there’s Dog Gone South, Amnesia Blues Band, Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine and Shane Pacey Trio.
The event kicks off at 6pm on December 31, 2019, and runs through to 5pm of New Year’s Day.
There’s a mix of local and out of town bands.
A lot of these bands you have seen at the Club or other venues in town.
The Detonators are always a crowd-pleaser, with Rockbottom James blasting it out on the chrome sandwich. The Jump Cats were down recently and play “jump blues.” Jump blues is an up-tempo style of blues, usually played by small groups. It was popular in the 1940s and was a precursor of rhythm and blues and rock and roll. We’ll be seeing the New Year in with Geoff Achison and the Souldiggers, which will be a full-on session right up to the countdown!
On Recovery Day, Amnesia Blues Band from Gippsland are on. They are a traditional blues band, bringing you original blues with stories of hard drinkin’ women, lost loves and broken dreams. No funk, no soul, no rock and roll – just blues and boogie all the way! I know that I don’t have to introduce Jimi Hocking, he’s one of the best-known bluesmen around. Shane Pacey trio are from Sydney. Shane is also known for the band “The Bondi Cigars.” This is a little different. Shane states “the main aim is to create something totally different to The Cigars”, a no-nonsense trip through the Blues back pages.
There’s camping, it’s licensed, there’s food, and hopefully, the coffee van will be there on Recovery Day!
If you need to warm up for the New Year, then a good gig is Hurricane Hearn and The Howling Tornadoes on the 29th at Pistol Pete’s. The band consists of Bruce ‘Hurricane’ Hearn (vocals/harmonica), Nick Larkins (guitar), Peter Beulke (bass) and Greg Hynes (drums). It features members of renowned Melbourne bands, Strange Tenants, The Honeydrippers and Wild Pumpkins at Midnight. Hurricane Hearn & The Howling Tornadoes bring a fresh and original approach to the blues, performing their own songs, with an emphasis on great tunes and intelligent lyrics, as well as delivering a selection of powerful Chicago style standards.
Better book for both of those – it’s the time of year where everyone is getting out!
