We’re into daylight savings, and the music festivals are coming out of the woodwork! I have a few on the radar, apart from Bluestone at New Year.
First up is the Kyneton Music Festival on October 20 and 21. This is not specifically a blues festival, but there are some good acts, such as Dan Kelly Dream Band and The Twonks (great name).
The Blue Dandenongs Bluesfest is on November 24. This uses the Echuca-Moama model – free music. It’s being held at the Ferntree Gully village near the station, from 4pm. You’d need the 1:29pm from Geelong which would get you there via Southern Cross (change to platform 10) at 3:43pm, nicely in time for the Festival starting at 4pm. Find out more at the event page on Facebook.
Last but not least is, of course, Queenscliff Music Festival. You’ll have to rush to get tickets. They’ve got The Teskey Brothers, Black Rabbit George, Creek, Hat Fitz and Cara, John Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Russell Morris, Yirrmal and the Miliyawitj, and Yothu Yindi, to name a few that I’d be checking out. If you get there, make sure you check out Travis Bowlin – young, from the Nashville area and making a big name.
Definitely keep your eyes open in Forte and on social media, this is the beginning of the seasonal flood of festivals. I’ll be mentioning more in the coming issues. Tickets are usually limited, so check out the camping gear and get your tickets early to make sure you have a chance of getting to them.
A few years ago Rod Paine (Vox/harp), Dave Birtwell (guitar) and Tony Harwood (elect/dble bass) emerged from retro blues outfit The Redliners, and with the addition of Ray Tully on drums formed the smokin’ hot, Rod Paine and The Fulltime Lovers. Their gutsy, raw blues sound smoothly transverses their acoustic, country, Chicago and folk blend blues making always for one hell of a low down dirty, smokin’ hot gig.
With one of Australia’s best blues guitarists, a killer rhythm section of twenty years’ experience playing together and the vocals and harp playing of blues veteran, Rob Paine, along with cool influences of Lazy Lester, Slim Harpo and Jimmy Reed thrown into the mix, it’s little wonder that the Fulltime Lovers ‘down and dirty’ vibe hits you in the face each time you catch their totally awesome gig.
These guys are seasoned pros and have rolled their way through the Australian blues scene for over a quarter of a century, thus migrating the right corridors while earning their ‘chops’ through the blood, sweat and tears of playing ‘the blues’.
They won the 2013 Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society Blues Challenge and went on to represent Australia at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee. Expect to hear a post war electric blues combo with dirty undertones, swinging rhythms and rumbling shuffles served up to appreciative audiences everywhere they go.
Rod Paine and the Fulltime Lovers are the real deal, so don’t miss them at Sleepy Hollow on October 22.
By John Lamp
Image sourced via Dan Kelly socials