Sing the Blues for Me!
Vocal powerhouse Gail Page had the crowd on their feet at the recent Thredbo Blues festival. On her Facebook page, she, like many others, lamented the passing of the multi-talented David Bowie.
“Let’s dance! Put on your red shoes and dance the blues…”
David Bowie died earlier this month (January 10, 2016). There is no denying his influence over the zeitgeist of the era I grew up in, and the news of his death stunned me like a blow to the solar-plexis. All over the world, tributes have flowed for his musical ingenuity and his friendly, unassuming, behaviour. The people from the small, red-dirt outback Australian town of Carinda, NSW, where the “Let’s Dance” video clip was filmed in 1983, have joined to contribute their recollections of his time in their tiny town. As Rolling Stone wrote about that period: “In Australia, David Bowie was a man without masks. Open, jokey, very . . . warm is the only word.”
In a tangled web of tangental not-quite coincidences, I was at the Thredbo Blues festival with friends shortly after Bowie’s much-lamented passing; we were singing and dancing the blues in crisp mountain sunshine.
The Thredbo Blues is a small, unassuming, festival that is about much more than just world-class music (see: Summer Blues; Blues in Colour; Cool Blues – Hot Jazz). As usual, we also delighted in great company, excellent wine, and invigorating walks in the fresh alpine air.
Do come and enjoy the blues and sunshine with us.
The Hip Replacements
We eased into our blues weekend with free drinks and classic Australian rock and blues with The Hip Replacements. The local legend and ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Hall of Fame inductee Russell Morris later quipped: “They are fakes! They are not so old – they don’t have an actual hip replacement amongst them!”
Dan Dinnen
Many of the venues – especially the restaurants – can only be described as “cozy”. Tucked into a corner of the Santé Churrasco Restaurant, with the afternoon sun streaming over his shoulders, Dan Dinnen serenades diners with his acoustic guitar, blues harp, and vocals.
Genevieve Chadwick
Outside, the day turns to evening, as Genevieve Chadwick – who we’ve enjoyed at Thredbo and Byron Blues before – keeps the restaurant entertained.
Andrea Marr Band
In the packed-out Schuss Bar, Andrea Marr and her band fill the room with sound and crowd the floor with dancers.
Richard Perso
When we arrived before noon the next day, the sun was already high over the audience sitting Poolside at the Alpine Hotel. Richard Perso’s low voice rumbled through the summer air.
Richard Perso
With his foot percussion pounding, his bass voice resonating, and didgeridoos thrumming, Perso brings a unique sound to roots and blues music.
Shane Pacey Trio
In the Eagle’s Nest Restaurant, which sits at the top of the Crackenback Chairlift overlooking the town of Thredbo, Shane Pacey and his guitar, Paul Blasi on bass, and Dave Fester on drums, squeeze into a corner and delight the lunch crowd.
Shane Pacey Trio
As soon as the lunch plates are cleared, the patrons are on their feet dancing in any available space.
Above Eagle’s Nest
The music continues throughout the afternoon back in the village, but instead of riding the chairlift back down to Thredbo, we take the slower option and walk.
Silver Snow Daisy (Celmisia Asteliifolia)
The ten kilometre Dead Horse Gap track starts with a climb through the alpine heath on the Rams Head Range.
Chamomile Cascade (Rhodanthe Anthemoides)
The perennial chamomile sunray daisies still cover the hillside.
Rocks on the Mountain
Piled boulders give an other-worldly feel to the landscape.
Alpine Mint (Prostanthera Cuneata)
Alpine mint or “rough mint” bushes add to the scented air.
Daisies on the Rams Head
In winter, this is ski country. This year, the silver snow daisies have peaked early and by mid-January they are starting to fade, even at this altitude (about 2000 metres).
Ghost Trees
The track descends back below the tree line – but these snow gums died years ago and only their ghostly skeletons remain.
Purple Trigger Plant (Stylidium Graminifolium)
Delicate purple flowers grow amongst the tough grasses.
Thredbo River
When we finally descend to the rushing river, we know the village is not too far away.
Andrea Marr Band
The sounds of music are all around the village. We head back to the Lounge Bar where the Andrea Marr Band is performing.
Andrea Marr
Gail Page
It is definitely a year of women with cheeky smiles and powerhouse vocals!
Jill Tweedie (nee Drury)
Andy Just and Darren Jack
On the Sunday, American blues-harp player Andy Just joined guitarist Darren Jack from the Third Degree for an early afternoon Poolside performance.
Andy Just and Grant Cummerford
Hats
A good hat is essential at any music festival.
“Old rockers never die – they just re-invent themselves …”
Australian singer-songwriter Russell Morris and lead guitarist Peter Robinson play Morris’ old hits from the 60s and 70s, and his new hits from his recent Top 10 albums.
Russell Morris and Mitch Cairns
Morris’ songwriting-storytelling continues to capture hearts and imaginations…
Peter Robinson Playing the Crowd
… while lead guitar Peter Robinson is still a crowd-pleaser.
The Sound Guys
But it’s the unsung sound-guys who keep it all happening.
Nick Charles and Pete Fidler
Nick Charles is billed as “Australia’s virtuoso of acoustic blues and roots”; he and his guitar are beautifully melodic.
Dorothy-Jane and Richard Steele
The wonderful vocals and harmonica of Dorothy-Jane, with Richard Steele on guitar …
Dorothy-Jane and Richard Steele
… play us through dinner as the light falls on another festival.
During our time in the mountains, my friend bought a pair of red shoes – well, they were red hiking boots, really. It had nothing to do with Bowie: she wanted boots that would still look good when covered with the red soil of her outback property, but we still had to tip our hats to the passing of the musical master-chameleon and sing a few bars of “Let’s dance!” as she tried them on.
A lot of very special people have died this year and it is still only January; it’s like we are being given notice of the end of an era. So many of the musicians and artists I grew up with are no longer around …
But, we still have their music.
Let’s celebrate life –
… and dance!
[…] later we returned to the Snowy Mountains for the annual Thredbo Blues Festival (“Let’s Dance the Blues”) and a trek down the 10km Dead Horse Gap […]