.jpg)
Elana Stone and Georgia Mooney – All Our Exes Live in Texas
With humour and grace – and voices like angels – this Australian folk-pop quartet was one of my festival highlights.
Music makes everything better!
The annual five-day Easter long-weekend musical feast that is Byron Bay Bluesfest always delivers up such a range and variety of wonderful talent that it is hard to know where to start. Rubbing shoulders with big names from around the world, lesser-known Australian performers proudly hold their own. I look forward to these gems as much as I do the “names” I know and love.
Soaring voices weaving their way around universal themes and very personal tales of love and loss: this year it was the intimate performances by Australian women who had me in tears – and tears of laughter.
This festival, I sought out performers whose names I had heard from friends, but who I had not personally seen before, as well as taking the time to catch some of my old favourites. I am in awe of these talented women: whatever their preferred musical genre, they are masters of their vocal and other instruments; they write clever and interesting lyrics; and they put it all together with catchy tunes.
And, from the point of view of the camera, they look good while doing it! With the dark stages and artificial lighting, these shots are pretty much all taken on my Canon 6D with my EF70-200 lens at f 2.8 and ISO 1600.
Come meet some brilliant Aussie women.
.jpg)
Caiti Baker
Billed as an R&B/Soul singer-songwriter, Caiti is the daughter of a blues musician and was raised in a house full of blues, soul, gospel and rock & roll.
.jpg)
Caiti Baker
Caiti Baker
I was so impressed with her performance that I made sure to catch her a second time.
Caiti Baker and her Bass
You know the tunes are going to be funky when there is a double bass in the mix.
Caiti Baker
Caiti has been songwriting since she was young; she writes stories based on her own lived experience. As her bio says, she “sings with her soul and unashamedly performs the hell out of [her songs]”.
All Our Exes Live in Texas
I have to wonder how these remarkable women came up with their name! Together since 2014, the band won the 2017 ARIA Award for Best Blues & Roots Album for their debut: ‘When We Fall’. The first track: “The Devil’s Part” is attached to this post.
Katie Wighton – All Our Exes Live in Texas
Although different individuals tell the background stories to the songs they sing, the women share all the writing credits on their album.
Georgia Mooney – All Our Exes Live in Texas
Hannah Crofts
All Our Exes Live in Texas
When was the last time you saw a ukulele …
Elana Stone
All Our Exes Live in Texas
… and an accordion as part of popular music mix?
All Our Exes Live in Texas
This was another group I had to give a second listen to – before they set off on their North American tour.
Hannah Crofts – All Our Exes Live in Texas
With their big earrings and big voices, they did not disappoint!
Elana Stone and Georgia Mooney – All Our Exes Live in Texas
Tash Sultana
One of the things I love most about Bluesfest is being introduced to performers I would otherwise not see. This young woman is extraordinary!
Tash Sultana
Tash started playing guitar at three years old, and is now billed as a multi-instrumentalist one-woman band with at least 18 different instruments to her credit. Called a “loopologist”, she sets up layers of instrumental riffs on repeating tracks, all with an infectious energy that is impossible to resist. When we last saw her, she was playing a trumpet!
Molly Millington
We started our second day with local singer-songwriter Molly Millington – who is a one-woman band of a different sort. Her music is a “fusion of country and folk and quirky pop.”
Mia Dyson
Australian singer, songwriter, and guitarist Mia Dyson holds her own on stage.
Hussy Hicks
Any regular visitor to this page has heard me rave about Hussy Hicks before. (See: Wash my Blues Away or Back to the Roots of Music.)
Julz Parker – Hussy Hicks
Julz Parker – Hussy Hicks
The combination of Julz’ guitar …
Leesa Gentz
… and Leesa’s soaring vocals make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Leesa Gentz under a “Pirate Flag”
Naturally, there was a festival-goer in a pirate hat, which he lent to Leesa for her rendition of “Pirate Flag”.
It’s a timely message:
“It’s disconcerting that we’re not learning a thing
As history plays out there’s nothing about it changing
But history books are written by crooks with agendas we cannot conceive
Liars and thieves will make you believe
Things that you shouldn’t believe
“let’s leave today go on and pack your bags
Let’s set sail under a pirate flag …”
Sometimes sailing away on a sea of lyrical brilliance is the break we need.
To the music!
Photos: 29March-2April2018
[…] Hussy HicksAny regular visitor to this page has heard me rave about Hussy Hicks before. (e.g.: The Local Lineup; Aussie Women Rock.) […]