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March 29, 2024

Bluesfest day 2: the long Good Friday

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Blue skies for Bluesfest day 1

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A definite highlight of a very Good Friday was the Zac Brown Band's sublime rendition of 'The Devil Went Down To  Georgia'. Photo Tree Faerie.
A definite highlight of a very Good Friday was the Zac Brown Band’s sublime rendition of ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’. Photo Tree Faerie.

Day 2 started in style at Crossroads with Keb Mo putting the blues back into Bluesfest. I only caught the latter part of his set but was blue that I didn’t catch the lot. Maybe next year:

Every now and then you hit a point at Bluesfest when everyone you wanted to see has just finished or is an hour away from starting. It was in a moment like that we stumbled into Soja.

They sang a suitably profane Good Friday set extolling the idiocy of fighting wars in the name of God. The heartfelt I Believe followed, then, in case anyone took them too seriously, they ramped up the brass to infectious levels.

Meanwhile at Mojo, Beth Hart had the Spirit of God and we certainly got into spirit of Beth Hart. By the time she got to Nutbush City Limits the crowd was going nuts and she had broken all the limits.

Jimmy-Cliff--Photo-Tree-Faerie-9W6A9674
Jimmy Cliff a legend on the Crossroads stage. Photo Tree Faerie.

Kicking back at the cider bar opposite we were sucked into the pure energetic stage presence of Jimmy Cliff, who I’ve seen at many a Bluesfest but was happy to see again. So we waded across the river of people to the soundtrack of Many Rivers to Cross. A simply plucked out song, ‘There’s one race you can’t win: racism’, which brought the massive Mojo stadium to silent attention.

We opted for an early end to the night but sounds from the Juke Joint near the north entrance had us entranced: it was Canadian bluesman Matt Anderson, whose version of James Taylor’s Steamroller Blues as sung by the Cookie Monster had them rolling in the aisles.

~ Photos Tree Faerie

More stories from Bluesfest 2015

Blue skies for Bluesfest day 1

If yesterday at Bluesfest was anything to go by, it's going to be an incredible event and with the weather holding, (so far) the Easter weekend's future is looking bright.

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Carrying and passing the torch

With eight USA Blues Music Award nominations, career tour dates in 20 countries, and her recent induction into the Blues Victoria Hall of Fame, Fiona Boyes is a relentless and curious musical explorer.

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Peter Garrett gives Bluesfest the nod

If I say the words ‘US Forces give the nod’, I can pretty much guarantee that you will hear the unmistakable voice of Peter Garrett ringing in your ears. Your head may even start to bob up and down a bit. 

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Bluesfest puts the Brotherhood back together 

To say that a lot has happened since Brotherhood of the Blues last took the stage at Bluesfest in 2019 would be a pretty massive understatement.

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Interview with Jack Johnson: A career worth having

Ahead of his Bluesfest 2024 show, last week Seven spoke to Jack Johnson from his home in Hawaii.

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