by Eve Jeffery & David Lowe
Day two at Bluesfest upped-the-anti as the best gigs in the country all played simultaneously at Tyagarah and punters came away very happy.
The much-awaited set by Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters brought a Whole Lotta Love to town and then some. Plant’s voice soared as acrobatically as ever as the band shifted up one gear after another, taking the audience to places no one was expecting.
Onwards.
Upwards.
The new songs were put through their paces and the old songs were enlivened and made new again.
With the Sensational Space Shifters, Robert Plant has found a way to extend the canvas of his classic songs into new sonic landscapes, and everyone who was crammed into the Crossroads tent was exhilarated by the result. The Boomers bowed to their lord and the youngsters got what we have all been banging-on about…
Jimmy Cliff was as awesome as ever. He seemed frail getting to and from the stage but found new energy at the mic, belting out classics like Many Rivers to Cross and a powerful new song about refugees with a special message for Australia.
Youssou N’Dour was in dazzling form – very present and he accounted for himself very nicely. An absolute highlight for many who have followed him since Peter Gabriel brought the Senegalese superstar to global attention, was 7 Seconds, his hit with Neneh Cherry. N’Dour’s band was phenomenal and phenomenal and phenomenal and it would be surprising if there was not a toe tapping or a hip swaying.
Groove of the day award definitely went to Dumpstaphunk and those who made the trek to the Jambalaya were not disappointed, and the artist-most-likely-to-have-undies-thrown-at-him gong went to Juanes on Crossroads.
All in all, Good Friday was a funking great day to be at Blues – the weather gods and goddesses played nice and hump day is shaping up to follow the blues bliss trend.
Photo gallery Jeff Dawson
& the Tree Faerie
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Day two at Bluesfest upped-the-anti as the best gigs in the country all played simultaneously at Tyagarah and punters came away very happy
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