The Angels are coming to Bluesfest
With their 50th anniversary in the not-too-distant future, The Angels have nothing to prove and everything to give as they prepare to mount the stairs of a Bluesfest stage next Easter. Founding member John Brewster has been playing guitar and singing back-ups since day one and last week he spoke to Seven about the band’s trip north in 2023.
What’s new with The Angels?
We’re doing incredibly well actually. I know we’ve been doing a lot of shows, we did the Bluesfest this year and we’re doing it again next year. Look at us, 48 years later.
How was the Bluesfest 2022 for you?
Well, you could ask Peter Noble – he had a meeting with our agent at the last Bluesfest, booking us for next year. He said, ‘somebody needs to kick me in the bum. I should have been booking you guys years ago. Then he said: ‘You can quote me on this. You guys, your performance – you know, I went along to see two songs. I had other stuff to do, but I couldn’t leave. I saw your entire show and you’re in the top 10 of all time’. Yeah, I know. I’m bragging – but the thing is, we just put on a great show that night – and we always do.
With your brother Rick and son Sam in the line up, how do you go with the family affair?
‘The thing is, we get on extremely well. Our whole history is a really exciting thing and I look back and it’s probably never been a happier camp. And I think part of the reason is, these days we don’t work like we used to. In he old days we’d go out for months on end – you didn’t see your family for ages. These days, we would go away for two or three days and come back home. It’s a really balanced life.
What about playing these big festivals – Is it harder work than a
smaller venue?
I actually think it’s easier. You feed off that sort of weight of crowd you know, they’ve pumped adrenaline into you, you know – an old guy like me kind of likes that. I’m really lucky like that. I have no arthritis in my fingers. I still sing. I can hit those high notes that I always have.
What are you bringing to Bluesfest next year?
We’re gonna do what we do – we’re really lucky. I mean, having said that, I guess we made our own luck, as we wrote a lot of songs that people love. It’s about the brand The Angels, it’s about the repertoire. I think it’s probably significant that Rick and I are still there, you know, the guitar players because it is, after all a guitar band. And we’re playing as well as we ever did. We love what we do, that’s the thing. We play with as much passion as we ever had.
For more information about The Angels at Bluesfest, visit: bluesfest.com.au.
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