Feeling blues ... again

MY SHOUT .... with Ivor Thurston

My goodness, where does a year go. It’s hard to believe that in a few short weeks, your columnist’s old yet quaintly fashionable hushpuppies will be tapping along to my favourite music genre – the blues – at my close personal friend Rob Hudson’s Brisbane’s Blues Festival on Saturday 14 May.

On second thoughts, make that where has almost two decades gone! This is the 19th annual festival Rob has put on, and my hushpuppies have tapped away under the influence of maybe one too many Pimms Dakotas with citrus peel at most of them – and at a number of fine venues around town.
And this year the festival has found a new home at The Tempo Hotel in Fortitude Valley. Rob tells me that what started as an annual gathering of local blues fans has now turned into one of our river city’s most eagerly awaited musical events. Each year, hard-core fans as well as a surprising number of people new to the blues attend the festival. They all come along to enjoy a day of music that can touch your soul as well as make your body move.
Look, he’s an old friend so he can wax on a little! And he says that the Tempo Hotel’s ideal location in the heart of the Valley’s entertainment precinct as well as its close proximity to large amounts of free public parking, buses, trains, taxies and planes make it a perfect choice. The hotel formerly known as Bar 388 and Dooleys has a great musical tradition and this event will help add to that legacy. Okay, Rob. That’s enough!
The event’s two-stage format will continue with the Main Stage area featuring some of Brisbane’s best blues bands laying it down while the Downstairs Stage will feature superb solo artists. Rob!
This year’s festival features the Dillion James Band, Johnny Hucker, Mason Rack Band (pictured), Tim Gaze, Mick Hadley and the Atomic Boogie Band, the Asa Broomhall Band, the Mojo Webb Band and Blind Lemon. Doors open at 2pm on Saturday 14May.


Backyard to return in spring

The Valley’s reputation as the home of live music in this city was enhanced with the recent successful inaugural Ric’s Big Backyard Festival – and the good news is that the festival will return in spring.

y long-term friend Les Pullos, of Royal George, Fat Boys and Ric’s fame, says the September event will host a whole new lineup and with “a small amount of tweaking from the lessons we’ve learned the first time around”.
The first event on 26 March was blessed with fine weather and headlined by You and I, backed by another with 20 bands across three stages, it made good use of Ric’s entire back space, including the carpark and the new backyard drinking spot that is now open on Friday and Saturday nights.
“This new space is a welcome addition to the entertainment precinct and offers a relaxed, smoke-free environment that’s sure to be a hit,” Les plugged shamelessly as he gave me a personal and exclusive tour of the Ric’s backyard the other day.
“The first festival was fantastic in as much as it was the first in the new space and the sound quality was fantastic.”
Les admitted that while numbers were good, the entry price was “probably a just a tad too much” for the current economic climate.