Can one be subjected to too much live Blues ‘N’ Roots music?
In a cruel social experiment, festival organisers, Sunset Events & Chugg Entertainment, pulled together over 35 of the worlds biggest and best artists, somehow enticing them to travel from all corners of the globe to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the West Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots Festival
Two massive stages over two massive days, a mind-blowing weekend of domestic disputes, strategic negotiation, rational compromising, and ruthless decisions.
It seemed the world had descended on a usually relaxed Fremantle for a weekend of mindless debauchery. However it was a well-behaved and remarkably homogenous mixture of music enthusiasts and pleasure seekers of all ages, races, genders, and facial hairstyles, packing out the breezy Fremantle venue.
WA locals Blue Shaddy and Odette Mercy and Her Soul Atomics welcomed the enthusiastic early birds with an impressive showcase of local talent. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals followed.
Potter casts out her irresistible bait, gritty slide guitar, and sexy voice, then ensnares with her long legs and swallowtail guitar. Singing catchy “Ooh La La, Ooh La La Laa” and “Medicine”. Potter, one of the most beautiful ladies to ever sing the blues, saw some of the longest queues at the the post artist signing tent.
Then it’s over to the Big Top for some funky jazz style grooves from local girl Mama Kin. Strong and deep bluesy vocals and bouncy piano solos proved a refreshing change from the guitar-dominated tone of the day.
A wise beyond her years Mama Kin casually counsels the audience, she easily relates and is genuinely grateful to be here. She tells of her internal struggle with “Disneyitis”, overcoming self-doubt and procrastination to become an artist. She has a lesson for us all woven into her beautiful art.
The UK’s dreadlocked Newton Faulkner appears on the Park Stage with his percussive acoustic guitar, a hairy one-man band. Looking comfortable in the outdoor setting he jokes that he is concerned about playing so early in the day because of the “drinking window” after the show.
He banters and jokes with the audience, negotiating his set list and somehow managing to organise a complicated audience choir. Down to earth, open and honest, there is a lot of love in the audience for the gentleman. A stunning cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”, followed by hit song “Dream Catch Me”, are standouts.
The Big Top is now packed to the rafters with Russel Morris fans; it’s all storytelling and blues. Morris jokes that he has arranged for the festival organisers to spike the water supply with acid for his next song and then breaks into his classic “Real Thing” complete with that psychedelic middle 8. Baby boomers, generation X, Ys, and Zs sing along together peacefully. Maybe he wasn’t joking about the acid.
The crowd follow the now well-worn path between the stages to find The Tedeschi Trucks Band are playing. Groovy melodic rock backed by brass. They are all business, letting the performance do the talking.
Julia Stone takes to the Big Top for a powerful and emotional set of ballads, and shows that she’s no less of a performer without her brother Angus.
Back at the Park Stage a mob is gathering in the hot afternoon sun. Faces and heads are baking as master showman, Chris Isaak, appears in a sky blue pyjama suit.
As much comedian as musician, Isaac has the audience in stiches for his entire set. He fearlessly takes off into the crowd singing all the way and not missing a note.
He plays through all his hits, including “Somebody’s Lying”, “Bad Thing” and “Wicked Game”. He then disappears for a few moments only to return clad in an amazing mirror ball suit to play Roy Orbison classic, “Pretty Woman”. At the close of his set it’s clear this is truly the festival that just keeps on giving.
Rock legends Status Quo are playing all the classics in the Big Top while Jason Mraz take the baton from Isaak on the Park Stage. Mraz’s soulful acoustic reggae riffs and soothing vocals are a suitable soundtrack for a sensational Fremantle sunset.
Fred Wesley and the New JBs’ onslaught of wind instruments ends up being a monster jam session, each member taking his turn to solo; every guitar, horn, keys, bass, and drum has its time to shine.
It’s business time at the Park Stage, the punters are well lubricated and in high spirits as Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters emerge from the darkness. This is clearly not Led Zeppelin and Plant has assembled a diverse array of musicians from the far galaxies of the universe to jam the blues.
The experiment is entertaining and fun, even bizarre at times. Instruments never before seen on stage accompany Plant’s bluesy groans and spacey vocal effects. Zeppelin fans will not be completely disappointed with a world music version of “Black Dog” – complete with a West African coconut guitar violin – “Going To California” with mandolin solo, and worldly versions of “Whole Lotta Love” and “Rock n Roll”. Definitely a festival highlight.
The festivities in full swing, punters now either drunk or exhausted, many wander of to the Big Top to check out genetic curiosity Kitty, Daisy & Lewis (supported by Mum & Dad). Their rockabilly has everyone in the crowd dancing as the multi-instrumentalists swap and change instruments and take turns at singing as they keep everyone guessing.
Iggy Pop and the Stooges prove to be a ball of energy from the word go, sounding surprisingly fresh for an act first formed in 1967. Performing songs from new album Ready To Die, the godfather of punk went wild.
“Do you want me to have a gun?” Pop cries out as he shoots off an imaginary gun with his left hand, everyone in the audience secretly ready to make a run for it. He then drags about 50 of the drunkest members of the audience to the stage and the scene turns into chaos, but the music somehow continues. Something bad is going to happen.
Security grabbing people in headlocks and the mad singer disappears for a few minutes, and eventually the stage is cleared. The band plays on throughout the entire scene
Mr. Pop comes back from nowhere, bouncing around like a tiger on speed and is once again lost in the crowd. The only sign of him being a mic cable leading into the mosh pit being dragged around by a stressed out roadie.
Iggy then gets back onstage, and starts masturbating, down on all fours to sing “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, cocking his leg and simulating licking his own genitals. He ain’t pretty but he is a legend.
Oblivious to the commotion on the Park Stage, French multilinguist and social activist, Manu Chao LA Ventura has the Big Top dancing the night away to Latin inspired grooves, bringing Day 1 to a close.
