After 5 days of beautiful weather and incredible music from all corners of the globe, the 22nd annual Byron Bay Bluesfest came to an end last night in the same way many have done previously: in a world of mud. The rain began when the heavens opened at the end of day five as soon as Bob Dylan walked onto the stage (no exaggeration). There was definitely some mystical and magical in the air… it was a moment we will never forget.
Yes, the rain came down on day six, but it did little to dampen the spirits of the tens of thousands of people who had come to experience some of the best music ever put on display at the annual event. Organisers said that some 110,000 people entered the Bluesfest gates this year (approx. 18,000 a day).
The final day saw Bob Dylan bring the festival to a close, performing much loved tracks such as “Like a Rolling Stone” (which saw the crowd screaming “How Does it Feel?”). While many were disappointed with Dylan’s performance – in particular the lack of a close up on the big screen – long time fans (and those who knew what to expect) praised the performance, many citing it as not only a festival highlight but a life changing experience, TashR saying on Twitter: “Like A Rolling Stone live. Totally life changing.”
Meanwhile, twitter user jenny_sinclair had this to say: “Just to join the debate, I’ve seen Dylan 4 times since 1986 and this was as good as 86. Tight band & I can deal with the voice.”
Elsewhere, Grace Jones once again arrived some 40 minutes late to the stage, citing wardrobe malfunctions, though as usual no one left her theatrical set disappointed. Elvis Costello and the Imposters (pictured above) played a hit-fueled set prior to Jones’ appearance, with tracks like “Peace, Love & Understanding”, “Beautiful” and “Pump it Up”.
George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (above) closed things up on the Jambalaya stage, thought George Clinton was rarely seen front and centre – letting the band and some incredible vocalists “do their thing”. Other acts to appear on the 6th and final day of Bluesfest included Paul Kelly, Tim Finn, Gurrumul, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and many more.
Festival Director Peter Noble said, “I know we do everything we can each year to better our festival, but let’s just say, this year will be very hard to beat! We’ve been blessed with good weather, we’ve had a very peaceful and happy event, and we’ve had the planet’s finest artists delivering incredible music for six days and nights straight.
“Last year we were named as the Australian Event of the Year and Best Cultural or Arts Event at the 2010 Australian Event Awards – well, we’re feeling optimistic for 2011 as Bluesfest this year has been even better on almost every level!”
“Bob Dylan’s set was wonderful and people are saying his concert was the best show they’ve seen in years. Great things are also being said about bigger name and lesser known artists alike: Jethro Tull, Elvis Costello, Mavis Staples, Irma Thomas, Grace Jones, Ben Harper, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Peter Rowan & The Blue Grass Band, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Gurrumul, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Barrence Whitfield – who all delivered outstanding performances.
Peter Noble concluded: “Bluesfest is proud to be a family event that remains artistically, musically and ethnically diverse. We’ve grown bigger as we’ve evolved to appeal to multiple generations of music lovers, but our success comes from staying true to our roots and loyal to our many patrons who’ve been with us since Day One. So stay happy, fight the good fight, and we’ll see you next year for another spicy gumbo mix of madness and fun when we do it all again!”
Stay tuned for our full coverage from the remainder of the event!
Photos by Johnny Au
