Traditionally, Bluesfest Byron Bay commences on the Thursday before Easter, and goes through until Easter Monday, providing adoring crowds a full 5 day music extravaganza.
However, in the last two years, and since recovering from shutdowns to its’ 2020 and 2021 festivals, Bluesfest Byron Bay has rewarded its’ early-bird campers, who arrive on the Wednesday to set up their camping areas, with a short evening programme of music.
This is a very welcome addition for attendees, who have traditionally had little to do other than setting up their camps.
So at 6.15 p.m. the music kicked off with the delights of Brotherhood Of The Blues, a 10 piece collective, who emerged from spontaneous meetings of renowned disability services/support organization, Red Inc. A fusion of friendship and passion, the collective kicked off proceedings with a great set of high-energy blues…..the perfect inclusive start a festival needs.
Brotherhood Of The Blues Gallery:
Next up, and introduced by Festival Director, Peter Noble, was eMDee (aka Mark Hoffman) a Northern Territory/Arnhem Land didgeridoo/yidaki player who fuses the traditional, indigenous instrument sound with drum & bass plus jazz-tinged hip-hop (even trip-hop) beats to create a wonderfully unique music experience. Suffice to say that eMDee is the only white yidaki player given permission to play by Traditional owners and respected First Nation elders from across the Northern Territory. He does not, nor will he ever, play cultural songs.
eMDee Gallery:
The headliner for the evening, and again enthusiastically introduced by Peter Noble was young Australian guitar sensation, Taj Farrant. The 14 year-old prodigy, originally from the central coast of NSW, but now based in the USA kicked off with a blistering Jimi Hendrix cover, and continued to blow the audience away with a set full of outstanding guitar work, backed by his new, crack band which was assembled in the US.
All Images:©fullonrockphotography/Andrew Fuller
