BRUTHEN
BLUES
BASH
2005

Well the 10th Anniversary Blues Bash didn't disappoint, with probably the best Bash ever. I didn't manage to get down Friday night so I missed the jam, but my spy Wally Edney tells me they had some great talent and a huge crowd. I saw the last of Ron Tabuteau's set on Saturday arvo in the main street. The weather was perfect, there was a large crowd and the area looked great. The artistic side of Bruthen was showing with the stage decked out in colourful material and big paper mache musical notes hanging from the trees.

Music at the pub started with Alex Burns who showcased material from his new CD "The blues is here to stay" and with Alex around they certainly are. He has a wonderful voice for the blues, powerful and can get real gutbucket, or sing really sweetly. Match this with fine slide and finger picking guitar on his trusty steel bodied guitar (and steel bodied ukulele!!) and you have a terrific blues artist. Alex first played at Bruthen with cohort Nick Charles in 1999 so it was wonderful to have him back again.
This festival more than any other had artists sitting in and jamming. Alex hung around and played harp with Ron Tabuteau's Chickenhead. Chickenhead were one of the first blues bands to ever play at the Bruthen Inn Hotel way back in 1997. Ron has been busy leading Kerri Simpson's great blues band and his playing has just gotten better and better. Ron is a legendary player having been a part of some legendary blues bands in three states over 5 decades. Smokestack Lightning in South Australia, The Foreday Riders in New South Wales and The Mudcats and The Hoochie Coochie Boys in Victoria. Chickenhead is Ron's vehicle for his original material and having already released two live albums is about to release the first studio album sometime this year. Ron was joined by Mark Grunden, one of the most musical drummers around and Vanguard front man Dale Lindrea on bass. The sound these guys put out was sensational with Ron's solo's spot on and blistering, the crowd reacted the only way they could, by dancing their feet off.

The last time Bruthen saw the Vanguards was in 2003 as a duo and back then the got the crowd rockin', even Chris Wilson was spellbound. Well this time Dale on Bass and Dave Birtwell on guitar were back with reinforcements, Ronny Ferella on drums and Dean Hilson on sax. The bands style of retro blues went down like a cold beer on a hot day and everyone needed cold refreshment soon after as the whole crowd were rockin' to the Vanguards beat. The band works so well as each musician is very experienced and talented and are well versed in many genres. Dale Lindrea re works old blues and gives them the Vanguards stamp. His arrangement of classics as "Good morning little schoolgirl" and other blues and r'n'b classics are refreshing. Dave Birtwell has a tone to kill for and he sticks to his guns playing great blues guitar, but the beat and the highlights in the songs have so many influences that you can only say it sounds like the Vanguards, a great unique act.

Dutch Tilders is a legend and the band he set up around him in the early nineties, The Blues Club, has likewise gained legendary status. They seem to have won every blues award there was during that period with great live shows and a studio and live albums. A young gun named Geoff Achison made a name for himself and it came to be that as many people went to see him as they did Dutch. Geoff played at the very first Blues Bash at the Swan Reach Hotel in 1996, Dutch then played the following year at the first bash at the Bruthen Inn Hotel. Dutch promptly made his mark getting a crowd of 400 and putting the Blues Bash on the map. It was so wonderful to see the Blues Master with his protégé who is now regarded as one of, if not the best Blues guitarist in the land. With these two up front is isn't hard to miss the pumping machine that is Winston Galea on drums and Barry Hills on bass, who set down such a great sound that it allows Dutch and Geoff to do what they do best. Dutch's voice is as good as ever and with his new Gibson sponsorship he even took on a few solos as well. Geoff with a Gibson electric kept pulling out sounds that guitars weren't designed for, he continues to excel at pulling out great sounds, which is why he is always great to listen to. Surprisingly, not at least for the Blues Club, Dutch pulled out some new original songs, Dutch always liked surprising his band, make them work harder and this again turned out well with new and interesting music. Well all too soon it was over, Dutch did a beautiful version of "Send me someone to love", a wonderful way to end a wonderful night of blues, which in my opinion was one of the best musically ever. Again Rob and Ben Harwood excelled at providing a great sound for muso's and audience alike, they are just as big a star as any of the muso's!

Sunday had the biggest crowd in a long time and no wonder with a great mix of musical styles. Annemarie Sharry is a fantastic jazz singer who last played in 2003 with the South of the River Gospel Choir and she kicked off this Sunday nice and easily with some wonderful laid back jazz and blues, great stuff to sooth those multitude of hangovers. Dale Lindrea on Tenor guitar provided exquisite backing both musically and vocally. From "Fever" to "100 ways to lose your lover" everything they did was so effortless and so enjoyable, two people who love their music and love to play it.

Debi Candlish has played many bash's but didn't last year due to a bout of breast cancer (about the only thing that could stop her from playing here!) She teemed up with Brent Ottley who played banjo and guitar and sang, they were also joined by Annemarie Sharry on vocals and washboard, believe it or not! What a mix of music from blues to country to hillbilly, the crowd loved it, especially the few songs from the "O brother, where art thou?" sound track, with "I am a man of constant sorrow" absolutely rockin the house. Debi also played a wonderful original "Death knockin' on your door", a great message of live life for today and enjoy everything and everyone in it.

Fans can't get enough of Geoff Achison and no wonder, he keeps writing and playing really good music. He again was able to mix some of the crowd favourites, "Whipping Post" etc with new tracks and new versions. People continue to sit with mouth agape, whispering inaudible expletives to themselves in total amazement at his playing. I have seen Geoff a lot and even I keep doing it! No wonder he has played at 5 Blues Bash's! If he alone wasn't enough he invited his old friend Mr Tilders on stage for an impromptu session. Fantastic blues by two absolute greats. Geoff's guitar and Dutch's vocals had the crowd wanting more, no wonder they were such a hit when they were playing together!

To have a wizard on guitar is one thing, to have one on harmonica is another and we did in Harper. His success in the USA, being signed to Blind Pig Records, means that he will be basing himself over there and what a great loss for Australia. This was one of Harper's last gigs in Australia and he didn't let anyone down. His is so quick on the harmonica it peels paint and he has added didgeridoo to his repertoire and he is also one of the very few really fantastic blues singers. He was joined by Ben Harwood on guitar (if doing the sound wasn't enough!). I hadn't seen Ben play before and I really loved his energy, getting into a great groove, really funky blues that allowed Harper to go off on all sorts of tangents. A sensational way to end a sensational festival.

Well what do you do after 10 years of a great blues festival? We now have a dedicated and expanding committee with many new ideas and energy and this year went off exceedingly well considering the rush we all had to put it on. I can see the festival just getting better and better and look forward to the next ten!
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....Rooster....