Outdoor fields, open stages, and long queues for food trucks – the hallmarks of a music festival – were nowhere in sight. Instead, the 10,000 people at Bluesfest Melbourne over the weekend milled on carpeted hallways and watched bands perform in comfortable theatres. Easter’s wild weather was of no concern.
American blues legend Keb’ Mo’ performs on stage at Bluesfest Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on April 9, 2023. Credit: Paul Rovere
Ticket sales were below what organisers had targeted, but they were encouraged by “the feedback so far, terrific sound quality and lots of smiles,” co-director Neil Croker said.
Outdoor music festivals have a tendency to bring strangers together with people mingling in between performances. After each indoor show at Bluesfest Melbourne, patrons instead leave the performance space and move to another show, or relax in the ample hallway seating.
The hallways and spaces connecting the theatres feels like a shopping centre, or the lobby of hotel, but shows do overlap, meaning patrons can easily move from one show to another.
It’s a formula that requires fine-tuning, and potentially some smaller, more intimate stages. Despite a sterile mood away from the live music, high-quality shows were a winner with the fans.
The new indoor setting for Bluesfest was a hit with visitors. Credit: Paul Rovere
Strolling between stages, festival-goers sipped coffee, and peered through floor-to-ceiling glass walls at dark skies and rain falling outside. As a way of combating cancelled festivals due to dangerous or unpredictable weather conditions, Bluesfest Melbourne could be a sign of the future.
A tiered ticketing system gave patrons a choice of day passes, weekend passes, headline performances in the 5,000 seat Plenary Theatre, or a combination of day passes and headline shows each day and night.
Celebrating their 50th anniversary, California’s Doobie Brothers headlined the festival on Saturday night, and Sunday’s headliner was Scotland’s Paolo Nutini.
Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini performs on stage at Bluesfest Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on April 9, 2023. Credit: Paul Rovere
John Butler performed solo in the Plenary Theatre. The Doobie Brothers provided their own smooth grooves, including Take Me In Your Arms, Listen To the Music, and What a Fool Believes.
Earlier on Saturday, Australian country music star Kasey Chambers and her band played the Plenary stage, where the multiple ARIA Award winner was all smiles during an hour-long show, featuring hits from across her many albums.
“This is my perfect musical festival,” Chambers told the audience. “This has no mud. It’s indoors, in a beautiful theatre … we’re playing at 3.30 and I can be home in bed by eight o’clock tonight.”
Also staged across the Easter long weekend was sister event Bluesfest in Byron Bay, first held in 1990. In February, Bluesfest director Peter Noble defended his decision to add controversial Sydney band Sticky Fingers to the Byron Bay line-up. The band, fronted by Dylan Frost, was later removed from the line-up, after other artists pulled out of the Byron Bay festival.
John Butler’s performance at Bluesfest.Credit: Paul Rovere
Unlike the sprawling Byron Bay festival site at Tyagarah, or the picturesque outdoor Supernatural Amphitheatre at Meredith Music Festival, Melbourne’s newest festival merges large-scale indoor shows with comfortable seating and dining away from the stages.
Other artists performing at Byron Bay and Melbourne included Keb’ Mo, Kaleo, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Southern Avenue and Australian bluesman Frank Sultana, who recently won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
Russell Morris paid tribute to the late Australian soul singer Renee Geyer, whose memorial service was held at St Kilda’s National Theatre last week. “I’ll try and sing Renee’s part,” Morris said, introducing The Drifter, from his acclaimed 2012 album Sharkmouth.
Echoing day one, there was barely a ripple of atmosphere as patrons filed indoors on Sunday. Whatever it lacked on the vibe meter, Bluesfest Melbourne made up for with excellent sound quality and sight lines. In another bonus, queues for food and drinks were short.
American bluesman Buddy Guy’s last Australian show lit up the stage, from his opening song Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues to flashes of Hendrix, Clapton and John Lee Hooker.
Blues legend Buddy Guy on stage at Bluesfest Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.Credit: Paul Rovere
Lucinda Williams, back on stage after suffering a stroke in 2020, was a huge drawcard. In one of the weekend’s truly feel-good moments, Williams was joined by Steve Earle for a couple of songs, including You’re Still Standin’ There, which they first recorded together in 1996.
Earlier on Sunday, Earle played a solo set that featured a rousing version of his 1988 hit Copperhead Road and a cover of Harlem River Blues, which his late son Justin Townes Earle recorded in 2009.
Local twelve-piece band FOOLS and CW Stoneking each drew enthusiastic crowds on Sunday, while veteran Australian blues and rock band Chain closed the Naarm stage in style.
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