Today I head off to massage in a different area and a far more important group of people. Setting off with my portable massage chair to a corner of the administration building spending the day treating people who's entire focus is smooth running of this annual monolithic event.
Five days, 5 tents, band scheduling from midday to midnight and over 30 acts per day all with varying numbers of muso's wants and needs to be tended to will always take its toll. Six hours of Remedial massage to shoulders, necks, lower backs, just about every body part that holds stress.
Still these endless hard-working Ambassadors of the "behind the scenes" music industry had smiles, laughed with each other and continued to assist with every enquiry with the full energy of a toddler at play.
To compete my day of massage I wandered up to the "Volly tent", miles away from the rest of public facilities and the home of hundreds of volunteer workers. These are the unsung hero's who give up their time freely to assist in the other wheel of this musical machine. Litter free grounds, spotlessly clean toilets, assistance with directions and many other small gopher tasks we take for granted were completed by a youthful (possibly drug assisted) enthusiastic team of Bryon-bayers.
But what of the music? Another strong roll out of artists and many I had never heard of before. Unfortunately missing out of Richard Clapton performing at 4pm was my only "oh no" for the long weekend. One or two well deserved beers and off to listen and gyrate to the sounds of the "Melbourne Ska Band" OMG fantastic, fantastic, fantastic! Not only did they brass out songs of well known blues artists but also encouraged the audience in full vocal participation.
An oxymoron of this Ska group was performing in the nearby tent, Seasick Steve, an aged bearded wizen-faced American singing "hobo" blues. His instruments included several pieces one made of two hubcaps and a broom sticks, another from a cigar box and his ever famous 3 string guitar. Describing himself as a poverish Hobo who now has a few extra cents in his pocket. The bonus to this performance was the inclusion of Led Zepplin base player John Paul Jones, this was a "chillaxed" 90 minutes with people sitting on the ground and taking it all in.
Last 2 attractions of the night were Weddings, Parties Anything followed by The Pogues OR Blue King Brown followed by John Butler Trio. 1st choice easy as I have always been Weddings groupie, but to see possibly the last performance by the Pogues or listen to John Butler in all his glory was my plight.
My best analogy of John Butler is a cross between Robyn Hood and an early Australian pioneer. His looks, his lyrics and his passion drew me in and kept me mesmerized for 2 hours along with the 500 + other people looking for a leader to guide them into righteousness of the saving of our wilderness versus the greed and need of the politicians and big businesses.
Old songs and new were much to the delight of all who attended and this author happy to have capped off her first experience of the Byron Bay Blues in this fashion. Will I come back again??
You bet ya"
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