Saturday, August 1, 2009

Me and My Boys' Echuca Winter Blues Festival

Arrived at Echuca 3 hours late!

Hadn't been my normal astute self and checked everything before we came, not even a map or the address of where we were staying, but when we got to an intersection and started to wonder where the backpackers was, there it was on the opposite corner right in front of us!

It was a recycled Tech School and I found with my boys, Mr Merls and Somerled, that it was a lot better than we expected.  Sometimes backpackers like this can be real dives.

Even the on-line program I had printed off didn't have a map so we wandered around trying to find where events were.

A cold Friday night on Hare Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
It is such a small festival that there is no crowd apparent anywhere to show something is on or to follow to the next venue.  It is also very cold!

We go over the program to see what's on, then Mr Merls remarks something about Radcliffe's and we realise he has been here before!  Of course, he used to come up and do the sound at some of the venues in the early days when he worked for Donny.  So what else aren't you telling us Mr Merls?

On the way up the street there seemed to be some sort of Gallery opening in the old YMCA building.  We hesitated for a moment, but one of the artists out on the footpath said, "Go in, it's free".  There was heaps of munchies as we were starving, but the quality of the exhibition wasn't bad for a regional group of artists.

We ended up in the old Port area where it seems the Festival is centred.  But most places seemed to be restaurants or the like, booked and pretty full and a little bit over our food budget for late on Friday night.

Passing by Radcliffe's a familiar hello is heard from Sandy who has just come out loading her gear back into her car.  Wayne Jury comes out next and is bubbling with the excitement of the Festival.  Sandy directs us to 'cheaper eats' and gives us direction to Ceres, a venue well away from the Port area.

Mr Merls enjoying his tea at Roma Pizza
[Photo: Og Bear]
Once we had our tea at Roma Pizza we decided to head there, but each of us had our own interpretation of Sandy's directions in a strange town.

We end up a long way from where we started and are about to give up as it is getting really late.  But I had stumbled across a supermarket so I get some brekky stuff.

On the way out I convinced the boys to go the long way around back to where we were staying.  Almost at once we came past an old mill and I glanced through a window only to spy Brian Fraser playing guitar.  This was it!  Ceres, right at the back of the supermarket.  We had asked the checkout chick in the supermarket and she didn't know where it was!

Brian Fraser at Ceres
[Photo: Og Bear]
The old mill is another recycled building turned into a large bar.

At Echuca an artist performs at a venue in either the morning, afternoon or evening, for the full 3 sets.  There is no 20-30 minute set get on, get off, move to the next venue with the crush of followers that goes with it.  It makes for a refreshing change.  Also, except for booking in for meals at some venues, the Festival is basically free.

Unfortunately by the time we got there Brian was close to the end of the show, but we enjoyed every bit of his brand of stompboard driven blues.

Joy was there with Brian and it was good to catch up though only briefly.

I had meant to catch up with Sue and Jimmy at the Star Hotel, and that seemed to be where the Ceres crowd was moving on to, so off we went.

It was a long walk with Mr Merls revealing at little more of his hidden knowledge along the way.

There was a real throng at the Star, as this seemed to be where everyone else had ended up.  Sue and Jimmy were gone but Kenny, Mojo's Mark and Joe were there as well as many  other folk we got on with well.  George MacFloyd were performing with their unique raspy blues sound.

George MacFloyd at the Star Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
George MacFloyd crowd at the Star Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
Well after midnight we made our way back to the backpackers, glad the heating had been turned on as the night had been cold!


The Backpacker is a recycled Tech School
[Photo: Og Bear]
Mr Merls & Somerled are still in 'recovery mode'
[Photo: Og Bear]
A bit of a sleep in on Saturday morning to recover from a late night before.

I breakfasted and showered and made my way back to the Festival leaving the boys in their bunks.

Stringybark on the Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Sue, Rick & Jimmy from the Blues Club
[Photo: Og Bear]
A good street scene was happening and the crowd was building up.  Stringy and Homesick Joe were setting up and soon had the crowd responding to their terse presentation.

Dirty Boogie on the Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Dirty Boogie were charming their own audience in front of Cocos with their own mix of rockabilly, swing and the blues while Continental Robert, all the way from Budapest, with the Rinky Dinks delivered R'N'B, soul and blues in front of Star PWs.

George MacFloyd at the Shamrock Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
George MacFloyd in the drive thru at the Shamrock Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
George MacFloyd had also started up in the drive thru at the Shamrock Hotel and were in fine form considering their early start after their late finish at the Star the night before.
Mr Merls and Somerled turned up, take away breakfast in hand, on their way to the Bridge Hotel in anticipation of Chris Wilson playing.

Then I came across Steely, JP and Sandy (Welcome Wagon) waiting for some PA to turn up so they could start their session on the street.

Headed further down and was disappointed to find I had missed Jury and Spencers' street gig.  I never did catch up with them for the rest of the weekend.

Chris Wilson playing in the beer garden at the Bridge Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
Somerled and Mr Merls on the balcony at the Bridge Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
Caught up with the boys at the Bridge as Chris Wilson was starting to get going after sound system bugs.  After a couple of tunes the sound guy checked again as no sound was coming through the big box on the right.  In 2 seconds it was fixed.  It seems that when one of the guys put his guitar case down it came to rest on the power switch and tripped it off.

Spent a bit of time watching Chris's amazing stage presence and listening to his big voice on the balcony with the boys, but left to catch Steely and Welcome Wagon.

High Speed Steel under the verandah at the Bakery
[Photo: Og Bear]
Along the way I came across High Speed Steel, a slick pub style band based around a son and father combination, playing under the Beechworth Bakery verandah.

Nick Charles at McDonalds
[Photo: Og Bear]
But what appeared to be the most incongruous combination of the day was Nick Charles at McDonalds!

Dave Steel with Welcome Wagon on the Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Bully checking Stringybark out
[Photo: Og Bear]
After seeing Welcome Wagon I headed back towards the Port as Stringybark and Joe were firing up again.

Liz Stringer at the Star Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
A quick dash past Liz Stringer at the Star, then across the road at Oscar W's.  Mojo Corner was setting up so I caught up with BOD and his lady while waiting for them to start.  Steve, Sue and Jimmy with Kenny turned up as well as a few others from the Blues Club such as Goldy and her friend, Qwenn.

Mojo Corner at Oscar W's
[Photo: Og Bear]
Mojo Corner crowd at Oscar W's
[Photo: Og Bear]
The Mojos were in fine form.  I first saw these guys about 2 years ago and since then they have become really tight with a well (over?) developed sense of showmanship.

Somerled checking out Liz Stringer at the Star Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
Found the boys back at the Star then we all headed back to the backpackers for a cleanup and a rest.

Already to go again, we were back on the street but it was all a bit quiet.  It seems that there is a civilised break for everyone to go off and do exactly what we had done, so there had been no need to rush back.

Merlin & Malcolm having dinner at Radcliffes
[Photo: Og Bear]
Sarah Carroll and the Blue Tinsel played at Radcliffs while we ate dinner
[Photo: Og Bear]
We had booked at the Radcliffe for dinner and the show with Sarah Carroll and the Blue Tinsel, including the legendary Andy Baylor, but we still had an hour to kill so it was off to the Star where I had a little bit of fun with someone who thought she was the alpha female of the group standing around the fire.

Stringybark playing at the Echuca Brewing Co
[Photo: Og Bear]
The Stringybark crowd at the Echuca Brewing Co
[Photo: Og Bear]
After dinner we ended up at the Echuca Brewing Co to see Stringybark and Homesick Joe who were in fine form as always.

It always amazes me, but people who have a seat seem to think they have a licence on the view and get quite agro if you step in front of them, even if it is just a moment to take a photo, but this couple got quite agro when I got caught up chatting to this lady while I was at it.  The guy actually was getting physical and as I was warning him off Mr Merls stepped in and settled him down.  Some people are really amazing.

Quick skip through the Bridge to see High Speed Steel then on to the Star to see Mojo Corner again.  We must have just missed the second set as it seemed ages before the Third began.

After this the old body was telling me it was time to put the head on the pillow.


After a good sleep in on Sunday morning we were all packed up, so we left the backpackers to catch the last few hours of the Festival.

Again there was a lot of street action and I soon came across Steely's Welcome Wagon, Stringybark with Joe, and the Dirty Boogie.

Sarah Carroll and the Blue Tinsel at the Bridge Hotel
[Photo: Og Bear]
Ray Beadle Trio at Oscar W's
[Photo: Og Bear]
In the backyard of the Bridge Sarah Carroll and the Blue Tinsel were back at it.

A quick dash over to Oscar W's where the Ray Beadle Trio was seting up.  Except for the cowboy in white MC nothing to get too excited about.

A cold Friday night on Hare Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Cold Snap on the street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Managed to catch the Foreday Riders at Radcliffe's doing a lunchtime session.  I had missed them as the headliners at the main concert the night before and honestly couldn't workout what the hype was all about.

Around the corner on High Street I came across Cold Snap whose tour bus had been parked opposite Radcliffe's.

Brian Fraser on the street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Joy watching Brian perform on the Street
[Photo: Og Bear]
Whilst grabbing some lunch, Somerled rang to tell me that Brian Fraser was playing opposite Antonio's, so I wandered across.

It was good to catch up with Joy for a decent chat this time.

River boat on the Murray River at Echuca
[Photo: Og Bear]
After this the boys and myself decided that we had had enough so we grabbed a bit more tucker and hit the road.

I dropped the boys home and headed back to Geelong for the Blues Club birthday bash.

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