Shot Notes
This weekend we visited the Blues on Broadbeach Festival. The last time we were here was for the Jazz Festival. This is the Melbourne Ska Orchestra who put on a high-energy rollercoaster performance. Building on a love for the music of The Specials and Madness, they have taken Ska to a whole new level. The 25-piece orchestra barely sat down for one song as they jumped around the stage and balanced on the speakers. When they left the stage they walked into the crowd and down the street while playing. I highly recommend seeing them. If you are in the UK they will be playing Glastonbury in 2014.
The Melbourne Ska Orchestra will return one last time for the final Byron Bay Bluesfest in Easter 2025, tickets are available via the Bluesfest Website.
UPDATE: In 2026 Bluesfest will be the last in a line of major festivals closed from increasing headwinds. This began before covid, with the previous state government’s legislative “war on festivals“. The new government risks letting this trend continue through inaction. However, you can change this. If 20,000 signatures are received, the NSW Parliament must debate Bluesfest’s future. #savebluesfest if you live in the state Sign up here. For everyone else, there is an international petition on change.org Sign up here.
