Shot Notes
Aussie blues legend Ash Grunwald on the Crossroads stage at Bluesfest 2022. No blues festival would be complete without a performance from this prince of the pentatonic. He is from the southern hemisphere’s biggest music cauldron, Melbourne, although he saw the light in 2010 when he relocated to Byron Bay.
Ash has an amazing body of work, with a dozen studio albums over two decades. My favourite is his 2019 album “Mojo” for its raw blues energy, and a guitar tone so fat it is at risk of diabetes. The album also has a powerfully dark duet with Kasey Chambers which reminded me of the haunting duet between Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue, if you replaced the orchestra with a blues guitar.
I love it when musicians collaborate to create something new and unexpected. Bluesfest is designed to make this happen. Along with the latest acts and the international headliners, there is a core of Australian bands, like Ash and Kasey, who Bluesfest supports year after year. This makes Bluesfest its own music scene.
Ash Grunwald and Kasey Chambers 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.
It wouldn’t be Bluesfest without you, can’t wait! ❤️
#savebluesfest
I am so freaking excited to see you at bluesfest again