Shot Notes
This is John Gwilliam from power trio 19-Twenty letting the animal out, on the Crossroads stage at Bluesfest 2024.
Imagine Wolverine learnt double bass, then drank all the crazy juice. To call his performance dynamic would not do it justice. You never know what will happen next. One minute he has lifted the whole double bass in the air while playing it behind his head like Buddy Guy, the next moment one of the Little Quirks has climbed on top of the bass and is singing up high, while he donks out the rhythm below. The show is a spectacle of physics defying controlled chaos created by a tight rock and roll groove machine set to overdrive.
19-Twenty is Australia’s answer to Jools Holland. They are both known to bring musicians together. This is encouraged at Bluesfest, the range of music lends itself to jamming. Peter Nobel (the guy who picks the artists at Bluesfest) once told me he chooses bands that make music with people, not computers. You will not find lip-syncing and backing tracks at Bluesfest. You will find a whole lotta people celebrating the raw energy of live music. 19-Twenty 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.
See ya there! Can’t wait!
Awesome can’t have a festival without you guys. #savebluesfest
Love ya crazy guys. Xxxx
#savebluesfest
Wow Jason Benz Bennée, thank you for the incredible 19-Twenty praise ❤❤
Suffice it to say, I’d be nothing on stage without my best mates Kane Dennelly, Jeremy Berg and Heath Dennelly – and we’d collectively be nowhere without the wonderful people wanting to watch us play, the amazing photographers using their magic to capture the moment, and the irreplaceable festival crew, organisers, volunteers and security. None of this would happen without everyone together, sharing the moments ❤❤❤
Thanks John Jakob Gwilliam, You guys make photographers job easy with your dynamic shows. I can’t wait to see what you have planned for the final Bluesfest Byron Bay You always show us something new. Maybe Peter Noble could consider One Green Day, where they save CO2 by not buying international flights for one day. You have proven Australia has enough talent to headline its own festivals. It would be great to have one full Bluesfest day of Aussie artists with you guys hosting a big jam at the end of the night. #onegreenday