Words and photographs by Ken Jackson
There are some festivals that you attend for the music, some for the atmosphere, and some where the combination of both makes you start looking forward to returning before the final note has even been played. The Old Bush Blues Festival is definitely one of those places.
Three days in Worcester, surrounded by great musicians, good friends, sunshine, plenty of laughter and, naturally, the odd beverage or two, made for another outstanding weekend. As always, there was more music than any one person could possibly catch, meaning a few difficult choices had to be made along the way.
Day One got off to a flying start, although our 11:15 cab meant that I sadly missed Jules Benjamin in the Bar, as well as Five Field Holler and The Rainsford Brothers. There was still plenty to enjoy, though, beginning with Slowburner on the Fothers Stage before heading over to the Garden Stage for The Teed Up Blues Band.
Ron Muir followed on the Club Stage, before Hollie Rogers took to the Garden Stage and delivered another performance that showed exactly why she continues to be such a popular name on the blues circuit.
The Jon Amor Trio were next on the Fothers Stage, followed by the Mitch Laddie Band on the Garden Stage. Both provided another reminder of just how strong the musical line-up at The Old Bush is.
By the time Big Boy Bloater and the Limits took over the Fothers Stage, the festival was well and truly in full swing. It was a brilliant way to finish the first day, and although I hadn’t managed to photograph everything I wanted, there was certainly no shortage of musical memories to take home.
And that was only Friday.
Saturday arrived with sunshine, good friends and another packed programme. Bluetouch were first up, delivering an energetic performance both on and off the Fothers Stage. From there it was over to the Garden Stage for Hard Stairs, who kept the afternoon moving nicely.
I missed Saint Serena at the Club, but Vincent Flatt Final Drive more than filled the gap with another excellent performance on the Fothers Stage. Then came one of my all-time favourites, Greg Coulson and Band. There is something about Greg and his musicians that always seems to lift the atmosphere, and once again they were absolutely brilliant.
Connor Selby was performing an acoustic set at the Club, but with the knowledge that he would return later with his full band, I reluctantly gave that one a miss. Tommy Allen and his Band were next on the Fothers Stage and delivered an excellent set. Tommy is not only a superb musician but has also become well known for his YouTube interviews with many of the artists we love. If you haven’t seen them, they are well worth checking out.
Then came The Five Point Gang — another personal favourite and a band that knows exactly how to get an audience moving. They had the crowd buzzing, while Dinho Barral apparently decided that the temperature was getting a little too much, removing his shirt within minutes! By now, after such a full-on day, I was beginning to feel the miles, but there was one final performance I was absolutely determined to see.
Connor Selby and his wonderful musicians closed the day on the Fothers Stage, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. It was a superb performance and the perfect way to bring another memorable day at The Old Bush to an end. As we made our way down the path towards the waiting cab, exhausted but very happy, there was already one thought in my mind — tomorrow we would be doing it all again.
Sunday brought another beautiful afternoon, and after a great night’s sleep we were back at The Old Bush, ready for the final day. Kyle and Shaw provided the perfect gentle opening on the Fothers Stage, delivering melodic sounds to a receptive audience. They even admitted that, as usual, there had been no rehearsal and no set list. Somehow, they didn’t need one. It was a wonderfully relaxed start before things became considerably more hectic. James Oliver and his Band changed the pace completely on the Garden Stage. Fast, furious and playing to a jam-packed audience, they had the place bouncing, with barely enough room for everyone who wanted to dance.
I missed Jack Blackman at the Club Stage because I was determined not to miss Burning Ropes on the Fothers Stage. Once again, they delivered the goods, with Adam on bass getting the audience involved in a fantastic singalong during their version of ‘Tainted Love’. The crowd certainly knew their part.
The Bluescasters provided a welcome chance to sit down on the Garden Stage, although I soon remembered that I really ought to be down the front with the camera. I’m glad I made the move because Nick Hyde, Stuart James and the rest of the band delivered a fabulous performance.
Trevor Babajack Steger was another difficult choice to miss, but Richard Clarke and his Band were calling from the Fothers Stage. Once again, Richard and his talented musicians produced a wonderful performance. Back at the Garden Stage, The Wldflwrs provided another memorable set, with Trevor Babajack Steger joining them briefly on harp. It was another excellent performance and another example of the spontaneous moments that make festivals like The Old Bush so special. By this point, after three days of music, photography, walking and trying to squeeze as much as possible into every minute, I was beginning to flag both physically and mentally. But there was still one more favourite to come.
Ben Poole and his band brought the weekend towards its conclusion. As the light faded, I did my best to capture some decent photographs, although the packed dance floor and the very merry Old Bush audience made it something of a losing battle! To be honest, there were worse places to be. And that really sums up The Old Bush Blues Festival. It isn’t simply about ticking bands off a running order. It is about standing among friends, discovering musicians you might not have seen before, catching up with old favourites and enjoying those unexpected moments that happen when great artists and a great audience come together.v Three days in Worcester passed far too quickly. By the time I had finally retired to the pub for a couple of nightcaps while waiting for the cab, I was tired, happy and already thinking about next year.
A huge thank you to Matt and everyone else who played a part in making The Old Bush Blues Festival such a fantastic success. The music was superb, the atmosphere was brilliant, the sunshine certainly helped, and the friendships made it even more special.
Three days.
So many great performances.
Countless memories.
And already, I’m looking forward to doing it all again.
See you next year at The Old Bush!
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