Blues Fest 2012 wrapped-up on Monday in dusty conditions, the first time in years not a single gumboot was sold! In excess of 80 police officers were deployed to the site.
The TV show Random Breath Testing was visiting Byron Bay filming with the Highway Patrol and the Drug Detection Bus.
The Festival ran over the Easter Break from Thursday until midnight Easter Monday.
With up to 17,500 festival goers each day, up to 72,500 over the five days with approximately 5000 campers on site. Headline acts performing this year, were Cold Chisel, John Fogarty, Crosby Stills & Nash and Earth Wind & Fire.
At the site, Police utilised drug detection dogs and carried out over 350 searches, over 150 drug dog detections, 19 people will appear at Byron Bay Court for drug offences and over 115 Cannabis Cautions were issued. The bulk of drugs detected were cannabis, with smaller quantities of Methyl amphetamine MDMA, Cocaine and LSD also located.
Overall the police were pleased with the behaviour of festival goers with only seven people issued with court attendance notices for anti social behaviour.
Organisers, like police, have hailed the event a success.
“From the postcard perfect weather to a rich and varied roll call of performers and a particularly well-behaved crowd of around 80,000 across the five days, the 2012 Byron Bay Bluesfest has cemented its reputation as one of the country’s leading, longest-running music events,” festival director Peter Noble said.
The driest festival weather wise in the event’s 23-year history was also its third at its new permanent home at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm.
Crowds were thrilled with all the work carried out in and around the site since last year’s event, including new roads and walkways which have helped weather-proof the grounds in the event of future downpours.
However, Mother Nature decided not to test the ground works this year, with patrons swapping gumboots for sunscreen under perfect blue skies and clear, full-moon-lit nights.
Highlights of the harmonic convergence have been many, from some of the five-day program’s best performances, by My Morning Jacket and headliners Cold Chisel, on Thursday’s opening night to John Fogerty’s second, rocking greatest hits set on the Mojo Stage on Monday night.
After 44 years of being together Earth Wind and Fire at last have made it to tour Australia .
“Their debut Bluesfest performance was extraordinary and proved without doubt why they are the top selling black music band of all time,” Peter Noble said.
“They are equal to the best bands who have ever played Bluesfest.”
In fact, there were no bad performances. The standard was both high and consistent, the range of musical styles covered ensuring fans young and old were all well catered for.
Older audience members hung on every note served up by master craftsmen such as Crosby Stills and Nash, Steve Earle, and John Hiatt and his band The Combo.
Betty LaVette, Joanne Shaw Taylor and Rosie Ledet all raised the roof while The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd were all red hot and blues.
One of Canada’s top bands Great Big Sea were one of the discoveries and it was great to see a thousand Canadians in the audience singing along to every tune.
New Orleans singer and brass master Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, who has surely cemented his place as one of Bluesfest’s favourite new sons, was another standout as was fellow funky brass star Maceo Parker.
Return visitors included African queen Angelique Kidjo; incomparable Chicago blues master Buddy Guy; hillbilly hero Seasick Steve (accompanied by Led Zeppelin great John Paul Jones); Nicky Bomba’s incredible Melbourne Ska Orchestra; and reggae giant Ziggy Marley.
A rare show by Melbourne’s Wedding Parties Anything ahead of an all-in singalong with Irish rovers The Pogues proved a hit with crowds of all ages on the Crossroads Stage on Sunday night.
And it was hard to say no to progressive rock royalty Yes, who topped an A-list lineup in the Mojo Tent on Monday night following a brilliant display of technical wizardry by Zappa Plays Zappa, Dweezil’s tribute to his father Frank Zappa, and country rock giant John Fogerty’s all-in singalong which saw him perform classic Credence Clearwater Revival album Green River from start to finish.
While fans old and new are still raving about the sonic quality of Cold Chisel’s album-launch set, Sunday night’s all-Australian lineup on the Mojo Stage, including festival party starters Blue King Brown and John Butler Trio and award-winning songsmiths The Audreys and Josh Pyke, is proof the future of home-grown music is in safe hands.
The APRA stage drew terrific crowds across the five days with drawcards including Hat Fitz & Cara, enigmatic favourites Alabama 3 and local stars on the rise Round Mountain Girls, Tijuana Cartel and Eagle and The Worm.
