The Gold Coast Bulletin

EASY GROOVES AT THE BLUES

- SUZANNE SIMONOT suzanne.simonot@news.com.au

THERE was plenty of room to move and groove as a full moon smiled down on crowds – and the car park – at the Byron Bay Bluesfest on Easter Saturday.

A second day of clear skies helped dry the site out as a much smaller crowd backed up at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm on Easter Saturday after Robert Plant and Ms Lauryn Hill ensured a huge turnout for their oneoff Bluesfest shows on Good Friday.

While weary five-day troopers took things easy at the festival’s halfway mark, diehard punters relished their chance to get up close for shows by some of the best performers on offer this Easter weekend.

Word of mouth from their previous two sets ensured audiences were buzzed for Prince-powered party-starters New Power Generation’s final appearance, smooth operator Leon Bridges’ second festival set and veteran On The Road Again blues rockers Canned Heat’s second and final show.

Dumpstaphu­nk and The Original Blues Brothers Band performed exclusive Australian shows, Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real were back for the second of their four Bluesfest appearance­s this weekend and the extra-energised Afro Celt Sound System went off!

It was a Wiggly Wiggly World-style song and danceoff for adults in the Mojo tent as Saturday night headliner Michael Franti showered one and all in sunshine and rainbows, complete with a fairytale marriage proposal.

New security contractor­s at Bluesfest this year have raised plenty of eyebrows with what some regulars have labelled a ‘heavy handed’ approach to policing crowds traditiona­lly renowned for being on their best behaviour.

While the biggest turnouts of the weekend were expected last night (for headliners including John Butler Trio, Tash Sultana, Sheryl Crow and The Wailers) and today (Lionel Richie, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers and Michael Franti’s encore), tickets are still available at the gate.

Homegrown greats Dan Sultan and Mia Dyson are among today’s drawcards.

Celebs are also expected to swarm the site like midgies today – don’t be surprised if king of the Mojo tent Richie is joined by daughter Nicole, her husband Joel Madden and his twin brother Benji and partner Cameron Diaz for an all-star Bluesfest finale.

The music festival managed to attract an A List audience yesterday with Hollywood superstar Matt Damon in the crowd. Also spotted was actor Elsa Pataky, wife of Chris Hemsworth.

While fans should expect delays leaving the car park today, festival organisers have hopefully regrouped to do better by them than Friday night’s shemozzle.

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 ?? Pictures: DAVID HARRIS ?? Michael Franti & Spearhead rock the Byron Bay Bluesfest under a moonlit sky on Saturday night.
Pictures: DAVID HARRIS Michael Franti & Spearhead rock the Byron Bay Bluesfest under a moonlit sky on Saturday night.
 ??  ?? The audience was buzzed for New Power Generation.
The audience was buzzed for New Power Generation.

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