Bluesfest 2013 – Day Three

DAY 3
King Cannons
Having heard their set at a few previous events, I was not moved one way or another. We sat on the grass (saving legs) early on in the day and soaked in their tunes. Their set had greatly improved, and this time around there were some very enjoyable and catchy songs, some which made us look at each other and say “I think I’ve heard this one on the radio?”. Glenn additionally reveled in the splendour of a feast plate and laid down on the ground, perhaps enjoying the moment even more. For me, most of the other songs blurred into one big “Springsteen-esque” rock power ballad, but with no real hooks. But for sitting on the grass and relaxing, it did quite nicely.

Allen Toussaint
I took a camping chair to this set to sit down in the seated area behind the sound desk. I admit, I dozed off a little about half way through his set. Toussaint is a highly influential figure in New Orleans blues and as such there were a few recognisable classics. Highly proficient in all areas, as you would expect. It was just all too slow, pleasant and musically pleasing not for me to nod off for a bit. I later regained a higher level of consciousness felt fantastic and really took in and enjoyed the last couple of songs.

Status Quo
My thoughts before the set started were: “…this is only going to please middle aged white people, on a nostalgic trip taking them back to when they had a perm and danced to Quo at their lounge room parties”. The opened with ‘Caroline’, and yes, it did fulfil that pre-conception and the tent was filled with terrible white dancing. However, they executed it with such power and showmanship that it commanded attention to the stage. Some of the songs were much more heavy and “rifftacular” than I was expecting and I got a real kick out of them. Throughout the set a lot of the songs sounded very similar (based around a fast 12-bar progression) but hell, it’s good time music! Some people even brought along Coles “Prices are down” hands to rock out with during “Down Down” and they received a winking acknowledgement from Rossi. I hate to use the word (but will use it twice) the band really had a swag full of swag – the kind that wins you fans while rocking all over the world.

Dropkick Murphys
Only caught a few precious songs in this set from afar before leaving. They were rocking really hard as expected, but, it sounded like the band was only turned up to 8. There was an overall flat feeling in the sound mix, like the grunt had been compressed. A shame really because turned up to 11, and with a good mix, this band would have blown socks and minds.

Saskwatch
The APRA tent at night provided a spellbinding backdrop for the very talented Melbourne 9-piece Saskwatch and they shone just as brightly as the lights behind them. Full review on the set tomorrow as we are going to watch their set in it’s entirety tomorrow. This is a band you definitely want multiple servings of however! It was hard to, but we left early to get in a decent position at Robert Plant’s set over in the MOJO tent.

Robert Plant presents Sensational Shape Shifters
A HUGE crowd (see photo six) gathered to gaze upon the legendary Robert Plant and his Sensational Shape Shifters. Arriving to great applause the band’s set started off ambient, minimalist and spaced out. The next song was much the same, but, there was a glimmer of hope in a few intense rocking out breaks, sounding like a modern Led Zeppelin  From this point on, however, it was downhill and then a dull plateau to the end of the show. Sarah left at this point and half way through the set my mind was filled with similar thoughts of escaping. Then ‘Heartbreaker’, the song which I was hoping to hear, was played. Kinda. The signature riff was relegated to a three note summary and all the intensity and flair of the original song was lost in a spaced haze. So now I was also angry, but the band marched on with more dull music. The crowd was dissipating at a devastating rate throughout the set. Of those remaining, there were three groups of people in the crowd: people high as a kite on gear, people who worshiped Robert Plant and would applaud a song even if he wrote it by rolling a turd down a stave and suckers like me. Upon the conclusion of the set, I returned to the tent to observe Sarah fast asleep and my only thoughts were my jealousy of her unconscious state.
In summary: it was a musical wank that probably disappointed most, though some won’t care to admit it.