Home Grown Roots – Feb 22nd

As Easter approaches, so to does the East Coast Blues & Roots festival, held in Byron Bay every Easter long weekend. This year its going to be massive, with the likes of The Black Crowes, John Butler Trio, Wilco, Jeff Martin, Sinead O’Connor, Keith Urban, Eskimo Joe, Maceo Parker, Don McLean, Gotye, Clare Bowditch, plus Angus and Julia Stone.

As with all music festivals, the ticket price grows with the festival’s success. This year, to attend for just three of the five days is $300+. Worth it, when you look at it in a purely economic “cost-per-band” perspective, but still expensive when you look at it in a “I will need to eat at some point in time” perspective. When you add on top of that the cost of staying in or around Byron, it becomes an even more expensive exercise.

So, for those of us on a budget, who won’t be attending this year’s Blues and Roots, there is an alternative! Friday 22nd February at the Globe Theatre in Fortitude Valley, you can get your fix of local blues and roots from some of Brisbane’s hottest immerging artists. Bold, honest and raw, Tim Loydell & the Deckchairs, Anna Weatherup, and The Rooftops have each been making waves around the city, state and country, with their organic sounds and cruising grooves.

When The Rooftops launched their debut album, Storm Season in mid 2006, Rave Magazine predicted it would be “mandatory Summer listening”. Triple J agreed, with the first single “Making Photographs” enjoying regular airplay. Host Sarah Howells (Roots & All) claims it as ‘One of my favourite songs of this Summer..so cruisy and full of sunshine”.

Tim Loydell & The Deckchairs, although all under 20, are incredible masters of their instruments. They write evocative songs, which talk honestly and openly to their loyal fans. Tim commands attention with his prodigious guitar playing & powerful voice; and with the added colour of lap steel guitar, these boys are certain to take the festival circuit by storm.

Anna Weatherup is originally from Townsville, but Brisbane audiences have well and truly claimed her as their own! Anna, in her trademark singlet and jeans, is full of energy and life. She can capture the ears and hearts of a huge audience simply with her guitar, her incredible voice and “stompy” (her stomp-box). Once you see Anna play, you’ll be her fan forever.

Let Byron have its latte-set festival. If you like it raw and dirty, I’ll see you there next week!