West Coast Blues and Roots Festival (very long)

Okay, so it’s now three days after the fact and I’m still feeling rather run down after this event. But to back up, this is a festival that’s been running successfully from Fremantle for several years now. I’ve never been to the event before but when I heard Crowded House were headlining, there was no question as to whether I would go. I think the definition of blues and roots must be really stretched to include Crowded House (or a few of the other acts), especially as headliners. Anyway, I bought my ticket the day they went on sale.

This was something of a new experience for me in more than one way. I’ve never been to a festival of this nature. What seems a lifetime ago, the Scientist and I did attend a concert festival at Carowinds in Charlotte where Stevie Nicks was headlining. But in that case, all the acts played on the same stage. This festival had four stages of various sizes with acts playing throughout the day. But the biggest new experience is that I was on my own for this one. It ran from late morning until 10pm and we weren’t really comfortable with the idea of leaving the boys for such a long time on their own. Before this event was announced, we’d already booked tickets to see the musical, Chicago, for Saturday afternoon, so the boys were already going to be on their own all Saturday afternoon. So the Scientist decided he’d stay home and I would go by myself. It wasn’t an ideal situation but I went along with it.

I was up early on Sunday morning, and ready to go by about 9am. I had an hour long drive to reach Fremantle, but traffic was pretty minimal at this time of day so I got there a bit more quickly. As I was going to be on my own, I’d planned to park in one of the paid parking areas so that I would not have to be walking down dark and empty streets at the end of the night. As it turned out, there were people parking all up and down the side streets in the area and I found a spot on one of them where we’d parked a couple weeks earlier that was easily accessed and free of charge.

I’d drunk a small pot of tea in the morning to get going and my bladder was already full so I first set off to find appropriate facilities and eventually ended up down near the quay. There was yet another ship docked so I took a couple photos before heading back towards the festival. I also bought myself a new hat for sun protection since my current one was really too tight. After my business was handled, I headed to the entry gate. Bags were checked before tickets were scanned. Although several things were banned, I think they were mainly on the lookout for alcohol…they only slightly checked my bag in the end. Once through the gate, it was time to wander around. It was just after 11am and the music had just started on some of the stages. I hadn’t decided for sure where I’d start so I sat down in a picnic area on a hill and applied sun screen to my face. I’d used some on my neck and shoulders before leaving the house but wanted to delay the face because it always irritates my eyes before long. My previous visit to Freo a couple weeks earlier to see the Queen Mary 2 had resulted in me getting a fairly nasty sun burn on my neck, shoulders and chest, mainly from late afternoon sun. I’d forgotten to use it on that occasion but wasn’t taking chances of another burn.

Breakthrough Blues and Roots Artist

Dan Sultan (and band)

The first program I watched was for the breakthrough artist for the festival. I still don’t know the name of the band but they were fairly entertaining. There wasn’t all that much of a crowd around the small market stage so I was able to sit just about anywhere and enjoy the show. I was slightly amused to hear them play Polly Wolly Doodle towards the end of their set. I moved over to the main stage to see Dan Sultan next. I again had a good spot to sit because crowds hadn’t become all that big as yet. Sultan did a pretty straightforward rock and roll set that went for nearly an hour. The weather was sunny with mild temperatures but it got pretty warm sitting out in the sun just for that hour. After this set, I went off in search of food. There were a number of food stalls set up that seemed interesting. Places that caught my eye were The Raw Kitchen (raw food), Paella Guru, a Salvadorian food seller, organic doughnuts, and a vegetarian food place…which is where I ended up. I got a plate filled with chickpea and potato curry plus a croquette and some halva (semolina pudding) for $10. I also got a mango lassi to drink. The food was fine  but not great and the lassi was a bit on the sweet side.  Picnic tables were set up where we could eat so I found a spot at one in the shade and ate a leisurely meal before moving on.

Mary Gauthier

The next stop was the theatre stage, which was the only one to have seating. It also happened to be covered so I stayed there and watched the first part of a set by Mary Gauthier. She has a very southern-American accent and tells stories with her songs in folksy-country sort of style that I enjoyed. It was kind of fascinating to watch as people came and went from her show. After each song, I noticed many getting up and leaving but others would come to listen for a while too.  Although I’d have like to hear the rest of her set, I already had plans to see another show that started before this one ended and left after about four songs.

It’s now nine days later and I’m going to try to finish up tonight.

The Swell Season

I’d listened to some songs on Myspace from The Swell Season the night before and really liked what I heard. Obviously, it was one of the acts I really wanted to see. This was located on the big top stage, which was really just a big tent.  When I got there just before the performance, many people were seated on the grass at the back of the tent while everyone at the front was standing. I wanted to get some photos so I moved up to the front and stood. Not long after I got there, a young woman appeared in front of me wearing feathers in the style of some Native Americans. The feathers were enough to obstruct the view of anyone standing behind her. Her friend was also wearing a single feather, but it was smaller and caused no viewing difficulty. They later regularly made a big “Native American” noise like they were doing a dance,  instead of cheering and clapping like the rest of us. I’m not sure if there is some background for this behavior or they were just being silly. There was quite a bit of movement as time went on and people wanted to get drinks and left. I was able to eventually shift to a spot with a better view without feathers in my face. A decent crowd had gathered by the time the show started and the band had a good reception.  The show itself was quite enjoyable, with the main singer having a very engaging personality. They played for about an hour, finishing off the set by playing  Where is My Mind (originally by the Pixies). It just happened that the Pixies were playing two shows in Perth the same weekend and the lead singer had been invited to join the band on stage here for a song. I don’t know much about the Pixies although I hear them mentioned from time to time. The crowd went quite wild, though, so I assume it was a good thing.

Angus and Julia Stone

I thought the crowd at the front would thin out before the next performance  (Angus and Julia Stone) but soon realised I was very much mistaken. Instead of leaving, people started squeezing into the space in front of me and behind me.  A very tall, young guy ended up in front of me and it was unlikely there was going to be much shifting in the crowd at this point. The twenty minute break between acts was over and the show still hadn’t begun. The tall guy suddenly sat down on the ground, in amongst all the standing people, which seemed rather odd.  My feet were very tired by this point and I really could have used some fresh air. There was an occasional gust of wind that blew through the tent but it wasn’t enough for the crowd. Thirty minutes passed and there was still no indication the show was going to begin. The tall guy finally stood up again. I was very tempted to just give the show a miss at this point. There was little motivation to keep me there, aside from the fact I’d already invested a half hour waiting. I stayed and the program finally started close to twenty minutes late. I listened to a couple songs and took several photos but was feeling rather claustrophobic at this point. I made the decision to leave which turned out to be a rather poor move on my part. It took me a good five minutes or more to squeeze my way through the crowd to get out of the tent. Even beyond the tent the crowd was tightly packed in. I might have done better to stick it out just a bit longer.

As much as I’d have liked to hear all the music, the fresh air was exactly what I needed. By now (nearly 4pm) the entire venue was really packed full of people and getting around was no easy feat but I could breathe again. I don’t like crowds but I don’t recall ever feeling seriously claustrophobic before. It wasn’t long before I saw crowds leaving the big top stage so I guess I didn’t miss all that much of the show.

I wandered around a bit and stood in line for food at a couple of stalls before realising it was going to be ages before I was served. I decided to sit down and watch the last of another performance I’d kind of been interested in seeing. I was really too late to get any feel for the music so I can’t say that I liked or disliked what I heard. At the very least, I was able to sit down for a little while before going back in search of light food. The lines were long pretty much everywhere by this point but I found a stall selling fruit shakes that wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t too long before I was being served and just a few minutes more before I had my drink. I wasn’t really hungry so this suited me quite well at the time.

It was still hours before Crowded House would be on stage but I decided to move towards the main stage if I had any hopes of getting anywhere near it. A band called Ozomatli were on stage…definitely not blues or roots but kind of interesting to hear and see. Some of the band went right into the crowd towards the end.  I think I heard they were from LA  and it’s possible I have seen them on television or somewhere else before as they seem kind of familiar. Alongside the main crowd, several people were sitting down on picnic blankets so found space in that area and sat down too. I was able to see what was happening on one of the screens on the side of the stage.
Buddy Guy
When Buddy Guy started to play, it became necessary to get back on my feet and from that point onwards I was standing. I was still fairly far to the right of the stage but could see him play so long as he was at the front. Anything else I saw was on the screen. Buddy Guy was very entertaining and I enjoyed his show even though I’m really not a blues fan. I managed to shift locations somewhat left during his show.

John Butler Trio

My really good photo of the day

The crowd got a bit tighter before our local stars, John Butler Trio, hit the stage. Our family saw them on Australia Day a few years ago at Belvoir Amphitheatre and they were very good. I must admit that I really liked the previous lineup, so I’m finding it’s taking time to get used to the new guys. But they did put on a great show and kept the hometown crowd very happy.  They played several songs from their just released album then went back to older favorites. Overall favorites for me were the songs, Ocean and Zebra.

The waiting between JBT and Crowded House was one of the most difficult of the night. People were just packed in again, despite it being an open venue. There was constant movement in the crowd, though, because so many just had to keep going back for more drinks. This worked to my advantage because whenever someone left to buy more, I was able to move closer to the stage. The downside, of course, was that a significant part of the crowd was inebriated to some degree. I found myself at one point next to a tall young dude who was obviously quite tipsy but very amiable and chatty. A while later another guy had come along, trying to push his way through the crowd with several drinks in hand. He apparently had lost his girlfriend. Friendly, tipsy dude offered to hold a couple but couldn’t promise they wouldn’t disappear…Meanwhile the guy kept trying to call his girlfriend on his mobile phone. During JBT, he asked her to raise her hand so he could find her. Just after he says this, all the crowd put their hands in the air, probably due to enjoyment of whatever song was being played. The guy tried again when the crowd had settled down. I don’t know if he saw her yet but I did realise a bit later that he was no longer standing behind me with his drinks threatening to spill all over me. It was all pretty amusing at this point. But while waiting for Crowded House to come on, another young  guy came along who was out and out drunk. He had this brilliant idea that moshing would be a good idea. He somehow managed to plant himself in amonsgst several of us women and started slamming into one or another. Afterwards he would claim complete innocence…it wasn’t his fault. He did this to about five other women before I had my turn…sigh…I told him off…but of course he was innocent. I guess he got bored of us and moved on. Moshing was strictly forbidden and was grounds for being kicked out of the festival. Unfortunately it was quite difficult to alert any security from the middle of the sardine pack.

Crowded House

Anyway, Crowded House finally did come onto the stage and played a great show for us. Coming from the US where CH aren’t that well known, the popularity here is such a strange experience. A lot of serious CH fans were disappointed they mostly played the well-known songs but I found it really cool because everyone sings along and it feels like the crowd and band are all as one. It’s a really wondrous feeling to be a part of that magic. And the band did play several of the lesser known songs along with a couple of songs from their upcoming album. It was a great mix of songs overall. I was extremely pleased to hear my favorite song, Private Universe , again. It was absolutely stunning and I filmed the entire seven minutes on my camera. My other favorite of the night was Fingers of Love, which I found to be incredibly beautiful. I didn’t film this one because I really just wanted to enjoy the music. I later discovered my video came out well visually, but the sound was bass heavy through much of the song and you can’t hear it properly. Such a shame…still I have it for posterity. The band left the stage but returned for a brief encore to sing another favorite, Better Be Home Soon.  The band bowed and left the stage.

During the show, I eventually found myself next to an older lady (60ish?) who was very short and had a hard time seeing the stage. There were a few departures of people in front of us and after one, another young and tall guy ended up in front this lady. I was pleased to see that he made sure this lady was able to take his spot and he stood behind her.

In the middle of the show, there was a brief interruption to ask the three guys who had climbed lighting scaffolding to come down. Singer Neil Finn was very diplomatic about it but Michael Chugg, the event promoter used far harsher words afterwards. It seems they never did come down because Chugg returned at the end and thanked everyone for coming but pointedly told the three guys they were going to jail.

It was ten o’clock and the next bit was getting out. Normally I’d have waited for the crowd to thin out a bit but I decided it was safer to leave with the crowd. Sadly, the grounds were a sea of plastic cups and aluminium cans. It was not a pretty sight. If I hadn’t been so tired, I’d have taken some photos. But I’d already packed away my cameras and was focused on reaching the car. Progress was slow but steady and improved once out of the venue as people dispersed in various directions. The biggest hurdle was crossing the main road and that didn’t take too long because traffic was quite slow. There were people around all the way up the hill where I had parked and beyond. I found the car and fell into it. My feet were so relieved. I’d managed to keep upright due to enjoyment of the show and also lack of anywhere to fall. :) I phoned home to tell the Scientist I was safely to the car and got ready to leave once traffic eased a little. Shoes and socks were removed and I was on my way. It was slow going to get out of the general vicinity as cars were coming from all directions to the road leading out of Fremantle.

I managed to move to another main road but got found myself trapped in the left lane on the way to the bridge leading up to Perth. Traffic was very slow, which I later found was due to a booze bus that was situated on the bridge. I eventually did get across and thought I could find my way home from there even though I didn’t really know the roads or area at all. I was doing pretty well but obviously missed a turn or perhaps took a wrong turn and somehow found myself heading back into Freo on a smaller road close to the coast. It was actually quite pretty to see the lights from the harbor as I returned. I ended up crossing over the bridge back into Fremantle and passing by the booze bus fromt he opposite direction. I was able to turn on the road I really needed and find my way home.

I hadn’t eaten for many hours and I was really quite hungry so I was might tempted to stop at McDonald’s along the way. The first one I passed had a huge line of cars going through the drive through. The same was true a while later for the next one…By the time I passed the third one, I no longer had any desire for McDonald’s food and decided I’d stick it out until I got home and eat something much better for me. The drive home took about an hour, including my sightseeing tour on roads towards Perth. As tired as I was, it took me a while to come down from all the excitement. I was absolutely wiped out and it took several days to recover. I guess my 45 year old body just isn’t too happy to be quite so battered.

This has taken me nearly two weeks to write and I haven’t even included photos yet. I will have to defer that until tomorrow because my neck and shoulders are quite sore from sitting here for so long to write this epic. :)

Okay, photos have been added so I am calling this finished.