DAVISTOWN BLUES FESTIVAL

YESTERDAY I GOT ALONG TO THIS FEST WHICH HAD A PROMISING START WITH A PLEASANT FERRY TRIP FROM WOY WOY. IT'S A DAY LONG AFFAIR, WITH THE EMPHASIS ON LONG. IT STARTS ABOUT LUNCH TIME AND ENDS ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
I HAVE A LOW BOREDOM THRESHOLD TO SOLO BLUES ACTS BUT ENJOYED OPENING ACT PHILL EDGELY FROM ENGLAND. HE WAS FOLLOWED BY ENTERTAINING SETS FROM THE BLUES BOMBERS AND FINN, ONLY INTERRUPTED BY COL RAY AND THE SCARY CATS ON THE SECOND STAGE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE SCARY CATS BEFORE, AND WAS EXPECTING MAYBE ROCKABILLY OR JUMP BUT THEY GOT UNDER MY RADAR. WE WERE INSTEAD GIVEN AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR PAIRED WITH A HARP PLAYER DRESSED LIKE RABBIS. THE BOREDOM METER PEAKED. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE MISSISSIPPI SHAKEDOWN, AN ELECTRIC TRIO FRONTED BY A SINGER/GUITARIST WITH A CLIPPED HICCUPING STYLE, REMINISCENT OF BUDDY HOLLY. THE SET GROUND ON UNTIL SOMEONE HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA TO DISTRACT THE AUDIENCE WITH A SMOKE MACHINE, WHICH TRIGGERED THE FIRE EVACUATION SYSTEM, COMPLETE WITH FLASHING LIGHT AND LOUD HORN. AT THIS STAGE, THE BAND SHOULD HAVE STOPPED, AND RESUMED A JAM IN THE SAME TEMPO AND KEY OF THE FIRE ALARM, BUT THEY DECIDED TO PLAY ON! VERY ODD, VERY PAINFUL.
GHOST TRAIN, A BAND FROM PORT MACQUARIE OFFERED NOTHING VERY FRESH.
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ANNIE CEE BAND ON THE SECOND STAGE. THEY SUFFERED FROM AN INADEQUATE PA ,UNMIKED AMPS AND RESULTED IN THE SINGER BEING UNSURE OF WHAT REGISTER TO SING IN AND COMPETING AGAINST A GUITARIST WITH A SEEMINGLY DIFFERENT AGENDA TO THE BASS AND DRUMMER WHO MANFULLY MARCHED ON. JAN PRESTON FOLLOWED THIS, IN TRIO FORM WITH JIM CONWAY ON HARP AND THE DRUMMER FROM THE TREVOR FINLAY BAND. PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS ALL, STILL, THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL EXERCISE. JIM CONWAY APPEARED OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE, DECIDEDLY SO WHEN ASKED TO SOLO IN "THE BABY ELEPHANT WALK", WHICH JAN ASSURED US WAS BOOGIE WOOGIE. I WAS HAVING UNCOMFORTABLE FLASHBACKS TO WINIFRED ATTWELL AT THE ST GEORGE LEAGUES CLUB. JAN DIDN'T KNOW THE DRUMMER'S NAME WHEN COMPLIMENTING HIM ON A NICE SOLO, WHICH CONFIRMED THEY DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER, AND AFTER A JIM CONWAY SOLO, SAID "NOT BAD FROM A BLOKE IN A WHEELCHAIR", WHICH I'M SURE WAS MEANT TO BE A COMPLIMENT.
I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO STAY AND SEE THE TREVOR FINLAY BAND, BUT ANOTHER SET FROM ANNIE CEE BAND WAS TOO BIG A PRICE TO PAY.
IF THIS GETS BACK TO THE PROMOTER, WHO I AM SURE TOOK A MAJOR BURN ON THE EVENT, DUE TO A VERY SMALL CROWD, I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT IF THEY ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO IT AGAIN, A COUPLE OF HOURS SHORTER, AND MORE QUALITY AND LESS QUANTITY MAY WORK.