Bluesfest Dreaming

Dreams can be the strangest source of inspiration in the way they connect the most illogical events and people to a message that you can take in any direction you like. This occurred the other night and made its way into the real world within 24 hours.

Part 1.
We have been going to Bluesfest for what seems like forever and we have been in a dream position taking photos at front of stage. Each year as we get older the likelihood of this continuing always comes into question.

So it has been playing on my mind.

Part 2.
So this is one of those real dreams. You can feel the autumn heat radiating off the dirt track, the camera pack heavy on my back, blues guitar riffs are being played in the Gibson tent and the familiar festival sounds of feet running to catch the next act and laughter as the crowd gathers excitement. You can smell the popcorn roasting, pizza cooking and the patchouli incense that just always seems to be there.

My phone gets a ping – I look at it and I have 10 minutes to go out to the green room to interview Kerry O’Brien about Bluesfest. What? This has happened but the interview was with Devon Allman -A blues prince with a long history with the blues music. Not a very prominent, awarded and probably Australia’s most notable journalist, who I have no idea what musical tastes he has (question 1 I suppose). He has interviewed the best – why ask me to do this and why at Bluesfest.

I get there sit down on the red couch among a lot of media and he is distracted, I am shaking and I can’t even remember what I said but his retort was – ‘ If you are going to be an interviewer – be prepared – you are not prepared – go away’.

I wake, sweaty, humiliated and bloody angry. You know when your dreams enter reality on waking.

Disclaimer: Over my time of meeting artists and musicians I have only had one instance where someone was rude, it wasn’t Kerry O’Brien. Everyone has been gracious and even offered tips to improve in a very gentle manner. They have taught me a lot about being humble and respecting others.

The next day, whilst roaming the streets of Bangalow, I glanced into a window, and there sat Kerry O’Brien. As you can understand I was still a bit cross!! Not really I laughed and think I yelled to my partner – OMG he was in my dream last night! He gave me one of those familiar looks. You know shh darling it’s all right, just keep moving. I did keep walking –thinking that approaching him and telling him my dream may not have met his expectations of a quiet Sunday coffee in a sleepy little town.

So my dream has gained legs, it wont let me rest and has prompted me to be as prepared as I can be for Bluesfest. With this in mind here is the A-Z of my reminiscences of Bluesfest as well as a short intro into some of the artists who will be playing this year.

This will take place over the next 9 weeks or precisely 60 days. Starting today with the dream being exactly 9 weeks to the start and starting with A on Saturday and ending with Z on the 28^th March. Just in time for the live event to begin the next day. We look forward to having you along.