WEST COAST BLUES ‘N’ ROOTS 2012

Fremantle Park
Sunday, April 1, 2012

In their ninth edition, West Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots have truly trimmed the fat to present a veritable smorgasbord of acts that caters from ages eight to 80. Felicity Groom must have slightly misread the festival name as she decked out her band in blue and Groom herself was modelling boots. Thrilled to have the early punters turning out to confirm her ever growing popularity, the local chanteuse hugged her autoharp for the brooding Finders And Keepers, and showed her playful side with a cover of Mental As Anything’s Live It Up. Gin Wigmore came fashionably inked, but not as well prepared in the song department. The strong voiced Kiwi presented

It’s odd that a man and just his guitar could have technical difficulties, yet Steve Earle stood (not so) patiently at the side of the stage while technicians tried to sort things out. With a shortened set Earle whirled his way through Waiting On The Sky, Gulf Of Mexico and Someday but by the time he got to My Old Friend The Blues, his shiny white teeth finally started to break through his ample beard. Another pearler of “same girl different harmonica”, led into Goodbye. His biggest hits Galway Girl and Copperhead Road were obvious points to finish as the big Virginian raised his shiny white cowboy hat to signal the end to an all too brief set.

Blitzen Trapper hail from Portland, Oregon, the current indie capital of the world, and have suitably found themselves on the formidable Sub Pop label. Staying within the indie folk guidelines, the beard ratio for this quintet is high as is the quality of their harmonies. Being somewhat of an unknown to many, Eric Earley lead his men through a dynamic set that bordered on Jayhawks like material in My Home Town as well as the more raucous Fletcher.

Delving into the most easy listening act of the afternoon Crosby Stills & Nash know how to play to a festival crowd. With strong vocals and the tunes that have been a soundtrack to many of our lives were trotted out with regularity. The wind may have played havoc with some of the harmonies and the David Crosby appeared at times to only be on the stage to offer his signature moustache, flowing grey locks and moral support, more than musical accompaniment, yet the hits kept flowing. Marrakesh Express, Our House and Love The One You’re With kept the crowd smiling, before Steve Earle joined them for the Pièce de résistance Teach Your Children.

If there was one band that a large portion of the crowd had been steadying themselves to see it was 2 Tone superheroes The Specials. The 30 year wait was well worth it for many who jumped and danced through the whole set, as did Neville Staple, Lynval Golding and Roddy Byers. Fashion was always part of The Specials appeal, but that shouldn’t take away from the delivery of tunes such as Rat Race, Stereotype/Stereotypes and Too Much Too Young. The audience clapped along throughout, sung in unison to A Message To You, Rudy and were left to reflect on a fun time had by all after the final strains of Enjoy Yourself. But Ghost Town was noticeably absent.

You could be excused for thinking that every ex-pat Irishman in the state had made their way to the Big Top by the time The Pogues entered the stage, such was the electric atmosphere as people crammed in like sardines to the oversized tent. The pin up boy for drinking songs, Shane McGowan, appears to be aging backwards, while chain smoking and raising his glass to the crown all evening. Their crowd favourites came thick and fast with Streams Of Whiskey, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and Dirty Old Town has fists pumping, Irish flags waving and alcohol fuelled voices off and on the stage flowing. MacGowan staggered on and off stage as Spider Stacey took the lead, or the band took a more traditional approach with some acoustic fare, but he always returned to rapturous applause particularly when returning for a frenetic take on Sally MacLennane and the sparkling Rainy Night In Soho.

My Morning Jacket had the dubious role of being the last band of the night who were tucked away in the tent while the masses were over at John Fogarty or making their way home. This lead to a less than packed arena when Jim James and his men walked onto the stage, but it did little to deter the band from giving 100 per cent. It is easy to see why My Morning Jacket are considered one of the best live bands going around as they blasted their way through the loudest set of the day. Things got off to an abrasive start with Victory Dance, but it didn’t take too long for the guitar slinging to kick into action. The heady hooks of Off The Record and I’m Amazed were given a solid kicking before the riff heavy Mahgeetah threatened to raise the roof.

At the much quieter main stage, John Fogerty played another festival defining set that was on par with the one he played at the same festival four years ago. Kicking off with classic Creedence Clearwater Revival album Cosmo’s Factory in its entirety, the crowd was awed by the exented jams of Ramble Tamble and Heard It Through The Grapevine, although it was Lookin’ Out My Back Door that brought on the most feet-tapping. The second half of his set saw a cover of Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman go down a treat, although it was the fiery anti-war fave Fortunate Son and ode to the Big Easy, Proud Mary, which ensured Fogerty and Blues ‘N’ Roots was one to remember.

_CHRIS HAVERCROFT & MATTHEW HOGAN