Woodford was wonderful, as usual, though somewhat calmer than I remember. Might be something to do with the mostly dreamy state I’m in right now. Léo (the French gypsy ska band I raved about years ago) were fabulous as usual. Sydney siders can see them as part of Sydney Festival; Melburnians, they’re on at the Corner Hotel on the 14th. Batucada Sound Machine from New Zealand fused Brazilian rhythms with horns and hip hop but will only be making it as far as Sydney, I’m afraid. I didn’t see Penelope Swales at all and only saw Kristina Olsen once. Martin Pearson and John Thompson’s Breakfast variety show gets better every year: the interview with Kerry O’Brien was fabulous. John Williamson was amazing too. Martin and John’s song “I will arise” was one of those amazing uplifting anthems I am still singing. Blue King Brown are still one of the best live bands I’ve seen. See them whereever you can. Newcomers this year didn’t impress as much as they might’ve although Kaki King’s guitar work was superb stuff. Hung out a lot with my old friend Melinda, which was delightful.
New Year’s Eve we spent in the amphitheatre for the percussion festival – this time not in the throng but snuggled under a blanket on the hillside beneath the trees. A lovely way to bring in the new year.
The two people inadvertently responsible for introducing us were there too, but circumstances meant that thanking them wasn’t and isn’t an option. This makes us sad but we accept that this is the way it is.
After the festival, we dropped in to Bribie to see friends of Doug’s. And I struggled with computers that didn’t want to let me post my Léo review to the 64 web site. And then moved on North, where we discovered a gem: a Swiss café in the hills above Gympie serving roesti and good coffee to weary travellers.
The aim is to make it to Eungella National Park and then turn back for Sydney and Coenstock (three days of Coen Brothers films at a friend’s place) by the 12th. I hope you all had as wonderful a New Year as we did and may 2007 bring you joy, delight, beauty and pleasure. The word for this year, by the way, for those who know that I do this, is ‘replenish’.