With the cold wind and rain that hit Adelaide for the King’s Birthday long weekend, it was good that there was plenty of warmth and shelter to be had at the Beer and BBQ Festival. With beer and craft stalls inside and plenty of open fires outside, it was a cosy place to escape the cold, listen to music and learn about local craft beers. Possibly the best attraction of this festival is the commitment by local brewers to showcase their beers, wines and warmed meads.
On top of this, the three music stages kept the vibe going all evening. Indigenous act Mulga Bore Hard Rock took to the Kevin Bacon stage early in proceedings. If you’ve never seen these guys live, you don’t know what you’re missing. They dress in Kiss attire and have even played gigs with them. Their hard rock songs just get better with every listening.
At the other end of the musical spectrum, Adelaide singer My Cherie was enchanting in the Secret Pickle Saloon. My Cherie is an artist that we have been following for a couple of years and she also seems to get better with every listen. She gave the audience a sneak peek of her upcoming single “Life Is” which had an enthusiastic reaction.
An artist that was new to me was Auckland five-piece band Dick Move. Leas singer Lucy Suttor’s alt-rock energy grabs the audience by the proverbial and makes them stand up and take notice. They opened for Foo Fighters last year so expect to see more of them.
Local muso Drew Akin played some good classic rock and roll over in The Last Resort bar. His cowboy demeanour fitted perfectly into the country vibe and the audience crammed into the tiny bar were loving it. He’s a guy that knows country rock songs and how to play them well.
It was great to see Gooch Palms reforming for a high octane set on the Kevin Bacon stage. The dynamic duo crash out a noise that it’s hard to believe comes from a just a small drum and a guitar. But wow, what a performance. It’s been four years that they’ve been in hiatus, but it’s worth the wait. Stunning.
As Henry Wagons wisely says, the Beer and BBQ Festival is a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s time to take the weary body home. Check out the photos below:
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