Blues weathers festival conditions

Festival-goers had plenty of opportunity to hit the dance floor.

Brenda Strong

THE weather could not dampen the spirits at the biggest turnout yet at the weekend, in the fourth year of the Agnes Water Blues and Roots Festival.

Headline acts Diesel on Friday night and Bondi Cigars on Saturday were standouts, with the torrential downpour perhaps even firing the Cigars up.

Festival co-ordinator and managing director of performing arts at the Gladstone Entertainment Centre, Troy Everett, said it was the biggest role-up in the festival's history and the weather did not affect the fans under the big marquee, or the performances.

"We are an all-weather venue and nobody seemed to notice - it was a great night, as was Friday," he said.

"Diesel was fantastic... always puts on a good show, and he had everybody up dancing.

"The Bondi Cigars are a bit of a crowd favourite and have been here three out of four years."

Mr Everett said every year a band really makes an impression - sometimes unexpectedly.

"Every year someone stands out, and this year it was the Mason Rack Band," he said.

"They had crowds of people up, and were signing autographs and merchandise long after their performance on Saturday afternoon."

Mr Everett said tickets were already on sale through the GEC for next year's Agnes Water Blues and Roots Festival and had already booked the Mason Rack Band for 2013.

Yesterday, Gladstone group JAG were standouts, with a bunch of great classics and covers, while guitar virtuoso Phil Emmanuel dazzled the crowd.