The Hoochers: Island Jam.

he inaugural Stradbroke Island Blues Festival is on Saturday.

No doubt about it, North Stradbroke Island is one of those special places—a spectacular coastline, a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of good weather. How do you make somewhere like that even more splendiferous? You add a blues festival! 

The inaugural North Stradbroke Island Blues Festival is happening this Saturday at Point Lookout (for more information or tickets call (07) 3829 0008). The whole event has been coordinated by local blues celebrity Dik Martini. I asked Dik how he came to be involved with the festival. 

“I was approached to be the producer, that’s the title they’ve given me which I’m not completely happy with. I was having dinner at a restaurant at Stradbroke one night with a friend. He was at the other end of the bar and I was at the end of the bar near the tables. Someone asked him how they could contact me to organise a blues festival. My friend pointed me out and from there it was meetings and meetings and coffee to organise it.” 

Stradbroke Island has always been a popular destination for Brisbane folk to getaway for a week or a weekend. There’s been a vibrant live music scene with many of our fave Brisbane blues bands heading over to entertain all comers, but does that constitute a blues scene? 

“It’s difficult to say whether there is a blues scene or not. There are lots of people who like blues music but there’s a lot of people who like all sorts of music. There are a lot of people who have dropped out and are involved in music in a big way. I’ve been playing blues over there since the year dot. To me it’s always been a centre of blues. In the past they’ve always had their Lantern Festival and Whale Festival.” 

The line-up is sweet with an eclectic selection of bands including Go Tubescreamer Go, AKA, Blind Lemon, The Hoochers, Hat Fitz & Itchy and Peter Steel. 

“I tried to create festival that had a different line-up. I’m a bit weary of seeing the same old bands doing all the festivals. I decided the listening public deserved to hear some of the other great bands around. I would have liked to get an interstate or international artist but maybe next year.”