Top Ten Moments Of Bluesfest 2013

1.       Mavis Staples: Jambalaya Stage, Sunday 31 March: 7.30pm

Photo by Tom Condon

She's played Bluesfest a number of times in the past, but this Easter Sunday performance from Mavis Staples and her band was her finest yet. The gospel legend started with a bit of a cough, but by the end of the set had a moderately sized congregation in one of the festival's smaller tents in the palm of her hand; singing, dancing, smiling and wondering why there weren't more around.

2.       Wilco: Crossroads Stage, Monday 1 April: 10.30pm

Photo by Dan Condon

A set for the true believers. The last band standing at Bluesfest 2013, Wilco closed out the event to a small but incredibly passionate crowd and treated them to a set completely different to the one they turned in to a packed out main stage two days prior. There was an aggression, a wider scope of experimentation and a simple sense of enjoyment coming from the band as they performed to what would have to be one of the smaller but most fervent crowds they have faced in our country.

3.       Iggy & The Stooges: Crossroads State, Saturday 30 March, 10.30pm

Photo by Stephen Booth

It became immediately obvious when Iggy & The Stooges ran out onstage and blasted through their 1973 tune Raw Power that we weren't going to be making it over to see Robert Plant tonight. The band played with more ferocity and vigour than they did on their most recent Australian tour a couple of years back and turned in a set so chock full of punk rock classics that you just couldn't fault it. Iggy Pop is still the best frontman on the planet and, if they keep playing like this, we'd go and see them when they're 100 years old.

4.       Paul Simon: You Can Call Me Al, Mojo Stage, Monday 1 April, 9.30pm

Photo by Linda Heller-Salvador

I don't want to detract from the rest of Paul Simon's incredible headlining set on the final night, but the energy in the Mojo tent when he launched into his iconic 1986 single was truly special. Everyone was dancing, everyone was grinning and everyone was singing along. Truly magic.

5.       Dr Burt: Cavanabah Stage, Saturday 30 March, 8.30pm

Photo by Dan Condon

It was frustrating to see Dr Burt play to such small crowds and a shame to see him only play for a touch under ten minutes per night, but that ten minutes gave the few who saw him some of the most powerful, engaging and affecting experiences of their blues loving career. Dr Burt is the real deal and you'd better hope he can make it back out here soon so you don't miss seeing him again.

6.       Rodriguez: Jambalaya Stage, Thursday 28 March, 8.30pm

Photo by Linda Heller-Salvador

Truthfully we could have put either of Rodriguez's shows in here as they were both brilliant, but the first time seeing him with The Break was pretty special. He's been an enjoyable live act the past couple of times he's played Bluesfest, but the band backing him on this occasion just brought so much out of his songs; the arrangements sounded fuller than ever and he seemed to sing with more confidence than ever.

7.       Charlie Musselwhite: Mojo Stage, Thursday 28 March, 10.15pm

Photo by Linda Heller-Salvador

Kudos to Ben Harper for making it so that the great Charlie Musselwhite could once again take the headlining position on the main stage of Bluesfest, some 24 years after he appeared as the headline act at the first ever Byron Bay Bluesfest in 1990. On top of that, Musselwhite and Harper put on a fantastic performance that showcased both of them equally, putting to bed the worries that it might be a too-Harper-heavy project.

8.       Bettye LaVette: Jambalaya Stage, Sunday 31 March, 6pm

Photo by Stephen Booth

After a devastating performance at last year's event, Bettye LaVette once again proved her brilliance with this incredibly powerful performance. With plenty of new tunes from her Thankful N' Thoughtful LP of last year aired, she dominated the stage with a very classy band behind her; renditions of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy and Renee Geyer's (The Closest I'll Get To) Heaven particularly brilliant.

9.       The Chair Ban: Crossroads Stage, Sunday 31 March, 7.30pm

Photo by Tom Condon (not actually of the Crossroads chair ban...)

Always a contentious issue at Bluesfest, the percentage of audience taking up premium real estate inside the tents with their chairs grows larger and larger each year. It was with a fair amount of surprise that we heard the announcement that, due to the attitude of those relaxing inside the tent forcing others to stand in the pouring rain, organisers deemed the stage a standing room only zone. It was the fair thing to do and we'd like to see more of it, please.

10.   Wanda Jackson: Jambalaya Stage, Thursday 28 March, 5.30pm

Photo by Tom Condon

Her voice is still brilliant after 60 years of performing and the setlist that the 75-year-old queen of rockabilly Wanda Jackson put together for us at her first Bluesfest was a really great snapshot of the many brilliant songs she has sung over the years. She's a true legend with a charming demeanour who put on a hell of a fun show.