ENTERTAINMENT
‘I love someone who is a lady and I share her clothes but I am more than that’.
Things have changed in both comedy and in Australian society so that conversations around relationships aren’t just focused on heterosexuality. The recent same-sex marriage vote certainly bought it all home. ‘I was in America when it was happening and talking to a friend there who was really unsympathetic because she said they went through this 20 years ago. It’s just part of the process! Although it was really hard. Going outside and seeing a big NO
in the skyline was pretty disgusting.’ Jackie admits to spending a bit of time screaming at the TV. So what does Jackie do in her downtime? You will find her on Facebook – although she is trying to cut back. ‘I’ve to douse myself with hand sanitiser after some big Facebook sessions. I realised that I don’t need to invest energy into people I don’t know. I don’t need to see people’s open wounds or get involved in people’s dogs’ being euthanised. There are only so many times you can write “I am so sorry about your dog”; it’s sad but it’s a bit relentless.’
JACKIE LOEB HEADLINES AT THE BYRON SERVICES CLUB ON MONDAY 11 DECEMBER. SHE IS SUPPORTED BY UP-AND-COMING COMEDY STAR FROM THE PROJECT, THIS WEEK LIVE AND THE DRUM, MEL BUTTLE (LIKE A JUDITH LUCY/AMY SCHUMER LOVECHILD). MC IS MANDY NOLAN. TIX ARE $25/$30 AT THE DOOR, ONLINE AT MANDYNOLAN.COM.AU, OR CAN BE BOOKED ON 6619 0529.
THE WITCHES ARE COMING
EMBRACING THE KILLER Embrace all things naughty in a summer event to heat things up in style, Killer Fridays Style! After such a great response and success with September’s Spring Fling we’re back to do it all again, only this time, a little bit better. Meet new LGBT friends. Brunswick Picture House, Friday 7pm
In the dimly lit interior of a small nightclub, where the stale smell of a thousand extinguished cigarettes drowns out the smell of spilt beer and broken dreams, a band plays against a backdrop of cheap golden tinsel. Outside, palm trees line the night’s horizon. In the years to come, the streets will swell into highways and interstates, but for now Los Angeles is still a young city growing daily with transplants from across the United States, all looking for a new life. It’s still a city largely cut off from the rest of the country, and in the years before the Manson family forever tarnished the infinite hope of the western enclave and before the Hell’s Angels of Altamont interrupted rock’n’roll’s peaceful trajectory with unprecedented violence, there is still a dreamy California sound for those dark rooms suffused with neon light. The three women of LA Witch wouldn’t be born for several decades, but their sound transports you back to those warm Californian nights in smoky rooms. The name is a partial misnomer. Though the band hails from Los Angeles, they do not partake in any sort of witchcraft. Yet
into the black audience, but I never, until about 20 years ago, started crossing over to the white audience. When I crossed over to the white audience, I didn’t have to dilute or cross out the black audience. Here’s why I’m saying that to you, because I’ve heard black guys say, “I’m gonna record like this so the white people can enjoy me or accept me. I’m gonna record like this, because this is what the white people want to hear.” But I was able to record what I felt and what I wanted to, and I hoped everyone would listen to it. It’s not a black and white issue with me. It’s about the music and the love of it.’
The blues Rush!
AMERICAN BLUES MUSICIAN COMPOSER AND SINGER BOBBY RUSH INCORPORATES ELEMENTS OF BLUES, RAP AND FUNK IN HIS MUSIC. BOBBY WAS BORN IN 1933, AND HIS MUSICAL CAREER SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS MEANT TO BE, WITH SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSICIANS OF THE DAY CROSSING HIS PATH. ‘I was born in a place called Haynesville, Louisiana, Houma, Louisiana,’ says Bobby. ‘I left in 1947 and came to Pine Brook, Arkansas, with my father who was a minister or pastor of the church. That’s where I met Elmore James, BB King, Ray Charles, people like those. Then in 1950 I met Howlin Wolf, and Muddy Waters, Little Walter, John Lee Hooker, Fats Domino. I met all these guys, and then
in 1952 I met Chuck Berry. We all went into Chicago to try to make some records, with the Willie Dixon, with the Magic Sam, Freddie King, to Luther Allison. All these guys was in Chicago. In 1957, Buddy Guy came to Chess. In 1957, Etta James came. In 1953 Bo Diddley came, 1955, Elmore James came. And out of there, Willie Dixon, was already there. And
54 December 6, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
their ability to conjure a specific time and place through their sound does suggest a kind of magic. On their eponymous debut album, LA Witch’s reverb-drenched guitar jangle and sultry vocals conjure the analog sound of a collector’s prized 45 from some short-lived footnote cult band. The melodies forgo the bubblegum pop for a druggy haze that straddles the line between seedy glory and ominous balladry; the production can’t afford Phil Spector’s wall-of-sound, but the instruments’
all of these guys that I knew, there is one guy now that’s left around, and he came in 1957: that’s Buddy Guy. I believe that I’m the oldest blues singer in this category who’s around today. I’m so thankful and so blessed to have people like you to call and want to do interviews on me. It’s my first time coming to Australia out of all of these times, all of these years. I’ve been up for blues
awards some 30-odd times. I won 18 or 19 times out of the 30-something. I’ve been up for a Grammy four times and won one. Here I am still in love with my music.’ Rush is a man who feels truly blessed. ‘I’m so excited about coming to Bluesfest that I might just jump off the building! How blessed could a man be! I have recorded 374 records. I’ve been a big artist
thank God for people like you, festivals like the festival in Australia, who think enough to invite me to the festival, and I’m on cloud nine.’ Rush knew he was a musician at just seven years old. It was his dream. He started out making $12 a month then finally made it to $3 a night. Then he went to $5.50 and then $7 a night. ‘When I got to $10 a night I thought I was rich,’ he laughs.
Rush is heading to Bluesfest this year to play with his peers. It’s something he’s honoured to do. ‘I hadn’t planned to say it like this, but Rush is currently collaborating I’m gonna tell you that during with fellow Louisianan Buddy this festival in Australia put Guy. more – another 30 years – on ‘I just love Buddy Guy. I love my life. Let me tell you why, a lot of guys, but Buddy Guy because not only I’m playing just knocked me off my feet the festival, but I’ve got as long as I’ve been knowing Robert Plant on the show. I Buddy Guy. Here lately we don’t know what night he’s started talking and I just got, but he’s gonna be on the fell in love with his attitude, with his approach, with his same stage; Lionel Richie, and life. Because he had been people like that, and many ripped off for the things that other people. But these two he had done just like I have. guys, especially, just being Although, he had the club in the midst of these kind of in Chicago, Buddy Guy’s Legends, doing very well. But guys, and doing it in Australia too. Gosh, I don’t know he went through hell and high water just like I did, just nothing else I could ask for. to stay surviving. Thanks for having me.’ Now, Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy, or Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush, are about the oldest blues men out here, black blues men, and we want to take advantage of it. And
BOBBY RUSH IS ONE OF THE FEATURED ACTS AT BLUESFEST 2018. FOR MORE PROGRAM INFORMATION GO TO BLUESFEST.COM.AU.
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo