Celebration Of Life

This weekend, in the convivial surrounds of the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, warm spring air embracing the scene, the Grass Roots Music Festival will run for the eighth time. What began as a small rootsy gathering, masterminded by swamp blues guru 8 Ball Aitken, has taken on a mellow life of its own, a true welcoming of spring, set to some of the finest sounds going around.

“I went up to the Botanical Gardens for a walk around with (event co-manager) Bird Jensen when we were studying Event Management at TAFE,” Aitken ruminates. “I said to her, 'Can you imagine having a gig here?' Our idea was to create an event featuring original local roots music, and beautiful springtime Brisbane weather.

“We wanted to bring the fans of blues, roots, country and folk music together in one place, in a non-commercial setting. I think the setting is a great place for live music and a free, family-friendly gig. There are a lot of music fans who don't go to pubs, so we get a good crowd of locals. People even come from as far away as the Gold Coast and Toowoomba each year, just because they love this festival.”

Now, eight years later, the festival is going from strength to strength, not only because of the quality of music on offer, but because Aitken and Jensen have been able to remain true to the original ethos of the event. 

“I never expected that it would be still going eight years later, but I'm happy it is,” Aitken smiles. “I think that we've struck a winning combination of original roots music, a wonderful outdoor botanical garden setting and springtime weather. Every year, we find local musicians and bands who write their own original music in the roots genres, and try to deliver a fun and relaxed afternoon. It is a labour of love to pull it all together.”

In almost a decade then, you'd think there'd be a highlight or two. 

“Imagine hardcore blues fans, hippies, country music-loving cowboys, old-school folkies, Valley trendies, Indigenous families, high school kids, grandmas with their grandkids, young Muslim exchange students, Down syndrome folks, and the general Brisbane music crew all dancing together on the grass out the front of the stage,” he enthuses. “This happens each year in various permutations, and the crowd seems be on a natural high. It is sensational! My personal highlight, I remember plugging in my wireless guitar lead and running through the crowd, jamming with them and thinking how music really can get people from all walks of life together. We have a great diversity of people living in Brisbane, and I love to celebrate life with fun live music in the park.

“As the festival's founder and curator, I see my role as introducing up-and-coming new original acts to our dedicated audience members, many of whom come along faithfully each year to hear the new music. It's my hope that I can connect a legion of new fans to our festival acts each year. In my curation role, as a musician, I do my best to help show my own group of fans these great original artists in action, as part of our extended musical family.”

Along with Aitken this year are a plethora of acts set to showcase their sonic wares in an event that's all about the grass roots.

“I'm happy to let the audience decide who the pick of the line-up is,” Aitken laughs. “I get a kick when people come along to a roots music show, and start enjoying music that they wouldn't normally hear. Getting the public listening to, dancing to, and supporting local original roots music is what I'm trying to achieve.”