The Gold Coast hosted the Waterfront Food & Wine Festival on Sunday 26th March, 2006.  Approximately 2,500 people flocked to the Carrara Entertainment complex armed with water, sun block and a tight viewing schedule. There were plenty of opportunities to sample the best of food and wine, for this is what the festival incorporated.  And of course there was the music representing some extremely talented Australian artists.

Some of the acts present are on the verge of hitting the big time.  The first act, Training Jess, was performing as I arrived (sorry no photos), and it was great to arrive with such rocking music happening.  I could sense the enthusiasm of the crowd towards the music.

		The next in line,Tassie born Casey Barnes, has performed with Bryan Adams.  Casey displayed Aussie talent at its best.  I could see the crowd starting to get fired up for a massive day in the sun with great music.

Laura Imbruglia followed, and even though a brief light shower occurred during her performance, the crowd remained, enjoying her amazing vocals and solo acoustic guitar playing.  Laura displayed her own style distinct from that of her big sister Natallie.

		2003 Oz Music award winner Dan Carroll performed next.  It was soon apparent why this artist had three songs placed in the top 50 of the acoustic category.  Dan has had the pleasure of performing with Pete Murray and Lisa Marie Presley, and he was also previously part of Gold Coast band 'Fluid'.

Next on the itinerary came The Whitlams with Tim Freedman’s slick performance.  The Whitlams won three ARIA Awards in 1998.  Tim encouraged the crowd to move closer and “shake their things” and many obliged.  The Whitlams had a captivated audience for their full set. To the disappointment of the crowd, the band chose not to return for an encore.  However, this disappointment was soon forgotten when Eskimo Joe stepped onto the stage.

2005 ARIA Award winners for ‘Best Australian Band’, Perth’s Eskimo Joe delivered a spectacular show, and this was the last act of the evening.  This band appeared to be the highlight of the day for most people and it was loved by the crowd. This is not to say that all the other artists were not also amazing.  Eskimo Joe’s sounds were every bit as good as the band’s studio recorded albums, and Kav (lead vocalist) displayed a humble attitude concerning the great success and popularity of their band.

All-in-all the day had everything, and the crowd definitely got its money’s worth with the generous timeslots of each performance.  Each act performed around 40-50 minutes in length and even longer for the outstanding Eskimo Joe who rocked the crowd until sunset.
 

The crowd comprising of various ages, rocked to the sound of Eskimo Joe		Daylight to sunset, Eskimo Joe played to the enthusiastic crowd

This is the first year of the Waterfront Food & Wine Festival, and as a lover of Australian music, I am hoping this festival will become an annual event. The day was very well organised, with plenty of car parking, stalls and enough space to accommodate even more music lovers than those who attended this year.  The profits go towards the  Miami Beach Surf Life Saving Club and the Gold Coast Police Citizens Youth Club and this  adds another reason to why future events are well worth attending.
 

Article and photos by Chrissy Layton, AusNotebook Music & Creative (31/3/06)

Associated Articles:  Eskimo Joe