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Review: EEL FESTIVAL by Tonchi Mcintosh

Mat Earls Hz is loaded with Drums, amp and swags. Taxis, tailor-mades, ring roads and takeaways sweep past us and soon were up those amazing canyons on the road to Ballarat. It used to be fairly sparse anyway, with kangaroo grass and giant gums and loads of bush tucker all over, now its a bit harder to find. The pine plantations are doing all right but it looks like a fire has wiped out about 200 acres in a hot pine-oil inferno to the north horizon, it has a very 'I'm not coming back' look.

The Lake Bolac EelFestival is our destination. First stop after 'L' Expresso', a top little Record-shop Cafe in old gold Ballarat and happening roots venue (Check out ASQ's "Metamorphosis" lounge trip jazz beats album launch Sat 20th May www.adamsimmons.com) is the Skipton Hotel, 97 ks out. Hoping to catch on TV what we'd heard on radio of the start of the 3rd quarter between Cats V's Dogs. We meet the new owners and as you do in small towns in 20 minutes they know all about us and we know all about them, but there's is an amazing story. You see he was a truck driver. But he got a (hopefully) rare disease from un-inoculated cow wee on a load from out woop-woop and his liver and kidney shut down on him so he sold his truck and bought a pub. We got an idea of how far and long a human can drive in one stretch. If I told you, you wouldn't believe it. Shearing gear hangs from every nook & cranny. We tell them about the 120 klm 'Healing Walk' Neil Murray and comrades had just completed as a prelude to the festival, following the catchment of the Fiery Creek from The Glut Picnic Ground, Mt Cole to Lake Bolac. They dig it. . . " Like, they re-created a 1000 year old journey?" Looks like rain but lots of people have turned up, locals, farmers, students, supporters, music lovers and stall owners. The forum by scientists and landowners concluded that the lack of rain was the main reason the Eels had not migrated from the Lake to the Ocean in 12 years. Neil spoke up for controlled "cool" burning to help the native plants get a foot hold. Loads of people who care for riverside have fenced off sections from stock and fought the feral infestations. They are here in number, and their presence is uplifting. Lots of bright heads like Flinder Uni's Heather Builth are on the job but knowledge is only half the battle these days. This gathering is the first step towards practical solutions that we must face today if our scarce resources are going to keep us nourished. Lobbying our vested interests to policy makers surely the next.

There is a very hopeful and expectant festival air, the tank full of live short fin eels a hit, as are the roving festival performers. Good coffee, spectacular Lake view metres away and lots of smiling faces… Burnt Bridge Orchestra from Melbourne join with Lake Bolac students and perform Dindy Vaughan's "Kooyang". The kids walk a giant eel though the crowd. As the sun goes down the most amazing dance spectacular unfolds as the 20 member Kooyang Dancers are joined by North American Indians around a blazing fire. It's surreal, the milky way, the cold Victorian air sending the drones and heartbeat of the ages throughout the area. It was absolutely special, magnificent, powering, and I'm the most unromantic fool I know. There is a certain timelessness taking over the evening, and unconsciously we realise that traditional dance is a living, breathing part of looking after the country.

The Music was diverse in styles. I caught the Grenadines from Warrnambool early evening, kind of Gypsy Reggae; Jordie Lane is in the urban Hank Williams re-surgent Melbourne sound, with colourful songwriting. Andy Alberts and the Walkabouts just do it for me every-time with their honest stories and knockabout country–rock. To me Andy is a reference to the famous, grounded soul-music of southwest Victoria, with an added bonus of having a mighty fine band to dance to. Me and Mat Earl on drums smash it out with our skank guitar-beats, our city tunes going over surprisingly well to the rural crowd. Planet Woman got encore after encore for their gorgeous ukulele / fiddle melodies.

Neil Murray played a best of set which was a trip along our very real and living history, magic to say the least. "My Island Home", "Eddie Mabo", "Whitefella Blackfella" and perhaps the most Australian song ever written: "Native Born". There can be no doubt Neil possesses a rare ability to explain to us our existence on this land through an Indigenous world-view, learned from his own personal journeys into the heart of Australia. History will place him as one of the few, true Australians who use their artistic abilities to champion Aboriginal philosophies and bring them into the mainstream conscience. If you are after a very real community experience, couched in the finest earth-music you will find, head to the EelFestival: a rare, 21st Century version of the exchange between traditional know-how and practical, contemporary caring for the environment. Make some art today.

-Tonchi

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