Review: Greg Phillips. Photos: Jason Rosewarne
The Winter Blues Festival in Echuca-Moama is an annual event showcasing the best of Australian blues music. Australian Musician’s photographer Jason Rosewarne has been reporting on the action for our followers for years. The organisers of the event do a great job of trying to cover all the bases… stylistically, while still sticking closely to the blues. You might find Delta, Hill Country, Memphis, Chicago, Blues-Rock, Acoustic, or Soul – or if you just want to check it all out, then they’ll have something you’re certain to enjoy. Australian Blues and Contemporary Roots talent is as good as any in the world, and the Winter Blues Festival proudly features only Aussie artists. Attendees can engage with the historic town of Echuca and hear some of the best music from around the country – all for free! This year Winter Blues celebrated its 25th event, with over 10,000 people flooding the venues and spaces of the historic town.
As with all music ventures, they cost money, and in order to strengthen the upcoming 2026 festival, a fundraiser for the Winter Blues Festival in Echuca-Moama was successfully held last weekend at the Brunswick Ballroom. Giving music fans a taste of what to expect in Echuca-Moama, the Brunswick event featured Ingrid and The Ministers, Brett Wood, Kathleen Halloran, Bill Barber & The Holding Cell (launching their new album Southern Redemption), and the Lloyd Spiegel Trio.
From the get-go, Ingrid and The Ministers set the tone for the afternoon. This was not going to be some casual Sunday stroll in the park – it was amps up, pedals out, as this trio delivered their raw, energetic brand of punk blues. Part Patti Smith, part Courtney Barnett, Ingrid and The Ministers preached their rock ‘n’ roll sermon with passion, and a packed Brunswick Ballroom received the message loud and clear. “What is blues?” Ingrid asked the crowd as they launched into Last Train Blues. An alt-rock instrumental followed before Ingrid went full-on punk, performing a song about the current housing crisis and stating, “Fuck capitalism, Free Palestine and be good to each other!” A fabulous start to the day, wiping away any Saturday night cobwebs that may have still dwelled in our heads. https://ingridandtheministers.bandcamp.com/
Followers of Australian Musician would be aware of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Brett Wood from our recent interview, which included Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble drummer Chris ‘Whipper’ Layton, who plays on five of the tracks on Brett’s yet-to-be-completed debut album. ‘Whipper’ didn’t make an appearance today, but Marcus Ryan did a mighty fine job behind the kit in support of Brett’s fabulous new material. Wrong Time, one of the tracks that Whipper recorded drum parts for, was an early highlight for the band. Brett’s vocals were strong, his fretwork sublime, and he was ably assisted by Jonathan Zion on bass (Zion is also Kathleen Halloran’s bassist and music collaborator) and Dale Winters on a tasty-looking SG guitar. Brett explained that he’d been working in the music industry for so long, mostly playing alongside Pete Murray, but this was his first real outing as a solo performer playing his own songs, and all of those gig miles and stage hours came to fruition at the Ballroom today. Real Piece of Work, the first single Brett released as a solo artist, was next. Of all the tunes from Brett’s new repertoire, this one contained the most Stevie Ray Vaughan DNA, and the blues-lovin’ audience appreciated that greatly. Finders Keepers, dedicated to Bill Withers, was a funkified, wah-filled, soulful rocker, which had the crowd feelin’ it deeply. Crown, a bouncing blues number, showcased the tightness and infectious energy of the band, while the next track I’m On Your Side, a song about divorce, highlighted some significant slide skills. Barely Get By, devoted to Jimi Hendrix and likely to be the title track of Brett’s new album (out in 2026), summoned Brett’s finest Jimi-like licks. A fiery Heads Are Gonna Roll wrapped up an impressive set from one of Australia’s finest guitarists, and we can now add “accomplished singer-songwriter” to the résumé. Two singles have been released so far this year. Check them out and more at brettwood.com.
Speaking of gig miles and stage hours, Kathleen Halloran has been racking them up in fine fashion this year, both performing solo shows and playing alongside Kate Ceberano on her hugely successful Australian Made tour. On Friday night Kathleen was on stage with Kate at Hamer Hall here in Melbourne, Saturday night in Brisbane doing it again, then flying home to Melbourne to be at the Ballroom for Winter Blues. While her mind might have been travel-hazy, her guitar licks were slick and razor sharp, especially on the rockin’ I Am The Hunted, written with bass player Jonathan Zion, who was fresh off the stage with Brett Wood’s band. In fact, I don’t recall him leaving the stage at all after Brett’s set! Local drum legend Haydn Meggit, replacing Darryn Farrugia who normally plays with Kathleen, led the band into the slow rocker Find Me Again. As I’ve pointed out before, Kathleen’s vocal performance gets stronger with each show and her approach to phrasing is constantly refined too. It goes without saying that her guitar technique, note choice, and delivery are the signs of an artist constantly seeking perfection. The ballad The Cost Of Living, a song about life on the road, was particularly relevant given her taxing weekend schedule. Showstopper, featuring an extended Led Zeppelin Rock ‘n’ Roll outro, left us all in high spirits after witnessing yet another crackerjack performance from one of Australia’s rising stars.
While I think of it, kudos to the house mixer on the day – everything coming off the stage today has been crystal clear and powerful.
Next up, a special performance from Bill Barber and The Holding Cell, as they used today’s show to launch their new album Southern Redemption. Check out our interview with Bill from a year ago, where he’d just wrapped up one band and had reignited his music career with The Holding Cell. Featuring Shaun Klinger on lead guitar, Tom Brown on drums, Jasper Austin Gray on bass, and Bill on guitar and vocals, this outfit has landed upon a menacing brand of southern American rock, filtered by Bill’s Victorian regional roots. The combination of Barber’s gritty, heartfelt vocals and ardent guitar playing, with sonic magician Shaun Klinger’s guitar prowess and command of his pedalboard, created such a powerful, electric storm. Bill Barber and The Holding Cell were quite the revelation on the day. The music Bill was creating with his former band was impressive, but with this outfit and a more defined direction, they’re delivering a seriously intoxicating brew. Vitriol and Champagne from the new album radiated such heart and soul amid the torrent of guitars. Hard to Breathe, also from Southern Redemption, showcased a country-rock side of the band aided by a passionate vocal performance from Barber. Blood and Gold, the new album opener, had the band rockin’ out full tilt again, leading into FYDL, the first single, a short but sweet rocker engulfed by a barrage of guitars. Tom and Jasper kept the wheels on the road while Bill and Shaun did their best to steer the sound off a cliff. The ballad Weary Heart revealed a tender side of Bill’s voice, backed by Klinger’s innovative, atmospheric accompaniment in a moving moment of the show. Whipping Post ended The Holding Cell’s set. Clearly, the Allman Brothers have been an influence on the band, but I don’t know that the song has ever been played with this much fire. The ten-minute epic left us jaw-dropped and leaping to our feet to congratulate a band that today made a clear statement that they have well and truly arrived. Commiserations to Lloyd Spiegel, who had to follow that. https://www.facebook.com/BillBarberandTheHoldingCell
Of course, Lloyd Spiegel is a seasoned professional with incredibly nimble musical chops and had no trouble engaging with the audience. In fact, he made a joke that every conceivable guitar lick had already been played on the guitar and that’s why he brought along his partner Lisa Baird to provide some reprieve on trombone! The trio of Lloyd, Lisa, and drummer Tim Burnham have been a successful force for some time now, touring the world and making a name for themselves, especially with Canadian music fans. The sound that they create is both unique and infectious. Lloyd pointed out that due to his hectic schedule, the handiest guitar to grab for today’s performance was the actual prototype of the Cole Clark True Hybrid guitar, an instrument that Australian Musician has documented since its inception.
As a phone rang out in the audience with an unusual ringtone, Lloyd discovered that it was his mechanic’s phone and used the moment to commend the guy for his many years of service keeping him on the road, before kicking into a soulful version of Man on Fire, complete with some splendid trombone backing. Switching the Cole Clark to a distorted tone setting, Lloyd and band hurled themselves into a raucous traditional blues number. Tim Burnham then took the reins, leading the band into Rock and a Hard Place from Lloyd’s 2010 album Tangled Brew. Before performing Murder for Breakfast from that same album, Spiegel suggested that with new songs in the works, it might be a long time before these older songs resurface. The special chemistry between Spiegel and Burnham is something that only comes from multiple gigs together; there’s an unspoken sixth sense that occurs, which allows for moments of pure magic. As Burnham laid back on a beat, Lloyd took the opportunity to sprint up and down his fretboard, proving that he’s one of Australia’s finest fingerpickers. Betcha Bottom Dollar changed up the tempo and brought Lisa Baird in on lead trombone, adding more colour to the work. It was a perfect time to relate the story from earlier in the year when Lloyd’s car was stolen, including Lisa’s trombone (owned since she was 15 years old), which was in the car’s boot. Around 10,000 fans shared the post on Facebook and eventually the car was retrieved, although missing most of Lloyd’s gear. Fortunately, the trombone was left behind. The police officer, however, told Lloyd that before he opened the trombone case, to be aware that “it looks like they’ve done quite a number on it!” Lloyd then opened the case and said, “Nope, she’s done that all by herself!” The worst part of the whole incident was that Lloyd had lost his favourite stool, which he stole from The Espy many years ago. Launching into an irresistible version of All The Cats Are Grey, Lloyd Spiegel and band (https://www.lloydspiegel.com/) ended the day the way it started… a joyous, triumphant showcase of local talent – the kind you can see time and time again at the annual Winter Blues Festival in Echuca-Moama.
Congratulation to the team at Rhythm Section for the day’s entertainment and their ongoing support of the Winter Blues Festival. Book your accommodation now for 2026. https://winterblues.com.au/
