Off Track Blues Seesions

The usually sleepy winter streets of Queenscliff were buzzing on Saturday evening as music lovers poured into town for something truly historic. For over two decades, The Blues Train has been a beloved institution, taking audiences on a rolling musical journey along the Bellarine Railway with four carriages of live music, local drinks and heritage charm. But for the very first time, the legendary train traded its rails for the iconic Queenscliff Town Hall, transforming the grand venue into an absolute powerhouse of live blues, for the inaugural Off-Track Blues Sessions!

Local favourite Andrea Robertson kicked off the evening as MC, setting the perfect warm, intimate tone for the night before handing the stage over to the unstoppable Anna Scionti. Armed with her signature jukebox guitars, Scionti unleashed a heavy, slide fuelled sound that reverberated through the hall's rafters. Her raw vocals and hypnotic rhythm immediately set the standard.

Next up, Phil Coyne & The Wayward Aces dialed the temperature up. Packing high octane energy and Coyne’s blistering harmonica solos had the entire room rocking. Just when you thought the crowd had reached peak excitement, it was time for the main event.

19-Twenty didn't just perform, they blew the roof off the place. Their stage energy was completely off the charts, driven by infectious crowd work, hilarious antics and hyper charged blues roots chaos that forced everyone out of their seats. The defining moment of the night arrived when Phil Coyne jumped back on stage for some wild harmonica solos with 19-Twenty, sending the packed hall into an absolute frenzy.

By the final encore, nobody was sitting down. The floorboards were shaking, arms were in the air, and Queenscliff Town Hall had officially been baptized in the spirit of the blues. If this first Off-Track experiment is anything to go by, winter for The Blues Train will never be the same again

Gallery https://musicfestivalsaustralia.com/event-photos/off-track-bluessessions

Thanks to 19-Twenty, Anna Scionti, Phil Coyne & The Wayward Aces, The Blues Train and the Queenscliff Town Hall for having us along.

Photos by Cooper Towne for Music Kingdom Australia