I have been going to Bluestone for around 10 or so years now

At Bluestone five bands play on New Years Eve, with the final one taking us into New Years and beyond.  New Years Day was originally a recovery day, however it has become as big as New Years Eve with four more bands.  Many people who couldn't make the it night before will come out just for the day.

Legends of the blues, Turning Blue entertains the crowd
[Photo: Og Bear]

I have been going to Bluestone for around 10 or so years now.  It is put on by the Blues Club to celebrate New Years Eve and is nice and relaxed and cruisy.

I thought I would do the right thing and come out and set tent up the day before.

The atmosphere is building up as we head towards midnight[Photo: Og Bear]

But New Years Eve was hot and windy and when I returned that day a big wind destroyed tent, rendering it unusable.

Og and Kel having a too good a time New Years Eve
[Photo: Og Bear]

Then it was a heat wave right into the night.

I ended up sleeping in a very basic temporary shelter with Jacqui's crew.

The atmosphere is building up as we head towards midnight
[Photo: Og Bear]

It was a big improvement with a full marque this year and the area between that and the old school house contained.

More people camped at Bluestone 2010 that in previous years
[Photo: Og Bear]

A lot more people camped which was better too.

For more photos check out :

https://picasaweb.google.com/102935184649222300700/Bluestone2010

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Bit better ending to 2010 than last year!

The Maldon Folk Festival must be the most regular and repeated ritual in my life and her I am again in 2010.

A chance meeting with the Badges at Apollo Bay has now firmed into a friendship and I this year staying with them at their Maldon house.

•  Maldon Folk Festival 2010

Not necessarily my favourite festival but this year is my first Queenscliff Music Festival with the new director that seems to be breathing new life into this culturally tired Festival.

Mr Merls is with me again.  He takes one of my cameras and has quite a different view of the shots.  He this the ones I thing are disasters are the really great ones!

•  Queenscliff Music Festival 2010

 

We all see Somerled off to Japan

Mr Merls and I had been at the Queenscliff Music Festival all weekend, then we had to head to Melbourne to see Somerled off to Japan.

He was on whole new adventure where is going to spend a whole new year there.

We caught up with Somerled and Lady Bear there and had dinner with him, then as we had time to spare before the flight we went for a gelati.

We all had dinner with Somerled before he left for Japan
[Photo: Mr Merls]

A gelati was a great idea while we were killing time before Somerled's flight
[Photo: Og Bear]

Final photos before Somerled's departure
[Photo: Og Bear]

Finally we got to the airport, which was nearly deserted at that time of morning, and made our way to the departure area.

When it finally was time to leave he made his way to the plane and was quite upset at the prospect of not seeing him again due to my health situation.

Bah! It was only a few days later when I caught up with him on Skype, ha ha, and that with FaceBook, it hardly bothers me now.

UCI Road World Championships held in Geelong!

The real hilight of 2010 for me was the UCI Road World Championships held in Geelong late September to early October.

A lot of Geelong locals just didn't realise the significance of having this event in Australia and really grumbled about the inconvenience.

UCI Men's Race Map - Melbourne to Geelong 2010

I missed the time trials and womens road race which was disappointing, but the I went for Men's Road race on the Sunday.  The City was packed, there were many friends there and heaps of stalls and music.

UCI Men's Race - Melbourne to Geelong 2010 [Photo: Liam]

UCI Men's Race - Melbourne to Geelong 2010 [Photo: Liam]

I finally got to see John Mayall

On my 14th birthday my older brother's best friend gave me an album. He told me, 'it may not mean much now, but one day it will change your life.' And that's why I am here now in 2010 to see and meet John Mayall at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine, 41 years later

• John Mayall at the Theatre Royal

Me and Mr Merls went to the 2010 Australian Blues Music Festival

I would like to go to a festival every year that I don't normally go to, but with my health and dialysis it can be so difficult to arrange that there is a point where you give up.

However Mr Merls and myself made a concerted effort and got ourselves to the 2010 Australian Blues Music Festival.  As a collection of acts it was great; as a festival it was quite a disappointment.

• Australian Blues Music Fest 2010

Apollo Bay Music Festival 2010, another one for me and Mr Merls

The Apollo Bay Music Festival is starting to become perrenial for us, the Badges and Mr Merls and myself.

However, the weather in 2010 certainly put a damper on it!

• Apollo Bay Music Festival 2010

Caught the end of the 2010 Ocean Grove Summer Festival

The Ocean Grove Summer Festival was on again in 2010, but without the Young Performers Stage, which I was disappointed about and felt missed the point about the objective of the Festival.

I must have turned up late because that's when the photos start.

Chubby Rae & The Elevators playing at the 2010 Ocean Grove Summer Festival
[Photo: Og Bear]

Craig playing with Chubby Rae & The Elevators at Ocean Grove
[Photo: Og Bear]

The crowd dancing to Chubby Rae & The Elevators
[Photo: Og Bear]