Every year Australia’s largest blues and roots music festival comes to Byron Bay in the form of Bluesfest. That’s where I found myself this Easter weekend with Kelsey and Casey – camping for three days in a tent in Byron, waking up with the sun and filling my days with music, dancing, mixed drinks, and meat pies. For three days, I carried my journal around with me, keeping a “captain’s log” of sorts. A play-by-play so I wouldn’t miss anything. While I wish you could all physically look at my journal, complete with drawings and slurred handwriting that matched the state I was in, this version of the Captain’s Log will have to do.

BYRON BAY BLUESFEST

We saw 21 bands in 3 days. Tijuana Cartel. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. Beth Hart. Joss Stone. The Wailers. Matt Corby. Jack Johnson. Skunkhour. Devandra Banhart. Iron & Wine. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80. John Butler Trio. Dave Matthews Band. The Beards. KT Tunstall. Passenger. Saskwatch. Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang. Nahko & Medicine for the People. Robben Ford. Michael Franti & Spearhead.

FRIDAY 18/4/14

11:00AM

Kelsey and I just set up our camp in Byron. The tent is super small and cozy. We’re sitting in lawn chairs, drinking out of plastic baby cups.

11:40AM

We made friends with our neighbors, AKA our new camping family. Peter, Leanne, Ruby, Bella, Ned, Jemima and Toby. They have the coolest names. The whole family has hoop nose rings, even the boys. They gave us free face paint and a tarp for shade. We’re getting ready to meet Casey inside the festival and I can’t remember the last time I wore shoes with laces. I almost forget how to tie them.

4:30PM

Grace Potter is sexy, she could turn me. Right now, I’m sitting on the ground at Joss Stone with Casey, waiting for couchsurfing Heath. A long-blonde-haired dude just fell on top of us.

4:58PM

Still on the ground with Casey. She wants to leave but I said no. Still waiting for Heath. I feel sunburned but I don’t know if I am. Casey won’t stop talking about how much she loves her boyfriend.

5:55PM

Back at the campsite making sandwiches. Kelsey’s knees are swollen from dancing. We made some friends on the way here – Chris and Bryce. They “liked our festival style.” We saw Heath and Kyle. I awkwardly patted Kyle’s chest and giggled. I should never have a boyfriend ever.

6:13PM

I want to lie on the tarp near our car but Kels says I can’t because I won’t get up. I guess that’s true.

6:47PM

Just met Greg from Ballymoe, Ireland. He had a jelly doughnut with too much jam on his face.

8:36PM

Saw the Wailers with Casey and drank a beer that might have had dirt in it. I danced on her shoulders and we met some new Canadian friends Dallas and Will. They weren’t that cool. Some other guy told me I needed a hug.

11:45PM

Jack Johnson wins the award for aging the best. He’s beautiful. The old dude in the Colorado shirt was just “REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE!!! YA!” Thrashing and screaming during Jack’s chill songs. Also, I lost my voice on day one…rookie. A guy “dalked” (dance-walked) back to the campsite next to us.

SATURDAY 19/4/14

8:50AM

The night in the tent was so cold, although I did look damn good in my onesie. The morning was so hot though that I immediately regretted wearing it. Throat hurts, dirt on my forehead, toenails might fall off. Still so stoked for John Butler Trio and Dave Matthews Band tonight.

10:22AM

Finally took a shower. There might have been poop on the floor though. We are all dressed with feathers, fringe and flowers in our hair with two hours to kill before going into the festival.

1:08PM
Snuck Casey into the campsite.

2:22PM

Casey free-style-painted my face. Feeling a little tipsy. Not sure if the neighbors like us.

3:18PM

I just ate the best meat pie. It was like a Mexican burrito inside of a pie. Mouth is burned, but I want more.

4:07PM

I fell asleep on the ground for an hour. I don’t want to get up, but I have FOMO.

4:09PM

Just moved to the front to get ready for John Butler Trio, but his set isn’t for three hours.

7:37PM

Just watched a sweaty African man dance his balls off on stage. Now I am in the second row, ready for JBT.

9:09PM

John Butler Trio was mesmerizing. I love JB and his long fingernails, especially when he plays the banjo. Made my way to front row for Dave Matthews.

11:02PM

I was so close to Dave I could see the sweat dripping off his forehead. I’m so tired that I had to leave though. I found Casey curled up in a ball asleep in the middle of the field in the back. She doesn’t know I’m here even though she keeps waking up and looking around.

11:14PM
A new friend just shared some goon with me. Casey has a lot of grass in her hair.

1:36AM

I’m sad I left Dave Matthews because Kelsey caught a drumstick and a guitar pick at the end of the show. Made new friends at the port-o-potties. Glen and Darren. Somehow convinced them I was a mermaid who lives in the Brisbane River. Casey gave them three chances to guess her name and Glen got it on the first try. Rumpelstiltskin. We drank a beer on the side of the road and called her Rumples all night. Glen got our emails…is this 1997?

SUNDAY 20/4/14

9:28AM

Casey left with only $2 to get home to Brisbane. So sleepy. It’s Easter. The neighbors left chocolate Easter eggs outside our tent.

11:15AM

We came into the festival early to charge our phones but it costs $5. Screw that, who needs technology? Now we’re sitting in the food court, watching the doughnut stand. Our neighbor Toby says we have to get a chocolate filled one for Easter.

11:44AM

Toby was right. The doughnut was a dream come true. Oozing dark chocolate, cinnamon and sugar all in and around my mouth.

1:00PM

I never knew there could be so many songs about beards. The lead singer of the Beards was a mix between Jack Black and Zach Galifianakis. Apparently, “if your dad doesn’t have a beard, you’ve got two mums!”

4:50PM

KT Tunstall was an acoustic goddess. Came back to the camp to eat and got a nice little “Easter gift” from Toby and Jemima. Then we ate all the snacks, of course. Had a nice life chat with Peter and Leanne about home, family, uni, travel, trades, etc. What a sweet, happy, hippie family.

7:56PM
Just saw a shooting star through Orion’s Belt. Slept through most of Passenger, but woke up just in time for the last song. We went to see the “mystery band,” but it was Saskwatch… whoever that is. Disappointed, but another meat pie made up for it.

8:11PM

Xavier Rudd made a guest appearance with Nahko & Medicine for the People. Things I regret about my time in Australia: 1. Not going to the Outback, 2. Not road tripping the West Coast, and 3. Not dating a long, blonde-haired Aussie surfer dude like Rudd.

9:14PM

Just saw Sly and Robbie on the bass. Sometimes I wonder if people think I’m on drugs when I dance, even when I’m dead sober.

11:11PM

I TOUCHED MICHAEL FRANTI!!! Dreams do come true!

MONDAY 21/4/14

9:11AM

There was too much to write last night. I touched Michael Franti’s chest and danced in a congo line behind him, almost onto stage. Maybe it was a good thing we didn’t make it all the way on stage because Kelsey and I were wearing matching zebra pants, tie dye t-shirts, and jumpers tied around our waists, ‘90s style. I’ve never danced so hard. The tent is packed up and we’re headed to the beach.

Kelsey, me and Casey at Bluesfest

On our last night, Michael Franti said Bluesfest is his favorite festival to perform at in the entire world. He said he looks into the crowd and sees someone who’s 7, someone who’s 17, 27, 37, 47, 57, 67, and hey, even that 77-year-old guy in the back. Bluesfest was awesome because it was a festival for anyone and everyone. The people were there for the music. It was my first real music festival experience, but I can’t help thinking it will always be the most awesome. Who wants to come next year?