NO issue - not even Supercars - has divided Novocastrians more in recent years than the NSW Government's decision to rip up the heavy railway into the Newcastle CBD.
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Whatever political persuasion you subscribe to, it is difficult to deny that The Station, formerly Newcastle Train Station, is a public space with immense potential.
The outdoor venue has already hosted the popular vegan markets and the regular Sunday Sessions and Friday Bar Eats N Beats, and on Saturday it welcomed its maiden ticketed music event, Wollombi At The Station.
As the setting sun bathed dancing punters in a golden hue where trains once ground to a halt, it was clear live music and The Station made sense. It was a comfortable combination.
Wollombi Music Festival for the past decade has built a niche for itself in the western Hunter Valley village, based around alternative vibes and an infusion of blues, roots and reggae.
For the first time organisers took the Wollombi Music Festival on the road 80 kilometres east to Newcastle.
Unfortunately the blistering gale-force westerlies that plagued the Hunter on Saturday caused havoc and threatened to blow the festival another kilometre east into the ocean.
The winds literally collapsed the inflatable dome over the stage during Liam Gale & The Ponytails' mid-afternoon set and almost caused the cancellation of the festival.
Following a risk assessment, the show continued on albeit on a smaller ground-level stage under the old platform awning.
Understandably the weather kept crowd numbers down at around 400, and some punters opted to leave early, but those who braved the elements were rewarded by relatively calm evening conditions.
Families and friends sat around and chatted and enjoyed the relatively small food truck and bar lines, while some children even rode around The Station square on small trikes. It was a relaxed vibe.
Crescent Head blues troubadour Minnie Marks impressed with her raspy vocals and blistering guitar work that straddled swamp blues and alternative rock.
Marks also delivered one of the best sales pitches you'll hear from an artist. "If you don't like my music, buy my CD for someone you don't like and we both win," she said.
Next up was Northern NSW's The Ninth Chapter, arguably the highlight of the festival.
The groove and soul six-piece's funk rhythms had the majority of The Station dancing, before the horn section of Dillon Carlsson (saxophone) and Tom Hilliar (trumpet) delivered the extra topping of flavour to their delicious jams.
Brisbane bluesman Dave Orr and his band brought down the energy, but provided guitar aficionados with some exquisite solos.
As night settled in the rhythmic drums and world music sounds of Highlife, led by South African singer-songwriter Hayden Hack, ignited the crowd.
Tijuana Cartel, one of the first bands to play Wollombi Festival back in 2010, then returned to close the festival for the night and the foreseeable future.
Frontman Paul George was subdued initially under his black broad-brimmed hat as Tijuana Cartel built up a wave of trance-like psychedelia. Finally the music exploded in electronic beats to propel The Station to dance.
Was Wollombi At The Station a success? Given Mother Nature's wrath the festival understandably was unable to reach the heights it otherwise could have achieved.
Musically, it also lacked one or two more popular acts that would have attracted a larger mainstream audience outside of Wollombi's traditional alternative base.
But from the viewpoint of offering something intimate and unique, Wollombi At The Station was a success.
Hopefully more live events will be pulling into The Station again soon.
Josh Leeson
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
