Dan Patlansky is a Jimi Hendrix in the making asw

Redhouse was voted 'Best Up and Coming' band of the Festival asw

US band Seven13 showed SA audiences how to rock asw

Music is what its all about and don't let anyone tell you anything else. Yes there were the excesses of liquor and more but for those truly there for the music nothing more was needed one could could be totally intoxicated by the sounds emanating from the various stages.

On Saturday I could hardly move from the Carling Black label stage with its variety of blues and accoustic sounds. Guitar, fiddle, sax and even hosepipe emulating the sould of a pennywhistle held me and hundreds of others entranced. Even as the shadows of the mountains lengthened and the chill began to seep into our bodies nothing was going to move us till the end of the performances.

Highlights there definitely were even though each of the performers were excellent in their own right, however, two definitely come to mind - 21-year-old Dan Patlansky whose expertise on the guitar was mindblowing and the Blues Broers who performed their penultimate concert due to differences among the band members. I could not keep still as the music permeated my body and soul.

On Sunday I was blown away yet again but this time by an entirely different genre - namely the Gateway Philharmonic Orchestra. combining the classic and pop cultures conductor Philipp Maier is taking the orchestra to new heights. For Sunday's performance he included Squeal's Dave Birch and his electric guitar, the voices of Cedric van den Schrick (all the way from Rome) and Melanie Roberts, and Chris Luke on Sax . The performance was sublime and nothing ever attempted by any South African orchestra. I was transported back to the 70s and Deep Purple's foray into the world of the classical music. The audience went wild wanting more ... and more they will definitely get this September when the orchestra will be performing its full-length classic / rock spectacular to Durban audiences - we were treated to but a snippet.

Although those were my highlights many thronged to the marquee and the emanating sounds of rock from bands such as Tweak, AK Massive, Rhütz, Ketamine, Siamese and Massachusetts-based band Seven13 among others. There was definitely something for everyone - even a special performance by Dave Birch and Squeal on the Coca-Cola Free Stage.

By Sunday night I was all festivalled out but that did not stop me from joining the musos at the Drum Café and moving to the beat  - a totally uplifting experience.

Congratulations must go to the organisers for a magnificent line-up and a superb weekend!