Four performances scaled the "musician" barrier comfortably and came out tops. Paul Ponnudurai's guitaring artistry has been a consistent experience for those treated to it, and AV Fest 2000 was no exception. He deftly moved from classical right through to the blues idiom without a moment's thought.
The local club circuit's ambassador Alex Peters had the audience eating out of his hands with a precise and powerful hour long set. Peters' performance was part of a demo of Boss' latest GT-3 guitar multi-effects processor. Needless to say, everything from Santana's Smooth right down to The Steve Miller Band's Abracadabra was a joy to the ears.
Studio session ace Gary Gideon joined percussion pro Steve Thornton for a Latin percussion feast. Halfway through, some of Thornton's students joined in to turn the compass to Asia and groove along to some cross-pollinated rhythms.
Bonfire's stellar performance was concluded with a rousing version of Rush's YYZ on the last day, replete with bass and drum solos.
So, has the future grabbed us mere mortals by the horns and guided us towards a new water hole? If so, one thing's stayed the same, and it's safe to say, the music hasn't sounded better.
Thursday, August 10 2000, The Star
