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Blue skies and a driver’s tan herald my arrival in Byron Bay for the twentieth anniversary East Coast Blues & Roots festival at Belongil Fields. Although there’s no rain today, there is mud: everywhere. Gumboots are imperative to having a good time here – most people have grasped this concept and gone about the business of checking out all the incredible bands. I squelch through 3 inches of woodchip sludge past a few thong-carrying punters, encounter some media-heckling yobs at the bar (“Aw come on love, lemme write in your book there, I know you want my signature!”) and head to Pete Cornelius & The DeVilles for some rumbling rockabilly blues. Their set is laidback and enjoyed by a hefty sized crowd under the Jambalaya bigtop.

Who is responsible for the metal racket emanating from the APRA stage? The Inspector Cluzo, that’s who. Spiffy suits, a sparkly magenta kit and a Jack Black doppelganger on guitar and vocals: these two genre hopping freaks are entertainment plus. They sound like the thrashy side of Pre-Shrunk and the falsetto cool of Beck in the space of one song. For all their novelty factor, The Inspector Cluzo have serious chops. Standout track Fuck The Bass Player gets enthusiastic vocal participation from the crowd.

Crossroads stage has a plethora of camping chairs waiting for their owners to return from food stalls and settle into an easy listening set from Spectrum. Their Dire Straits-ish rock, killer guitar tone and sweet slippery licks keep the primarily older crowd tapping happily in their seats.

Going solo never seemed such a big affair as when one half of The Black Keys steps onto the Mojo stage with five bandmates in tow. Dan Auerbach may be performing under his own name but his longhaired percussionist and other bearded sidemen really bring this spooky western vibe of a set to life. Stylistically speaking, the material is not miles away from Dan’s main project but no complaints here for the fleshed out Black Keys-meets-The Eagles tunes.

Blind Boys Of Alabama really are blind and unbelievably good. You may have heard their soulful rendition of Tom Wait’s Way Down In The Hole as The Wire’s theme song, but their gospel is monumental in concert. Seeing them perform is akin to a religious experience, and the huge crowd they’ve drawn to the Crossroads stage has stolen some of Fishbone ’s thunder.

A small crowd for Fishbone doesn’t stifle lead singer Angelo Moore and keyboardist Dre Gipson ’s penchant for crowdsurfing. Nor does it dampen their energetic fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal and reggae. There’s even a touch of the blues with a Sublime cover – “It’s definitely blues, cause ladies definitely get the blues when they get date raped!”

Zappa Plays Zappa are quite simply kick ass. Dweezil Zappa is as quotable (“Where can I find a vegan with nice breath? She’s gotta be out there somewhere”) and as formidable a frontman as Angelo Moore. This unit carries on Frank Zappa’s legacy of outta-this-world musical wizardry with all the spirit of the man himself.

Angelique Kidjo ’s smoldering afro-beat at the Crossroads goes head to head with the politically charged funk of perennial festival favourite Michael Franti & Spearhead at Mojo stage to close tonight’s proceedings. Punters at either tent are spending the last of their energy dancing to infectious and incessant party tunes – with Franti’s crowd being extra vocal in their approval. Bring on Saturday!