This year’s Summertime Blues festival features the best lineup yet, organizers say.
The annual music festival is about to get underway in Nanaimo, with a benefit concert Thursday (Aug. 24) before the event gets underway in earnest with three packed days of musicians ready to play and sing the blues at Maffeo Sutton Park from Friday to Sunday.
“[This weekend] brings the best lineup the [Nanaimo Blues Society] has ever presented,” said Gerold Haukenfrers, society president, in a press release. “Make sure you bring your enthusiasm, a couple of buddies, low-riser lawn chairs and high expectations. We promise that you will not be disappointed.”
According to the release, the blues society has “upped the game plan” for 2017 with a bigger stage and improvements to sound and lighting. With more vendors and artisans, the festival will take over more of the park.
“We have a waterfront venue and the weather is looking great. Our board of directors has been working overtime to bring you the best blues experience ever,” Haukenfrers said.
Friday’s lineup is headlined by Sonny Landreth at 9 p.m. and also includes Ronnie Baker Brooks, Coco Montoya, Harpdog Brown and the Travelin’ Blues Show, J.W. Jones and James Buddy Rogers. The music goes from 3-10:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots headline at 8:45 p.m. Also taking the stage will be Mark Hummel’s Golden State-Lone Star Revue, MonkeyJunk, the Paul DesLauriers Band, the Blackburn Brothers, David Gogo, the Kirby Sewell Band and Sugar Brown with the Travelin’ Blues Show. Music is from noon-10 p.m.
Sunday’s final act will be Shemekia Copeland at 7:30 p.m. Ruthie Foster, Shakura S’Aida, Angel Forrest, Cecile Doo-Kingue, Kara Grainger, Suzie Vinnick and Curl round out the lineup of musicians between 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
A three-day pass to the blues festival costs $139, with one-day passes $55. For tickets, click here.
For Thursday’s benefit concert for Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank, admission is a suggested donation of $10 or non-perishable food items. The music is from 3-10 p.m., featuring Alexander’s Bluestime Band, Lady V and the Key Krasher, Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners, the Renovation Blues Band, Thor and the Thundercats, then a blues jam for the remainder of the evening led by Brian Whitty and the Queens Shuffle.
For more information, visit www.nanaimobluesfestival.com.
