When Clinton Swanson and Richard Metzner first started Blues, Brews and BBQ three years ago, they wanted it to be “a mini-blues festival in the middle of winter.”
And they couldn’t be more stoked about this year’s headliner: American blues legend Sonny Rhodes.
“His music is authentic. He’s a real deal blues man. It’s all about feel and groove, and most of it is shuffle music which is easy to dance to,” said Metzner, who originally met the musician 30 years ago in Atlanta. He invited Rhodes to headline Saturday’s concert at Finley’s Irish Bar & Grill.
Opening for Rhodes will be Lil Dave and the Big Blue Wave, a local band, as well as Clinton Swanson, Aardvark Unplugged and the Lazy Poker Blues Band.
This year’s event is a fundraiser for Kootenay Co-op Radio, and will go towards ongoing operating costs. It will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27. Music starts at 6 p.m. and the festivities will be kid-friendly until 10 p.m.
“At the radio station we’ve always been on a thin line between red and black. It’s one of the few radio stations in B.C. that’s not on a university campus. We’ve got to keep it going.”
