Blues Fest kicks off tonight
NORWICH – If the blues “ain’t nothin’” but a feeling, then residents of Chenango County have a lot to feel good about this weekend: The 18th Annual Chenango Blues Fest is coming to town.
Featuring a veritable who’s who of the genre’s top regional and national talent, the annual festival draws approximately 3,000 people every year, according to Chenango Blues Association Board of Directors President Eric Larsen.
Los Blancos guitarist Colin Aberdeen said he’s always been impressed with the raw talent the event brings to Chenango County year after year.
“They present a truly expansive array of artists and styles, ranging from burgeoning acts who are out on the road making a name for themselves to the progenitors of American blues, soul and roots music,” stated Aberdeen. “They have successfully presented such a breadth of different styles under the umbrella of blues music in an intimate atmosphere.”
Aberdeen and Los Blancos will perform from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. tonight at the fairgrounds in the opening slot for the New Orleans-based Honey Island Swamp Band and from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at the Blarneystone Pub.
On tap for Saturday are award-winning blues pianist Marcia Ball, Watermelon Slim, Guitar Shorty, harmonica sensation John Nemeth and the Asamu Johnson Project. Interspersed throughout the day’s Main Stage acts will be acoustic performances by Dom Flemons, E.G. Kight and Paul Rishell & Annie Raines on the Acoustic Stage.
Ball, who headlined the festival in 2006, said she “had a lot of fun” her first visit to Norwich and is “excited to perform” once again.
Since she last graced the stage at the Chenango Blues Fest, Ball, in 2008, released the Grammy nominated Peace, Love and BBQ and has continued to perform all across the nation.
“It’s an exciting band and people are really digging it right now, including me,” said Ball, who was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 1990. “I never knew where this would lead me, where I would go musically, but it’s what I love to do.”
Nemeth, who first exploded onto the national scene with his Blind Pig Records debut Magic Touch, said he’s also “looking forward to coming out and playing” at this year’s festival.
Inspired by “cats like Junior Wells, B.B. King, Otis Redding and Magic Sam,” Nemeth has received praise from veteran bluesmen for his bruising vocal delivery.
“We’re absolutely excited and we’ve heard a lot of great things about this festival,” stated Nemeth, who was recently awarded Living Blues Magazine’s Most Outstanding Blues Vocalist. “People can expect a really passionate blues show from myself and my band, we give 110 percent and leave it all on the stage.”
As to the longevity and resiliency of the blues, the legendary Guitar Shorty (at 70 years old one of the genre’s elder statesmen) said it’s due to the fact that “the blues is real, no hoax, no fakes, there’s nothing fake about it.”
Shorty said his “hard-hitting 4-piece band” has been performing country-wide to sold-out houses and “getting great reactions from crowds.”
“When I get there I’m going to give them everything I got,” he added.
Besides a generous offering of the blues, the festival will feature a variety of food vendors such as Dinosaur Barbeque, a perennial favorite according to Larsen, Timi’s Greek Food, Lekkie’s Thai, Hot Rod’s BBQ, Karolyn’s Cafe, Tuller’s Catering and the Saranac-sponsored Norwich Beverage Beer Tent.
In addition, a number of craft vendors will be on hand and Big Brother, Big Sister will once again host the free Children’s Activity Tent.
The gates open at 3 p.m. today and tickets for the Chenango Blues Fest are $15 through Friday and $20 the day of the show, which kicks off at noon on Saturday with the Asamu Johnson Project, who will also perform from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Blarneystone Pub. Camping is still available and is $35 for up to 4 adults per site for the weekend.
“It looks like we’re going to have beautiful weather all weekend and I think it’s going to be great,” stated Larsen. “We have a lot of artists this year that, locally, people may never have had a chance to see.”
For more information on the Chenango Blues Fest visit www.chenangobluesfest.org.
Featuring a veritable who’s who of the genre’s top regional and national talent, the annual festival draws approximately 3,000 people every year, according to Chenango Blues Association Board of Directors President Eric Larsen.
Los Blancos guitarist Colin Aberdeen said he’s always been impressed with the raw talent the event brings to Chenango County year after year.
“They present a truly expansive array of artists and styles, ranging from burgeoning acts who are out on the road making a name for themselves to the progenitors of American blues, soul and roots music,” stated Aberdeen. “They have successfully presented such a breadth of different styles under the umbrella of blues music in an intimate atmosphere.”
Aberdeen and Los Blancos will perform from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. tonight at the fairgrounds in the opening slot for the New Orleans-based Honey Island Swamp Band and from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at the Blarneystone Pub.
On tap for Saturday are award-winning blues pianist Marcia Ball, Watermelon Slim, Guitar Shorty, harmonica sensation John Nemeth and the Asamu Johnson Project. Interspersed throughout the day’s Main Stage acts will be acoustic performances by Dom Flemons, E.G. Kight and Paul Rishell & Annie Raines on the Acoustic Stage.
Ball, who headlined the festival in 2006, said she “had a lot of fun” her first visit to Norwich and is “excited to perform” once again.
Since she last graced the stage at the Chenango Blues Fest, Ball, in 2008, released the Grammy nominated Peace, Love and BBQ and has continued to perform all across the nation.
“It’s an exciting band and people are really digging it right now, including me,” said Ball, who was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 1990. “I never knew where this would lead me, where I would go musically, but it’s what I love to do.”
Nemeth, who first exploded onto the national scene with his Blind Pig Records debut Magic Touch, said he’s also “looking forward to coming out and playing” at this year’s festival.
Inspired by “cats like Junior Wells, B.B. King, Otis Redding and Magic Sam,” Nemeth has received praise from veteran bluesmen for his bruising vocal delivery.
“We’re absolutely excited and we’ve heard a lot of great things about this festival,” stated Nemeth, who was recently awarded Living Blues Magazine’s Most Outstanding Blues Vocalist. “People can expect a really passionate blues show from myself and my band, we give 110 percent and leave it all on the stage.”
As to the longevity and resiliency of the blues, the legendary Guitar Shorty (at 70 years old one of the genre’s elder statesmen) said it’s due to the fact that “the blues is real, no hoax, no fakes, there’s nothing fake about it.”
Shorty said his “hard-hitting 4-piece band” has been performing country-wide to sold-out houses and “getting great reactions from crowds.”
“When I get there I’m going to give them everything I got,” he added.
Besides a generous offering of the blues, the festival will feature a variety of food vendors such as Dinosaur Barbeque, a perennial favorite according to Larsen, Timi’s Greek Food, Lekkie’s Thai, Hot Rod’s BBQ, Karolyn’s Cafe, Tuller’s Catering and the Saranac-sponsored Norwich Beverage Beer Tent.
In addition, a number of craft vendors will be on hand and Big Brother, Big Sister will once again host the free Children’s Activity Tent.
The gates open at 3 p.m. today and tickets for the Chenango Blues Fest are $15 through Friday and $20 the day of the show, which kicks off at noon on Saturday with the Asamu Johnson Project, who will also perform from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Blarneystone Pub. Camping is still available and is $35 for up to 4 adults per site for the weekend.
“It looks like we’re going to have beautiful weather all weekend and I think it’s going to be great,” stated Larsen. “We have a lot of artists this year that, locally, people may never have had a chance to see.”
For more information on the Chenango Blues Fest visit www.chenangobluesfest.org.
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