Blues News #672
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Blues News #672

Last year, after running Blues for Lost Souls for the Nth time, Greg Dodd said he would never run another one, so here he goes again.

Just to refresh your memory, Blues for Lost Souls is a fund raising event to raise money, food and clothing to support the homeless.

Since starting four years ago, they have raised well over $25,000 to assist the homeless. A van full of tinned food and clothing was also collected at the concerts.

This year it’s on September 9 from 3pm – 11pm, tickets $50 and it’s only 50 minutes up the road at Altona RSL. Anonymous X will again be the organisation receiving the funds raised and they work through outreach programs, organisational assistance and raising awareness.

Anonymous X stands for the personal before the political, raising awareness of the issues of homelessness and disadvantage by sharing (with permission) personal experiences through their social media outlets, and provide practical support through donations of toiletries, food items, clothes, toys and other essential items. They consider ‘the smaller things in life’ can actually make the biggest of differences to a person who is less fortunate.

Socks, beanies, gloves and scarves are the best clothing to donate. Please ensure that the tinned food you donate is in a ringpull can – not many can openers on the streets.

There’s a great lineup for the event: Catfish Voodoo, Highway 79, Andrea Marr Band, Phil Manning Trio, Kelly’s Blues, Wilson & White, Justin Yap Band, and our own Chris Wilson.

A major raffle with donated prizes will be held and drawn at the event. The prizes include tickets to the Blues Train, Wangarratta Festival, Bendigo and Sleepy Hollow have donated Bluestone tickets. There will also be guitars, records, CDs, “band for a party” RRR and PBS merch, amps, wine, you name it. Get your tickets now from Trybooking.

Last year, Sweet Felicia and the Tradies (JP, Troy Love and Ben Wicks) put it together on New Year’s Eve, and they have put together a CD of the set, which will be launched at Pistol Pete’s on the 8th of September.

Sweet Felicia was an entrant at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis USA 2011. Out of 200 blues bands worldwide, Sweet Felicia and her band The Honeytones toughed it out to become of the 40 bands to make it to the semi-finals. A proud achievement as one of the few Australian bands in the history of the Challenge to do so!

There are nine full tracks on the CD, with some classics from Little Walter, Tampa Red and Bobby Bland. There are also four tracks of Felicia’s own material: No More, Come Back Baby, Somethin’ Bad and one that’s at the top of my list – Big Strong Woman. I’d get it just for that.

It was a great line-up, and an excellent set, this will definitely be a good addition to any collection.

So Friday 8 for Felicia’s CD and Saturday 9 for Blues for Lost Souls.

By John Lamp