There’s no better way to ward off the wintry chill than at the Blues and Roots Winter Showcase/Fundraiser, which will be held across three stages at The Hotel Shamrock on Sunday, July 7. This year’s event features some of Bendigo’s best, along with some fresh faces from the larger blues, soul, jazz, folk, and original music circuits.
The full line-up comprises Chicago blues proponents Electric Blues Collective; blues-jazz-soul chanteuse Nardia and her band; swamp/blues four-piece 40 Thieves; rockabilly trio Slap Back Jack and The Magic 8 Balls; funk-soul-blues groovers Funk Junkies; blues rocker Rhyley McGrath; singer-songwriters Daniel Aaron, Jarrod Shaw, Sarah Wilkinson, Andy Garlick, and Jade Byrd; fun-loving pub rockers The Flannos; neo-soul roots trio Spiritus; sax-guitar duo Deus Sax; blues-rock-soul collective Orange Whip; and the Bendigo South East College Band. Local funk duo Honk Tonk will host a busking/street-jamming stage outside the foyer entrance in Williamson St.
“There are acts to suit most anyone’s tastes on this line-up,” says Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival director Colin Thompson. “The program is packed with talent from start to finish, on both stages, but the styles are varied, just like at our festival each November. From gentle performances from singer/songwriters, to crazy antics from bands like the Electric Blues Collective, and dynamic in between.”
Thompson singled out the BSEC Band for special praise. “These kids are incredible musicians already, so it’s inspiring to see them play and imagine what they might be achieving in a few short years,” he says. “We’ve seen a lot of young Bendigo musicians come through BB&RMF over the nine years we’ve been doing this, and it fills us with pride to support them any way we can while we watch them kick on to bigger and better things.”
From 11.30am-8pm. Tickets available at the door; $20 (adults), $5 (under-18s), free (under-12s).
Also happening around town this fortnight:
Local singer-songwriters Dan Duggan and Flora will grace the stage at Entree Music Bar on Thursday, July 4. From 7.30pm; free entry.
Nardia and her band will showcase their melting pot of blues, jazz and soul at Entree Music Bar on Saturday, July 6. From 8pm; free entry.
Melbourne-based bluesman Richie Langford is bringing his foot-stomping roots to Handle Bar on Saturday, July 6. From 9pm; free entry.
Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA) is staging a fundraiser on Sunday, July 7, featuring The Trophy Wives, Sherri Parry, Mia Mazzarella, Lucy Perry, Caitlyn Steer and more. From 1-5pm; entry $10 at the door.
Paper Jane’s Buck Edwards and Rhyley McGrath bring their country-blues fusion to Entree Music Bar on Thursday, July 11. From 7pm; free entry.
Jump on board the monthly Blues Tram, featuring roots-blues combo T.K. Reeve Duo (with Nathan Power on drums) and folk-country-pop singer-songwriter Sarah Wilkinson. Saturday, July 13, from 2pm; tickets $39, available from www.bendigotourism.com
Written by Lynette Walker. Contact: [email protected]
