Blues News #697
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Blues News #697

It’s September and spring time is on us yet again. By now you should have the fruit trees pruned and ready for this year’s crop. You should also be getting ready for the Bluestone Blues Festival – it might seem like it’s months away, but that will go quickly.
When you think about it, there’s a bit to do such as cutting back on the stubbies so you can pay for tickets, contacting mates to agree where you will camp this year and pulling out the camping gear for a once over. There’s nothing worse than pulling out the tent on the night and finding that you only have three tent pegs instead of the ten you need!
The list of bands has been released at last.
First up is Dollar 20 Blues Band, who have played SHBC in the past, from just up the road in Melbourne. Simon Kinny-Lewis Band has been making a name for itself here and overseas. Albums in the charts and a list of festivals that would take a fair amount of time to work through. Catfish Voodoo will be doing their Chicago style blues.
Local band Blue Heat (well, most of them are in Geelong these days!) is well known and needs little in the way of introduction. Louis King and the Liars play down here regularly and will, I think be taking us through the New Year countdown.
New Year’s Day has The Wayne Jury 4 leading off, followed by Rhythm x Revival who are making a bit of a splash. By now people should be awake enough to appreciate P.J. O’Brien, and the session will come to a blistering close with the McNamarr Project. The McNamarr Project is an interesting band with John McNamara and Andrea Marr heading it up.
Stay up to date with info at https://www.facebook.com/BluestoneBluesFest/
Australian blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, Fiona Boyes, is coming down again for a gig at the Piping Hot Chicken and Burger Grill in September. When you write about Fiona, it’s hard to stay away from superlatives or to fill up the article just using her awards and tour highlights, and that’s if all you report on is the past year.
Anyhow (deep breath) 2017 The Age Music Vic award for “Best Blues Album,” performing at the USA Blues Music Awards in Memphis, where Fiona received 2 nominations for ‘Acoustic Album of the Year’ & ‘Acoustic Artist of the Year.’
The album those accolades refer to is ‘Professin’ The Blues,’ recorded at Skywalker Ranch California, with a 4 star review in Down Beat Magazine Jan 2017 issue and lead review in Blues Music Magazine USA. Enough!
Fiona is simply one of the best, and that’s internationally, that we have right now. She spends quite a bit of time in Oregon USA, which limits her availability in Australia, this gig should not be missed.
So, it’s time to get the camping gear checked and sorted for Bluestone, and don’t miss Fiona Boyes at the Piping Hot Chicken Shop on the 15th – she’s not around that often any more.