Thousands of blues music fans will once again flood Nanaimo’s downtown Maffeo Sutton Park this week.
The Nanaimo Blues Festival kicks off Thursday, Aug. 10, and will close down the weekend on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Jacquie Moisan, president of the Nanaimo Blues Society, said 26 acts will perform over the four-day event, with the return of the ever-popular after-parties with international and national local blues artists.
“We try to have a combination of local, national and international acts, but we always want to keep 40 per cent of our programming local. It’s just our commitment to the blues community. It’s very important that festivals like ours support local musicians,” she said.
The lineup includes rhythm and blues, Chicago blues and blues-rock, boogie-woogie, jump blues and soul and gospel performers, to name a few.
This year the festival will introduce the New Blues Showcase, a collection of eight young Island musicians that met during the weekly Sunday Blues Jam sessions at the Queen’s Hotel. Moisan noted that she’s seeing more and more young musicians attend the jam sessions, which is why she was able to assemble a broad spectrum of local talent.
The New Blues Showcase ranges from vocalists, keyboardist, drummer, trombonist, guitarist, bassist and harmonicist to fill the stage and ensure a “rockin’ good time.”
“I think this jam is what got me into the blues,” said Kali Moreno, vocalist. “I’ve mostly sung rhythm and blues and jazz in the past. I moved to Nanaimo for school and didn’t know many musicians here. I had heard about the jam … and Jacquie very kindly, for some reason, believed that I was OK and let me on the stage.”
Joyalea Carson-Austin, harmonicist, agreed and said the Sunday sessions were a good place to go and met new people.
“Everyone makes it phenomenally welcoming. I hadn’t had a lot of spaces to actually play with other people, and the blues jam really hooks you up,” she said.
Several of the New Blues Showcase members have a strong background in jazz, which drummer Sarah Varro said is great for improvisational skills.
Guitarist Carson Maertz noted that an improv background is great for expression on the stage.
“It’s important to be able to dig deep down in yourself … and be able to improvise and go on the fly … whatever you’ve got inside you that day you can get out that night at a show,” he said.
The blues festival will feature mostly new acts; however, a few familiar faces can be caught on stage, such as the Louise Rose Trio for their Soul and Gospel Hour. James Vickers, who was part of the society’s Youth Blues Showcase last year, returns with his own act with his own band.
Returning for 2023 will be the ever-popular after-party performances. The parties will take place on Friday and Saturday following the last act at Maffeo Sutton Park. The price of the after-party at the Queen’s is included with the festival ticket.
Thursday through Sunday will include three headlining acts; the first on Aug. 10 will be Rick Estrin and the Nightcats; the first on Aug. 11 will be the Legendary Downchild Blues Band; Aug. 12 will see Thornetta Davis; and Aug. 13 opening headliner will be Tom Lavin and Powder Blues. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Vancouver Island’s dance duo Funkanometry will provide a high-energy routine before the first headlining acts.
At the park, food trucks, artisans and refreshments will be available during festival hours, and attendees are welcome to bring their own chairs. Moisan also noted that a good portion of the food trucks will also be located on the outside of the festival fence, as well as several vendors, for those interested in enjoying the music outside the festival.
For more information on the Nanaimo Blues Festival, including the full line-up and ticket information, visit www.nanaimoblues.ca.
READ ALSO: Youth talent will get a share of the stage at Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival
mandy.moraes@nanaimobulletin.com
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