The Cincy Blues Fest returns to Sawyer Point Friday and Saturday. Along with quality headliners (Joe Louis Walker, Alexis P. Suter Band, Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, David Maxwell Maximum Blues Band, The Insomniacs, Candye Kane and Shane Dwight), organizers from the Cincy Blues Society will once again present some cool side-stage offerings and loads of local performers.
On Saturday, the Arches Stage spotlights Boogie Woogie Blues, with performances by Vernel Bagneris & Morten Gunnar Larsen, Ann Rabson, Carl Sonny Leyland, local Boogie torch-bearers Ricky Nye and Todd Hepburn and many others.
Cincy Blues Challenge winners The Bluebirds Big Band and Bad Men on a Mission earned fest-opening sets on the main stage Friday and Saturday (respectively), while the St. Vincent De Paul Local Stage will be rockin’ with top-notch natives all weekend. Saturday’s local lineup has The Noahs (with guitarists Noah Wotherspoon and Noah Cave), Chuck Brisbin & The Tuna Project, Noah Wotherspoon Band, Miss Lissa & Company, Johnny Fink and the Intrusion, II Juicy and Ralph and the Rhythm Hounds.
Proceeds from the fest go to the Blues in the Schools program, which strives to ensure the Blues’ future by sending musicians to area schools to educate kids about one of America’s greatest artforms and help those interested them to learn to play the Blues. A collection of those BITS students will perform at the Blues Fest main stage Saturday at 4:45 p.m.
Music gets rolling at 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $10 Friday and $15 Saturday; teens aged 13-18 can get in for $5 (with an adult) and under-12 kids don’t have to pay a cent.
Get more details on the full schedule and links to the Cincy Blues Society here.
