The 6th annual Calgary International Blues Festival presents blues workshops, as well as 33 performances, featuring 25 bands and artists from around the world. Performances take place at Calgary Olympic Plaza, Shaw Millennium Park, Quincy’s on Seventh and the Red Fox Tavern. From zydeco to blues-rock, there will be plenty for blues enthusiasts to enjoy August 2 – 8, 2010.
2010 Calgary International Blues Fest Schedule Highlights
The first two days of the 2010 Calgary Blues Festival were dedicated to free blues workshops for guitar and sax. Performances begin on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 with a free concert at Calgary Olympic Plaza as part of Calgary’s Brown Bag Lunch series. Attendees can buy their lunch from vendors along Stephen Avenue Mall or bring their own. The show begins at 12 noon.
On Thursday, August 5, 2010, the Main Stage will showcase three dynamic acts. Third place winner of the 2009 International Blues Challenge, MonkeyJunk takes to the stage at 5:00 P.M. This Ottawa-based band mixes swamp R&B with soul boogie.
Juno-Award winner Lester Quitzau and the Lester Quitzau Trio perform next, with music that incorporates African grooves, free-form jazz and gutbucket blues. Canadian Music Hall of Fame Honoree David Clayton-Thomas wraps up the night. Clayton-Thomas, a five-time Grammy winner, will perform with an 11-piece band.
The Mason Rack Band kicks off show on Friday, August 6. This international blues-rock band (Australia and Canada), will feature music from their new double-CD album released earlier this year. Mississippi Heat takes to the stage next, with their traditional 1950’s Chicago blues style, mixed with harp and a bit of Jimmy Hendrix.
This band has played at the Chicago Blues Festival three times and is celebrating their Blues Blast Magazine "Best Traditional Blues CD of the Year" Nomination. Little Feat has been entertaining audiences since 1969. The band will wrap up the night with a bit of rock, jam and roots music.
The weekend is jam packed with performances from 12 noon until past 9:00 P.M. Acts appearing on the Main Stage on Saturday, August 7 include: Bob Deutscher & CheckOne2, the Kelly Kavanagh Band, the John Lee Sanders Band, the Sean Carney Band, the David Vest Band with Bill Johnson, the Mike Reilly Band and blues/rock guitarist and vocalist Coco Montoya.
The entertainment wraps up on Sunday, August 8 with: the Randy O Band with Annika Odegard, the Marshall Lawrence Band, Gary Comeau & the Voodoo Allstars, Arsen Shomakhov, John Rutherford, The Holmes Brothers, Morgan Davis and the blues-rock band Chicago Blues Reunion. Other musicians performing at the Calgary Blues Fest include Bill Downey & the Blues Devils, Tim Williams & the Electrofires (with Morgan Davis) and the Gunn Blues Band.
Attending the Calgary International Blues Festival
Main Stage performances take place at Shaw Millennium Park (1220 – 9 Ave. SW). Gates open 1 hour prior to the first performance. The Main Stage acts begin at 5:00 P.M. on August 5 and 6, and at 12 noon on August 7 and 8. Twilight Blues performances begin at 10:30 P.M. and are held at the Red Fox Tavern at the Ramada Hotel Downtown and Quincy’s on Seventh.
Two ticket options are available: the transferable Four-Day Pass ($159 + GST) and the Day Pass ($60 + GST). Children ages 12 and under can attend Main Stage events for free. Tickets are available online on the festival website, at Campus Tickets, Megatunes and Sloth Records. Performances at Quincy’s on Seventh and the Red Fox Tavern are subject to a cover charge.
Blues enthusiasts can travel to the festival by car, bus, bike or foot. Street and pay parking are available.
Attendees can buy works by local artists in the Arts Market and music at the Calgary Blues Fest tent. Food and drink are also available for purchase on-site. Organizers ask that blues fans leave their pets at home.
Blues Fest pass holders get a discount if staying at the Ramada Hotel Downtown (under "Travel" on the festival website). Alternatively, visitors from out-of-town can check out Budget Hotels in Calgary. Information about other events in the Calgary area is available at Visiting Calgary, Alberta and Calgary Fringe Festival, July 30 – August 7, 2010.
The Calgary International Blues Festival, formerly known as the Kaos Blues Festival, began in 2004. In the beginning, the Calgary Blues Fest featured mostly local acts. It has grown large enough to attract international artists such as Colin James, Buckwheat Zydeco and Hubert Sumlin. The Calgary Blues Fest draws over 15,000.
Music festivals are a wonderful opportunity for music aficionados to get a sampling of various musical styles. The 2010 Calgary International Blues Festival is no exception. With over 30 performances and 25 seasoned and emerging artists, blues lovers and jazz neophytes young and old can enjoy everything many forms of blues music, including blues-rock, Cajun, Chicago and more.
Rhona-Mae Arca - Rhona-Mae is a Registered Music Teacher. She has an ARCT in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music, B.A. (Music) and ...
