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Thursday, July 19, 2018

TIGHT SELECTION OF ARTISTS ON 2018 BLUES FESTIVAL


(International guest artist Fiona Boyes)

“We have a tight selection of artists for this year’s Durban International Blues Festival,” says co-director and spokesperson for the event, Tanya van Agthoven Marais. The festival runs from September 27 to 29, 2018

Unlike many other genres of live music and festivals, Blues has a somewhat “intimate” feel and the close up and personal vibe is the preferred one, according to her.

The line-up also takes cognisance of the audience suggestions over time, for a line up with more local /South African artists and this year audiences can look forward to listening to firm favourites and some newer names, some participating in the festival for the first time.

September 27: Fender sponsors the only free evening with a line-up of well knowns at 19h00: Sycamore Rock Academy, Tiffany Sheppard Band, Alchemy, Bobby and the Dynamites and the East Coast Basement Blues Band. The evening is hosted by Glenwood Village Music.

September 28: The evening opens at 19h30 with the Durban Blues Band which will have been pulled up through the ranks under the mentorship of DIBF Development and Mentoring Director, Pinkie Mtshali. “These young artists will have been schooled on the blues genre, given music workshop guidance and opportunity to rehearse in order to perform on the billing in front of an audience- and for some, for the first time. The Durban International Blues Festival has always had a policy to hold these workshop and mentorship classes as another manner of educating musicians to the genre of this unique music style: many musicians- accomplished ones too- don’t even know they are playing the blues or that their music has a strong blues base,” says Mtshali.

The evening rolls out with Them Dirty Shrikes and Jonathan Peyper – relative newcomers to Durban audiences, but musicians who must not be ignored!

September 29: The final evening, sees The Smoke Train return to the stage due to their undoubted success at the festival last year so if you enjoyed them - be sure to book early at Computicket as seating is limited and unreserved on all nights.

Following The Smoke Train is the formidable new band Black Harbour who are reaching for new heights every performance and who will undoubtedly excite the crowd and get them revved up for Australia’s Fiona Boyes - the international guest artist who will close the evening and the 2018 festival.

Tickets are on line already at Computicket and are R150 pre-bought but there will be a limited number of tickets at the Box office on show night for R160. Seating is unreserved and on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Durban International Blues Festival has chosen to perform from their old home of Zacks (at Wilson’s Wharf) where the menu is affordable and varied and will suit all tastes and a cash bar is available.

Don’t forget to bring extra cash for CD’s on sale (R100) and a selection of generic festival tee shirts available while stocks last –from R150 to R200. There will also be the customary raffle or auction – so be prepared with extra cash! You wouldn’t want to lose out!

Information can be found on www.durbanbluesfestival.co.za or by visiting FB pages FRIENDS of Durban Blues Festival and Durban Blues Festival, Instagram, Twitter and most other online mediums.