(Yamil
Jacobo of The Yamil Jacobo Trio from Argentina)
While music festivals wax and wane under
the strain of competition and usually economic strain, The Durban International
Blues Festival has managed to keep its head up high and soldier on (not without
its obstacles, of course) and now, 15 years on, sees the event take place once
again at The Plant, Station Road Precinct in Durban from September 20 to 21,
2019.
September 20 will see an impressive line-up
of local, up and coming blues talent hosted by Fender as always and is free to
the public.
September 21 is jam-packed with an amazing
line-up of local and national blues favourite – some known and some new to
Durban audiences, but the cherry on the top for this night is the international
headline acts, including The Yamil Jacobo Trio from Argentina, who will no
doubt have some interesting blues to feed an audience hungry for something new.
Also under the International headline
banner is Pat Savage from Canada. Some die-hard blues fans will remember Savage
from his visit over a decade ago where this internationally-acclaimed blues
master, larger than life both figuratively and literally speaking, cannot help
to leave a very strong impression on you long after you have left the venue!
In the meantime, keep your eyes on Facebook
pages Durban International Blues Festival and Friends of the Durban
International Blues Festival, as well as www.durbanbluesfestival.co.za which
will keep you informed and updated.
“This event, majorly sponsored by The
Department of Arts and Culture, returns to The Plant again this year, a venue
which ticks all the boxes in terms of safety, security, parking and a general
all-round great and conducive vibe for such a festival,” says co director Tanya
van Agthoven Marais. The idea as always, being to develop this venue into a
“blues home annually and the added positives is not only the enthusiastic
partnering with new owner Lucy Markewicz, but the buy-in from the precinct
tenants who wish to participate with open stores, street markets, exhibitions
and other ways of making this the “vibe “for those dates.
Renegade Kitchen will supply a reasonably priced
menu selection of easy foods –some with a bit of a “bluesy” twist and two professionally-run cash bars will
sell SAB product (and perhaps a few craft beers will also be sold at a premium
cost) and other hard tack, not to mention hot steaming coffee from street
vendors just outside or a deliciously fresh and uniquely bottled water from Not
made in China. The choice is yours.
Added to this will be the opportunity to
buy memorabilia tee shirts printed by Concord Printers and artists CD’s at the
Memorabilia table every night.
Yamil Jacobo also handcrafts authentic
cigar box guitars in Argentina, one of which will be up for auction over the
festival period so be sure to come with a few extra sheckels as this could be
your lucky night to become the owner of
a branded, autographed piece of musical art! Harry Lock, the official photographer
for The Durban International Blues Festival, will again have some of his
photographic pieces on exhibition – you may be able to purchase of piece that
steals your heart.
While the festival is the main focus -
Pinky Mtshali, a co -director (Development and Mentorship) will be co
ordinating workshops and musical clinics which will be held at various venue in
and around Durban as well as township venues: Yamil Jacobo will be presenting
these workshops .
Tickets go on sale shortly at Quicket and
sell at R180 per person whilst limited tickets will be available at the door on
show night for R200. The seating is unreserved on a first-come, first-served
basis at benches which seat six.
For more information visit www.durbanbluesfestival.co.za
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