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 this
year.
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 favourites – some known and some new to
Durban audiences, but the cherry on the top for this night is the international
headline acts, from Argentinian, The Yamil Jacobo Trio, 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 him
from his visit over a decade ago where this internationally acclaimed blues
master, larger than life both figuratively and literally speaking, cannot help
but 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
costed 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 shorts printed by Concord Printers and artists CD’s at the
Memorabilia table every night.
(Right: Yamil
Jacobo)
Yamil Jacobo also hand-crafts 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 Scheckel’s 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 R180 available at Quicket while
limited tickets will be available at the door on show night for R200. The
seating is unreserved on a first come, first serve basis at benches which seat
six.
For more information visit www.durbanbluesfestival.co.za
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