BLUES JUNCTION Productions - The Riverside West Coast Blues Festival

BLUES JUNCTION Productions
7343 El Camino Real
Suite 327
Atascadero, CA 93422-4697
info@bluesjunctionproductions.com

The Riverside West Coast Blues Festival

On October 14^th and 15^th Riverside’s White Park was the site of the second annual Riverside West Coast Blues Festival. This downtown Riverside public park served as the perfect setting to show off this city’s charms as well as the greatest blues music found on the west coast and, quite frankly, anywhere else on this planet.

Any blues festival can serve as a weekend retreat from the grind of 21^st century life in America and can be a soul cleansing experience that refreshes the spirit. The Riverside West Coat Blues Festival is no exception.

I have to admit, I have never in life had the occasion to spend the night, let alone two, in Riverside. This has more to do with the fact that I live only an hour or two away depending on traffic. However, I’m glad I did. The downtown area is walkable, charming and offers a variety of dining and entertainment establishments.

There are several first-class hotels in the area within walking distance to the venue. Over the weekend my job as a music journalist was augmented by being in the employ of Charlie Lange and his Bluebeat Music store. From time to time Charlie satiates my childhood dream to work in a record store. Now, at the age of 60, I get to live out that fantasy.

What was fun for me being at this festival was that it featured blues music. In fact, it featured nothing but first-rate blues bands. No classic rockers, posers or that dreaded blues-rock, the bane of eardrums everywhere. No nonsense…just blues music, thank you very much, played the straight, natural way.

This meant the musicians themselves came by the Bluebeat Music booth. They shopped till they dropped and talked blues music. This music represents a lifelong commitment and passion for these artists. It was great catching up with many of these old friends from the old days, who play old timey music, the old-fashioned way.

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Junior Watson, The Mighty Mojo Prophets, The Silver Kings, San Pedro Slim and Lil A & the Allnighters were among the many bands who performed over the weekend. Longtime San Diego based radio host and Riverside native Janine Harty did a marvelous job as MC, departing timely information between sets and never overstaying her welcome from behind the mic.

Congratulations to Theresa and Bob “Pacemaker” Newham along with their volunteers for a job well done. They pulled this high wire act off with the grace and dignity that this music deserves.

It was a glorious two-day event and one that I highly recommend to all of our readers. You folks, the discerning connoisseurs of this beautiful, quintessential American music, will get a big kick out of the Riverside West Coast Blues Festival. I hope many of you plan ahead and put the Riverside West Coast Blues Festival on your calendar for next year.