Cowboy Junkies, Eric Burdon, Big Sugar part of Kitchener Blues Festival lineup
Organizers say there's a 'stellar lineup' of legends and emerging acts
The musical lineup for this year's Kitchener Blues Festival has been released and big names on the list include Eric Burdon and the Animals, Chilliwack, Big Sugar and Cowboy Junkies.
"We think we've put together a stellar lineup with blues and blues-rock legends, new and emerging acts, acts that will appeal to younger audiences," festival executive director Rob Deyman said.
"We're looking to expand our audiences and we're looking to expand our reach and attract more visitors to this community as a result of having the TD Kitchener Blues Festival occur."
First concert ticketed, the rest is free
The festival will kick off on Aug. 4 with the Thursday night ticketed show. The headliner is Eric Burdon and the Animals. The group is known for his album House of the Rising Sun and a long string of hits including Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, Spill the Wine and I'm Crying.
They will be joined by Foghat – think Slow Ride and their cover of I Just Want to Make Love to You – as well as the country-blues-classic rock group Earl and the Agitators featuring Scott Holt.
Tickets for the kick-off concert will be available online at Ticketscene.ca, at Encore Records in Kitchener and Orange Monkey in Waterloo.
Thursday's concert is the only one where people will need a ticket because the rest of Blues Fest is free.
Over the course of the festival, which runs Aug. 4-7, music lovers will be able to see performances by:
- Big Sugar
- Pat Travers Band
- Cowboy Junkies
- Matt Minglewood
- Chilliwack
- Valdy
- Jarekus Singleton
- Moreland and Arbuckle
- Ronnie Baker Brooks
- Eric Sandinas and Big Motor
- Harper and Midwest Kind
- The Weber Brothers
- Grady
- Blackburn
- Harry Manx
- The Donkeys
- Kenny Neal
- Cedric Burnside Project
- Paul James Band
- Harrison Kennedy
- Miss Angel and the Homewreckers
- Third Coast Kings
- Cheryl Lescom
- Dylan Wickens and the Grand Naturals
- The Baudelaires
- Dione Taylor and the Backsliderz
- Hwy 61 : The Music of Bob Dylan
- Bill Durst Band
- Jay Pollmann
- GRBS Blues Camp (2016)
- The Vaudevillian
- John McKinley Band
- The Michael Schatte Band
- Sean Pinchin
- Markus James
- A Beautiful Noise (Gospel Breakfast)
- Alysha Brilla
- The Music of Nina Simone
The lineup was announced Saturday during the festival's official launch concert at Wax Nightclub in Kitchener.