If completely sold out shows are an indication of success, then the 12th annual Pender Harbour Blues Festival that took place last weekend, June 5 to 7, was a winner.
“The Boom Booms were terrific,” said organizer Marilyn MacLeod of the dance band at the community hall that attracted young and old. “They had everyone up dancing.” Though MacLeod has a cast on one leg as a result of an accident, she was moved to stand up with her walker and try to dance along.
The Garden Bay Pub was the hub of blues central, and it was packed all three evenings. During the Sunday afternoon jam you couldn’t have squeezed another blues fan, however skinny, in the door. Paul Pigat played to an enthusiastic audience in the first set while Chris Nordquist, music director for the festival, played drums. Pigat was everywhere, performing on Saturday’s free show in Madeira Park with Simon Paradis and Jason Buie then again as part of the Sunday noon gospel show with Coast favourite Jim Byrnes.
Friday evening in Garden Bay was a wild time, at least from my perspective sitting at the last available bar stool. Lloyd Jones, the featured performer, clinked his tequila shot with my white wine glass for a toast to good music just before he went on stage. Though he’s big in Portland, Ore., no one has heard of him here. He knew that, and he was prepared to wow us, attacking his guitar like nobody’s business.
“Hey, what’d I say?” Jones sang the Ray Charles rocker to a crowd who danced and cheered. The keyboard accompaniment was terrific by musician Peter Van Deursen.
“That bass player is really good,” said the bartender. Heck, they’re all good. The stage was set for repeat good performances on Saturday evening with Paul Pigat and on Sunday with Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne.
The Harbour Spirit Centre in Madeira Park hosted a new venue for the festival this year in front of a row of chic restaurants and stores. The Blue Line Trio opened the show on an outdoor stage amid the aroma of bacon burger sliders and beer. They are all local guys, polished performers, who you’ve seen perform in other bands: Gary Gilbert (aka Dr. Fun), Christopher Jordan Knox and Timothy Ringo Runkle. Together they knew and entertained, drawing from a huge variety of blues that mixed traditional work songs with Grateful Dead and gypsy jazz.
Get your tickets early for next year. See www.phblues.ca for more.
See our online galleries at www.coastreporter.net for more photos from the Festival.
