New success of Bilbao Blues Festival. The public has enjoyed four days of an attractive free programme that has brought together great international figures of the genre and memorable performances. In its third edition, the music event promoted by the Bilbao City Council has confirmed its role as a benchmark on the international circuit thanks to its organisation, quality of programming and cultural projection.
‘I feel enormously proud to be able to transfer the passion for the blues and bring to Bilbao great figures of the genre who have offered great performances and unforgettable moments’, stressed Carlos Malles, director of the festival, who also highlighted “the great atmosphere that has been experienced in the city” during the festival.
For the Councillor for Economic Development, Commerce, Tourism and Employment of Bilbao City Council, Xabier Ochandiano, ‘our aim was to bring another top level musical event on these dates as a continuation of the BBK Bilbao Music Legends Fest, which we organised in June, and Bilbao BBK Live in July; we have done it with this format, with the blues, managing to consolidate it despite being so young in the city, but with exquisite quality. Bilbao has undoubtedly entered the music festival circuit’.
A WORLD-CLASS LINE-UP
The stages of the Bilbao Blues Festival 2024 have witnessed memorable performances that have captivated the audience with local talents and international figures. Ibai García Blues Project, led by guitarist Ibai García from Barakaldo, raised the curtain on the festival with their energetic blues with hints of southern rock. The songs from their recently released album ‘Chasing the blues’ provoked the first ovations from the audience.
‘Texas blues guitar Summit, led by guitarists Anson Funderbourgh, Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman, gave a sophisticated performance in which they demonstrated their status as Texas blues stars in an outstanding way.
With a radical stylistic shift from the first two performances, the first night of the festival was closed by Memphis band Southern Avenue, who gave a standing ovation performance of blues, soul and rock and showed why they are one of the best young blues bands of today. Their singer Tierinni Jackson, backed by her sisters Tikyra (drums) and Ava Jackson (backing vocals), Ori Naftalty (guitar) and Evan Sarver I (bass) was one of the big stars of the festival, demonstrating an overflowing energy and a portentous voice that made the Bilbao audience vibrate.
Chino Swingslide Trio enchanted at the first performance of the festival on the Arenal Gold Stage on Saturday lunchtime. The Argentinian guitarist and composer, who has lived in Barcelona for over 20 years, gave a multi-stylistic performance, playing blues, tango and swing, performing covers of legendary songs and mingling with a large crowd who had no qualms about accompanying the band on backing vocals on some of their songs.
Oklahoma guitarist and singer Shawn Pittman, a member of the Texas Blues Guitar Summit, took over the baton and moved energetically and outstandingly between Texas blues, soul, boogie and rock and roll in a concert that packed the Arenal.
In the afternoon, the 79-year-old singer Martha High, along with her band ‘The Soul Cookers’, gave a memorable performance in which she demonstrated why she is recognised as a ‘soul diva’, not in vain was she the vocalist of the legendary James Brown. The performer invited a large number of women on stage to dance with her on several of her songs.
It was the perfect prelude to one of the most eagerly awaited shows, that of DK Harrell, the new star of American blues, who chose the Bilbao Blues Festival to offer his first and only performance in Spain. The guitarist and singer, direct heir to masters such as BB King and Freddie King, ignited the passion of the audience, who surrendered to his sympathy and overflowing talent in a show to remember.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds, fronted by harmonica player and singer Kim Wilson, the festival’s special prize winner, proved to be a perfectly oiled blues rock machine. The legendary Texas-born band played the best of their repertoire, with a predominance of guitars, in an energetic and powerful concert in which Kim Wilson offered an authentic harmonica master class that left the audience satiated with blues before the last day of the festival.
FINAL DAY WITH FEMALE PROTAGONISM
The festival resumed its activity on Sunday on the Gold stage with boogie-woogie classes, one of the most successful events of each edition, which brought together hundreds of people of all ages eager to learn and have fun dancing to the rhythm of the music of the 50s.
The party continued with the quartet Kid Carlos Band, led by the Sevillian guitarist Carlos Moreno. In his performance he paid tribute to blues classics such as Freddie King and Elmore James and gave a great sample of his electrifying and personal blues rock.
The high temperatures on Sunday were no obstacle for the audience to dance and sing along to the rhythm of DK Harrell’s spectacular show in what was his second performance of the festival. The bluesman from Louisiana gave it his all as he performed songs from his debut album ‘The right man’. So much so that he ended up singing mixed in with the audience by taking off his shirt.
In the afternoon, Alba ‘La Perra Blanco’ from Cádiz gave a superb performance of 50’s rock and roll, rockabilly and blues. The soul blues party took over the Arenal venue with ‘Rockin’ Soul Sistas’, singers Terrie Odabi and Anika Chambers together with guitarist Paul DesLauries, accompanied by DK Harrell in the final part of the concert.
The festival was rounded off by singer and guitarist Ana Popovic. The American-born Serbian blueswoman, one of the most renowned artists on the international blues scene, gave an energetic concert in which she fused a variety of styles such as soul, funk and rock.
