News News Non-Profit Blues Fest moved ahead of Isaac
Blues Fest moved ahead of Isaac
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 30 August 2012 15:20
- Written by Paul Gordon
Blues Festival and moe. moved to Expo Gardens; previously purchased tickets will be honored
It isn't often the effects of a hurricane are felt in central Illinois, but this weekend will likely be the exception.
Not only will the expected deluge, remnants of Hurricane Isaac, wreak havoc with basements and flood-prone creeks, it is forcing the relocation of one of the Peoria riverfront's best known and most popular events, the Budweiser Illinois Blues Festival.
Also being relocated to Expo Gardens is Sunday night's concert by moe., which was also scheduled for the riveront.
It isn't often the effects of a hurricane are felt in central Illinois, but this weekend will likely be the exception.
Not only will the expected deluge, remnants of Hurricane Isaac, wreak havoc with basements and flood-prone creeks, it is forcing the relocation of one of the Peoria riverfront's best known and most popular events, the Budweiser Illinois Blues Festival.
Also being relocated to Expo Gardens is Sunday night's concert by moe., which was also scheduled for the riveront.
Because promoters were able to get ample warning about approaching storms they decided to move the two-day festival and moe. concert to Expo Gardens, with times for the Friday and Saturday events the same as were planned for the riverfront, said Jay Goldberg of Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment.
"Usually with a festival like this it goes on rain or shine. This time we got so much advance warning about the approach front we thought this would be the best thing to do, especially from a safety standpoint," Goldberg said Thursday, shortly after he returned from Springfield to get all of the permits necessary for such an event changed from the riverfront to Expo Gardens.
"We've never had to move the Blue Fest before. It's been pretty complicated, with 20 bands and competitions and workshops," he said, adding there were a lot of phone calls to agents and tour managers involved. "Everybody has been totally fine with it. They understand."
Still, Goldberg said, he and other organizers are somewhat nervous about how the move will be received by the public. "We're not sure how they will feel about moving from the ambience of the riverfront, with the outdoor stages and the grassy knolls, to an indoor venue. We hope they will understand and still come because other than the venue nothing changes. We have a really strong show, we will still have food and beverages, including the fish fry.
"We had everybody's safety in mind when we made this decision. The word we get is that Friday night on through Sunday will be pretty dismal, with humongous rain. We didn't people getting hurt by flying tents and stuff," he said.
The Blues Festival headline band is Canned Heat, which was one of the top bands at Woodstock. In fact, Goldberg said, three current members of Canned Heat played with the band at Woodstock.
Canned Heat, listed as a blues and boogie band, has been together since 1965 and Goldberg has some sentimental attachment to the group. It was the first group he booked to play at The Barn, a former concert venue on Galena Road, early in his promoting career.
"They are still really good," he said.
Other artists and bands include Curtis Salgado, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Dave Chastain (who opens the festival at 7 p.m. Friday), Duke Robillard and many others. In the Blues Tent on Saturday will be workshop on the harp at 2 p.m., acoustic blues at 4 p.m. and electric Chicago blues at 5 p.m.
There will still be three stages, as had been planned for the riverfront, with the main stage moving to the main building at Expo Gardens and the International Blues Challenge competition to the Opera House. The competition will start at 7:15 p.m. Friday. The third stage will be in a tent between the two buildings.
Goldberg said tickets already purchased for the festival will be honored at Expo Gardens. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door for Friday, and $20 in advance and $25 at the door on Saturday. Two-day tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Visitor's Center on the riverfront, at Co-op Records in Peoria, East Peoria and Pekin, at Shandi's in Washington and Canton or by calling (800) 514-3849.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday.
For the moe. concert on Sunday, previously purchased tickets will be honored. Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door.
The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the concert at 7:30 p.m.
moe., which started as a bar band in Buffalo, N.Y., has become one of the preeminent progressive rock bands in the country. It has 17 albums to its credit and has become a headliner in New York City.
Paul Gordon is editor of The Peorian. He can be reached at 692-7880 or editor@thepeorian.com
