10th annual Deep Blues Festival brings heavy blues, Americana and rock ‘n roll to the promised land — Clarksdale, Mississippi
Clarksdale, Mississippi — A decade in, Clarksdale’s Deep Blues Festivalboasts its biggest, baddest lineup yet with heavy sounds from half adozen Southern states — including Louisiana, North Carolina and, ofcourse, Mississippi. The promised land.
Hallelujah.
MISSISSIPPI MAYHEM.. ON A SCHEDULE
“Theseare acts that can rock any house, anywhere, any time, but to see themall together at such post-apocalyptic venues as the Shack Up Inn and NewRoxy makes Deep Blues Fest an unbelievable music fan experience,” said festivalco-organizer Robin Colonas. “Every year is different. Every year islegendary. But this one is 10 years in the making, and it shows.”
Theevent’s 10th anniversary lineup is as stunning for its diversity as itis impressive for its names: The Seratones, Nikki Hill, Lee Bains III& the Gloryfires, Robert “Lil Poochie” Watson & Hezekiah Early,The Yawpers, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Dex Romweber, Leo “Bud” Welch, RLBoyce, Jimbo Mathus, Kenny Brown, Mark Holder & MPH, Chicken Snakeand more.
“Imean, damn. This year’s fest runs the gamut from Mississippi bluesmenin their 80s to the grittiest rock ‘n roll you can imagine from allaround the South,” noted publicist Roger Stolle. “Reading up on theacts, one was described as ‘pandemonium with a conscience’ and anotheras ‘following the spirits of their ancestors.’ Either quote could alsodescribe this festival.”
This year’s Deep Blues Festival rocks from Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15, 2017.It encompasses two “official,” ticketed indoor venues plus at leastfour free busking stages. In total, over 50 acts are expected to performin conjunction with the festival.
WEEKEND PASSES ON SALE NOW
The 2017 Deep Blues Festival $75 weekend pass offers the best deal. The pass acts as a “joint cover” and gets you into the festival‘s two main venues (New Roxy and Shack Up Inn) for three nights plus Sunday afternoon — October 12-15.
Buy weekend passes online now at http://deepbluesfest.com/
(Individual Nightly Passes go on sale September 1st: $25 advance, $30 at the door. Sunday afternoon pass is $10. Quantities are limited, so a sellout is possible.)
“Our main venues are as unreal as some of the acts that play them,” according Colonas.
TheShack Up Inn’s stage is bolted into an old cotton gin, and the New Roxyis a two-stage venue carved out of a long-abandoned old movie theater —half covered and half open to the heavens.
From Thursday through Sunday,there will also be free daytime performances at places like Shacksdale(Jeff Norwood Memorial Stage with Cedell Davis, Robert Kimbrough andothers), Delta Blues Alley Café (Busking Stage I), Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art (Busking Stage II) and the Rock & Blues Museum (Busking Stage III). Plus, Clarksdale already features live music 365 nights a year at its blues clubs and juke joints, each with their own cover charges at the door.
WANT MORE? BECOME A BENEFACTOR!
Deep Blues Festivalalso offers the unique opportunity to join the DBF family and becomepart of this epic event. Fans who become “Benefactors” add the extrafinancial support needed to keep this such a world-class event. As athank-you, the fest gives Benefactors first dibs on accommodations atthe world-famous Shack Up Inn and exclusive access to the Benefactor’sBall at the Delta Blues Alley Café juke joint — a special music event that is only for Benefactors.
This is above and beyond the Weekend Pass. Buy your pass first, and then become a Benefactor at http://deepbluesfest.com/
“Weget some folks who become Benefactors even if they can’t actuallyattend the event,” said Colonas. “They just love what we’re doing. Now, those are music fans!”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF DEEP BLUES FEST
In 2007, BBQ master Chris Johnson held the first Deep Blues Festivalin a field just outside of the twin cities — Minneapolis-Saint Paul— well north of the Delta. While Johnson is no longer an activeorganizer, he is still a big fan. Considering Mississippi to be the festival‘s musical and spiritual home, he hand-delivered the fest to Clarksdale four years ago.
Festival information: www.deepbluesfest.com
Weekend Pass venues: www.newroxy.com, www.shackupinn.com
This project partially funded by Coahoma County Tourism.