Bluestone Blues Festival comes of age this year, celebrating its 21st birthday with one of the best lineups yet, showcasing generations of outstanding local and national blues talent.
The two-day event is the calendar highlight of Sleepy Hollow Blues Club, and the 21st celebrations kick off at 6pm on New Years Eve, with a couple of impressive Geelong-based bands, Lounge Lizards followed by Buxom Blues. The Andy Layfield Sound is the third act for New Years Eve, bringing their blues/rock mix, together with a touch of jazz and funk to keep the night humming.
Sweet Felicia and the Tradies then take the stage. She and the Honeytones blew the crowd away two years ago at Bluestone and this year she’ll do it again with the Tradies.
HouseWreckers have the task of seeing in the New Year. This smoulderinghot trio from Melbourne had SHBC rocking earlier this year at a Sunday session – on the bigger Bluestone stage they will set 2017 alight.
Recovery Day proceedings get underway at 11am when Torquay-based Righteous Desmond takes the stage. The powerful blues quartet was a popular act at SHBC’s Blues4Blankets event in July this year.
The three other acts for New Years Day represent some of the finest blues talent this country has to offer.
The Chris Wilson Band starts at 12.30pm – he needs no introduction and has been among the cream of Australia’s blues performers for more than two decades with his distinctively penetrating voice and brilliant harmonica playing.
Following Chris Wilson, Geoff Achison, another of this country’s top blues performers takes the stage with the Souldiggers. A crowd-pleasing guitar virtuoso, Geoff creates a mind-blowing original sound.
To finish up the 21st Bluestone party, it’s The Sammy Owen Blues Band. Sammy’s vocals and scorching guitar feature in their mix of contemporary, funky and highly energetic blues, which includes some outstanding original material, with a few classics thrown in.
Bluestone Blues Festival 2016/17
Where: Murgheboluc Reserve, Hamilton Hwy Murgheboluc (20km west of Geelong)
When: Saturday December 31, Sunday January 1
Tickets: Online purchase $100 per adult for two days ($85 for SHBC members), includes an overnight camping site if needed; $90 concession.
Add $10 per ticket if purchasing at the gate (available from 10am December 31); junior (15-17 yrs), must be accompanied by an adult $40; children under 15 free.
New Years Day only tickets: adults $55; concession $45; junior (15-17 yrs) $10
For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit: sleepyhollowblues.club