‘08 Eureka Springs Blues Festival Starts Today!
If you’re a fan of the blues, there’s no doubt you’ve heard that the 2008 Eureka Springs Blues Festival is kicking off today and will run thru Sunday, June 1st.
While I’m not a particularly big fan of the blues, I have to admit that the ESBF folks have pulled in an impressive amount of artists to play the festival including the “Queen of Blues” Koko Taylor and Native American blues band Indigenous.
The bigger acts will be playing at the Barefoot Ballroom and Ozark Room in the Basin Park Hotel while the not-quite-as-big acts will play at various clubs around town including the Cat House Pub, Center Street, Chelsea’s, Eureka Live, Henri’s, Jack’s Place, Lumberyard, Pied Piper, Rowdy Beaver, Shawbee’s, and Tiki Torch.
Tickets are available online for $40 a pop, which I’m assuming covers the entire weekend. If you’re willing to drop $10 more, you can land the oh-so-coveted VIP seating. But don’t dilly dally, it looks like the VIP seating is filling up fast.
For those blues lovers whose pocket books are a little strapped, the festival will hold a whopping eighteen free shows at Basin Park. They run hourly from Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from Noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Not too shabby.
Curious about who’s playing this years festival besides Koko Taylor and Indigenous? Well, have a look.
I have no idea who 95% of these bands are, but you might:
Koko Taylor, Indigenous, LZ, Larry Garner, Deborah Coleman, Michael Burks, Trampled Under Foot, Rory Block, Michael “Hawkeye” Herman, The Ariels, Rich Berry, Geri ‘Black and Blues’, Delta Highway, The Eureka Street Buskers, Full House, Joe Giles and The Homewreckers, Scott Holt, Anna Horton, Gary Hutchinson Duo, Jones Van Jones, The Jug Band, Karian, Kosmik Debris, Jeff Lee, Brian Martin, Oreo Blue, Oysters Rockefeller, Joe Pitts Band, Patrick Sweany Band, Penelope and The Unusual Suspects, Pope County Bootleggers, Rockin’ Jake, Spent, Stella Blue & Maddog, The Tablerockers, Lil’ Dave Thompson, Underground Mafia, Vance Orange Project, Dayton Waters and many others.
Have fun and make sure to let us know how it was, would ya?
Check out the Official Eureka Springs Blues Festival website for more information.
Comments
The Fayetteville Flyer doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy.
Derek
May 29, 2008
BLUES HAMMER!
Alannah
May 29, 2008
I recommend the Sunday afternoon Patrick Sweany show at Chelsea’s. It’s the “locals” show because everyone else in Eureka is either a.) still sleeping b.) on their way home or c.) still in the drunk tank.