Harvest Media Center
Harvest Announces Free Stage Performances
September 14, 2009
The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival announced today the remaining international headliners that will be playing free shows, as well as an array of local and regional talent to be featured on free stages during the Festival.
International headliners announced include Louisiana Zydeco master Terrence Simien and blues folk star Eric Bibb.
"We understand that not every Harvest lover is able to purchase tickets, but we want to make sure everyone is still able to enjoy the international-caliber event that Harvest has become known as," says Festival Chair Patti Graham. "With free performances making up 35 per cent of the Festival schedule, we've tried to give any and all music lover the opportunity to see some fantastic live music."
The free programming will begin on Wednesday with the Free Festival Kick Off show in the Bell Aliant Mojo Tent at 7pm with the dynamic and multicultural band, the Roberto Lopez Project.
This year's impressive line-up of free family shows in Officer's Square includes blues poet Ray Bonneville, Kansas rockers Moreland and Arbuckle, acoustic folk singer and Festival favourite Eric Bibb, powerhouse blues vocalist Shakura S'Aida and Zydeco master Terrence Simien.
"There's really nothing like watching a great act in Officers' Square. You've got great music from around the world, an amazing historic backdrop and a strong sense of community. In many ways, it's an experience at the very heart of the Festival," says Graham.
In addition to Officer's Square, Harvest is offering three other completely free venues with their own distinctive offerings.
The Taylor Electric Tannery Stage will feature some of the region's most rocking bands. On Thursday, starting at 6:30pm Tore Down, Tallest Band on Earth and Newfoundland imports the Chris Kirby Band will play. Friday, starting at 5:30pm, The Instigators, The Spaces and Andy Brown take the stage and Saturday at 5:30 will be The Rockin Billies, Telfer and Weak Size Fish.
The JDI Acoustic Stage on Queen Street will offer patrons an unplugged experience nightly with the likes of guitar innovator Ryan LeBlanc, Isaac and Blewett, Heckman and Downes, Ross Neilsen and PEI songstress Teresa Doyle. Those shows begin at 6:30pm on Thursday, and 5:30pm on Friday and Saturday.
All week long the King's Place Stage will have free lunch time shows from 11:30am to 1:30pm, featuring Keith Hallett on Wednesday, Woolsey, Blewett & McNeely, and Doc MacLean & Big Dave McLean on Thursday, and the Chris Kirby Band and Julian Fauth & David Rotundo on Friday.
The Daily Gleaner Stage in Officers' Square will kick off Friday at 1:30pm with performances by the East Delta Trio, Ray Bonneville, Beyond Brazil and Moreland and Arbuckle.
On Saturday in the Square, the Congo Square family experience will begin at 11am with kid-friendly performances by Fruteland Jackson and Terrence Simien. Then at 2pm the music will keep on rolling with a free show featuring Roland Tchakounté, Easley, Stevenson & Arsenault and New York's Eric Bibb.
Also on Saturday, at 3pm in the PQA Barracks tent, Thom Swift will host Songs and Stories, featuring Morgan Davis, Teresa Doyle and Graham Walker of Grand Theft Bus.
The Festival will wrap up on Sunday in Officers' Square at 1pm with ECMA-winner Thom Swift, 2008 International Blues Challenge runner up, Shakura S'Aida and the Creole-infused sound of Terrence Simien and the Zydeco Experience.
To read up on all the artists playing free venues and get their performance times, please visit www.harvestjazzandblues.com.
