The festival has returned to it’s 2-day format after several years of tinkering with several different combinations. According to festival producer, Steve Allen, two days are the best-suited timeframe for maximum exposure for both the Village of Oxford and Blues music in general. The single largest change this year is the fact that all events on both days are absolutely free of charge for admission. This is being done due the poor state of the Michigan economy and to allow families a weekend of fun without the worries of money.
This year's event is actually three events starting with the kickoff concert on Friday evening, followed by Detroit Blues Challenge starting at noon on Saturday, and the core festival beginning at 4pm on Saturday.
THE FRIDAY KICKOFF EVENT The Oxford DDA Kickoff Night will feature Blues performances from four regional acts, all of which are well known in their own right. The gates will open at 5:00pm and admission is absolutely free. The musical lineup for this event will feature (along with their performance times):
· MOJO PHOENIX (6:00pm)
· FRONT STREET BLUES BAND (7:00pm)
· TOMAS ESPARZA and the BOA CONSTRICTORS (8:00pm)
· JOSH BOYD AND THE VIP BAND wsg/ MARK “PAZ” PASMAN FROM WCSX (9:00pm)
You may stroll Downtown Oxford to eat, shop, and discover it’s hidden treasures. You may also attend the post-concert celebration at Callahan’s in Auburn Hills immediately following. (www.atcallahans.com).
THE SATURDAY JUNE 20 EVENT
This event kicks off at 12 noon from 2 different locations. The first location, the Berkley American Legion Post. hosts a memorial motorcycle ride as a fundraiser for the 1st Battalion, 24th Marines Operation Iraqi Freedom Battalion Memorial (http://1-24battalionmemorial.bravehost.com) to honor the 22 fallen Marines of 1st Battalion, 24th Marines through the construction of a permanent Battalion Memorial at Selfridge Air National Guard Base - Mount Clemens, MI. The ride progresses through Oakland County with many celebrity riders and escorted by the Oakland County Sherriff’s Department. Contact [email protected] for further details.
In Oxford, at noon, day 2 of the festivities begin, starting with:
THE 2009 DETROIT BLUES CHALLENGE
The Detroit Blues Challenge at Hot Blues and BBQ is the 4th preliminary round of the annual Detroit Blues Society Challenge where the overall judged winner will move on to the Challenge Finals in November and win a cash prize. In 2008, 5 preliminary rounds were staged plus the Finals. In 2009, there will be 6 rounds plus the Finals. The overall winners of the Finals will go on to represent Detroit at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee in January of 2010.
In this, the 4th round of the Blues Challenge, the competitors will be (along with their performance times):
* BEBE AND THE BLUESMASTERS (12 Noon)
* DAVID GERALD AND INSURRECTION (12:30pm)
* MOTOR HONEY (1:00pm)
* CROSSROADS BLUES BAND (1:30pm)
* JACOB CLYDE BAND (2:00pm)
Each Band will play 1, 20-minute set of original music, and will be judged by a panel of music professionals, in accordance with International Blues Challenge rules, to determine an overall winner of this round. The winner will be announced at around 3:00 pm.
There will also be a people’s choice award for the crowd’s favorite band. Patrons will vote with dollar bills and the band with the highest total of votes will win. All monies raised will benefit the Detroit Blues Society’s Blues Challenge Prize Fund. The Detroit Blues Society is a registered 501c3 charity and all donations are tax deductible.
HOT BLUES AND BBQ 2009
Hot Blues and BBQ 2009 will feature spectacular Blues performances from a star-studded cast of musicians from across the USA. Along with the musical performances, the event also features BBQ Vendors, the Hubert
Distributors - Bud Light Beer Garden, Retail Vendors, Swimming, Picnicking, a Playground, Raffles, and an entire day of family fun for all. The gates will open at 11:00am and admission is absolutely free.
The musical lineup for 2009 looks like a who’s who of Blues music and will feature (along with their performance times):
* THE BLUESCASTERS (3:00pm)
* FROG AND THE BEEFTONES (4:00pm)
* MEASURED CHAOS (5:00pm)
* COUNT BRACEY AND THE PLEASURETONES (6:00pm)
* THE ALLIGATORS (7:00pm)
* THE MATT BESEY BAND (8:00pm)
* MOTOR CITY JOSH (9:00pm)
* JASON RICCI AND NEW BLOOD (10:30pm)
Event / Media Contact:
Steven J. Allen – Executive Producer
40 Burdick Woods Ct.
Oxford, MI 48371
Telephone: (248) 249-5287
Email: [email protected]
For more information contact Just Roots PR.
