Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival’s volunteer committee and crew are set to stage Central Victoria’s favorite home-grown music event for the eighth year running and there’s no sign of the event losing momentum; quite the opposite, with more international acts, and artists from every state and territory in Australia bound for Bendigo in November!
Festival Director Colin Thompson noted he received artist applications from a total of 22 countries this year – a new record for the music festival that prides itself on staying true to its roots in being run by the community and for the community.
But the internationals and other visiting artists are not the only draw, as Mr Thompson explains: “This is first and foremost an event that sheds a light on local and independent talent and shows off Bendigo’s venues and our city itself. If it wasn’t for the local musicians, venue operators and community members rolling up their sleeves and pitching in to help, our festival wouldn’t exist. We welcome visitors from everywhere, but we’re proud to show off ‘Bendigo at its best’, every November and during the other events we stage and co-promote through the year.”
In addition to the artists you’d expect to see at the festival this year, there are plenty of fresh discoveries to be made, as always. Japanese duo Fu-Ching-Gido is one such surprise, according to BB&RMF programmers. Featuring a young lady with fast-handed drumming skills who doubles up on melodica and a euphonium player who plays through a series of amps to produce a mighty sound for their complex and fun-filled grooves, the pair are sure to make a lot of fans and generate a lot of fun over the four-day program in November.
Headlining a 4-act show at Bendigo’s world class Ulumbarra Theatre will be superstar Aussie soul band The Badloves on Saturday 10 November. The show actually kicks off in the foyer/bar, which is free entry for those wishing to check out powerful performances of Collard Greens & Gravy and BB&RMF debutants Spoonful. For a main event concert with a difference, the auditorium will be converted to a dance hall for general admission ticket holders, with the front 200 seats being removed to make room to boogie. Those who wish to buy allocated seating tickets can still do so of course, so you can enjoy the show the way you want to – dancing up a storm to John McNamara’s Soul Band and The Badloves, or relaxed in the comfortable seating provided by Bendigo’s biggest and most prestigious theatre.
Of course, The Blues Tram (now a Bendigo icon) will feature amazing talent again and the bulk of venues in the City’s CBD will feature an enormous array of acts, free of charge. For those seeking particular niche concert experiences though, there are plenty available – some ticketed, some for a nominal entry fee and others free of charge thanks to the generosity and willingness of our host venues to keep the majority of our program accessible to all.
Plans are in place to step up the mentoring and workshop elements of this year’s festival, with Wayne Jury’s celebrated and successful ‘Blues Boot Camp’ coming to town. The program is aimed at music students aged 12-25 and will be run at The Capital complex over the first two days of the festival, concluding with a very special ticketed concert in the main auditorium on the Friday evening (9 November). Full details on how students can participate will be accessible via BB&RMF’s website and getting in early for a spot is definitely recommended.
This year’s Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival takes place 8-11 November. Keep an eye on bendigobluesandroots.com.au for line-up announcements, special offers, program release and much more.
www.bendigobluesandroots.com.au
AT A GLANCE
Dates: Thursday 8 November through Sunday 11 November 2018
Attraction: Live music from over 155 quality acts across more than 50 venues
Ticket price: Majority of program is free entry, minimal cost to a small number of venues – VIP passes available online https://bendigoblues.com/tickets/
Venue: Bendigo, Central Victoria
Media Contacts: ColinThompson bendigoblues@gmail.com
Website: www.bendigobluesandroots.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bendigobluesroots
Twitter:@BendigoBlues
Instagram:@bendigoblues
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Media release 03 Sept 2018
