Harvest Announces Free Stage Performances
September 12, 2011
The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival announced today the artists playing on the six free public stages during the Festival, including two new free stages – one for jazz and one for blues.
International headliners announced in the free programming are the Blues Caravan’s Girls with Guitars, New Orleans’ Rebirth Brass Band, Delta bluesman Super Chikan and the winner of Harvest’s first-ever UK Battle of the Blues, 24 Pesos. Also featured on the free stage line up are Quebec superstar Florence K and Canadian roots icons Rick Fines & Suzie Vinnick.
“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 Brad Wasson. “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 begins on Wednesday with the Free Festival Kick Off show in the Bell Aliant Mojo Tent at 7pm with Harvest’s 2010 Galaxie Rising Star, Andy Brown and Thom Swift & the El Caminos.
This year’s impressive line-up of free family shows in Officers’ Square includes Maritime artists like The Olympic Symphonium, George Street Blues Project, Lovestorm and ECMA winning jazz artist Krisanne Crowell.
“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 Wasson.
In addition to Officers’ Square, Harvest is offering five other completely free venues with their own distinctive offerings, including two new free stages – one for jazz and one for blues.
The James Joyce Pub will feature free blues shows each night starting at 7:30pm. Newfoundland R&B singer Chris Kirby ECMA-winning blues band The Hupman Brothers will play Thursday. On Friday, Dan Stevens opens for Joe Murphy & the Water Street Blues Band, and Saturday features Joe Murphy and his band again, with Chris Kirby opening.
In the new TD Jazz Central at the new Fredericton Convention Centre, free jazz shows will be offered in The Crush on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Starting at 4pm Friday, Justin Harding & Peter Rioux will perform, followed by the Don Bosse Quintet with Mary Milliken. On Saturday, starting at 2pm, pianist Silvio Pupo will perform, then the Alex Bailey Band, and Don Bosse Quintet with Mary Milliken will close out the free performances again that evening, just in time for the headline jazz shows and Swing Dance Party to begin.
The Taylor Electric Tannery Stage will feature some of the region’s most rocking bands. On Thursday, starting at 6:30pm Hardscrabble Road, Matchstick Mike and Weak Size Fish will play. Friday, starting at 5:30pm, The Honeyboys, Richard Gloade and The Belle Comedians will take the stage and Saturday, starting at 5:30pm, will be Oh No, Theodore, The Midnight Ramblers and Gordon Gets Lost.
The JDI Acoustic Stage on Queen Street will offer patrons an unplugged experience nightly. Thursday evening it’s all about family when father-son duo Double Dutch Hutch and family band Fresia & The Offsprings perform. On Friday, Fresia & the Offsprings will perform again, along with JC Arsenault & Danny Robichaud. On Saturday, Double Dutch Hutch, New England Bluesman Dan Stevens, and local favourite Isaac & Blewett will take the stage. 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 Matchstick Mike on Wednesday, ECMA-winners The Hupman Brothers on Thursday, and Geoff Bartley followed by Joe Murphy and the Water Street Blues Band on Friday.
The Daily Gleaner Stage in Officers’ Square will kick off Friday at 1:30pm with performances by The Olympic Symphonium, George Street Blues Project, Krisanne Crowell and 24 Pesos.
Harvest’s Galaxie Rising Star showcase will also take place Friday afternoon at the Galaxie Barracks tent. This free event will feature performances by the six Galaxie finalists that the audience can vote on. At the end of the showcase, the 2011 Galaxie Rising Star will be selected.
On Saturday in Officers’ Square, the Congo Square family experience will begin at 11am with kid-friendly performances by Scotty & the Stars, TJ Wheeler, and Rebirth Brass Band. Then at 2pm the music will keep on rolling with a free show featuring Lovestorm, Mississippi’s Super Chikan with some Delta blues, then a hard-driving blues rock set from the Blues Caravan’s Girls with Guitars.
Also on Saturday, at 2pm in the Galaxie Barracks tent, Memphis Bound: The IBC Finals will take place. Four of New Brunswick’s most promising blues acts will battle it out for a spot at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis at the beginning of 2012. The audience will get to vote for their favourites online and at this event as well.
The Festival will wrap up on Sunday in Officers’ Square at 1pm with Quebecois chanteuse Florence K, followed by longtime Harvest fan favourites Suzie Vinnick & Rick Fines. Closing out the show with a true New Orleans block party will be Rebirth Brass band.
Here is a breakdown of all free stage performances:
WEDNESDAY
11:30am, King’s Place Stage, Matchstick Mike
7pm, Mojo Tent, Andy Brown, Thom Swift & the El Caminos
THURSDAY
11:30am, King’s Place Stage, The Hupman Brothers
4-6pm, Mojo Tent, CBC Shift Broadcast w/ 24 Pesos and Carmen Townsend
6:30pm, Tannery Stage, Hardscrabble Road, Matchstick Mike, Weak Size Fish
6:30pm, Queen Street Acoustic Stage, Double Dutch Hutch, Eric Fresia & the Offsprings
7:30pm, James Joyce Pub, Chris Kirby, The Hupman Brothers
FRIDAY
6am, Mojo Tent, CBC Information Morning Breakfast
11:30am, King’s Place, Geoff Bartley, Joe Murphy & the Water Street Blues Band
1:30pm, Officers’ Square, Olympic Symphonium, George St. Blues Project, Krisanne Crowell, 24 Pesos
3pm, Barracks, Galaxie Rising Stars Showcase
4pm, Jazz in the Crush (FCC), Peter Rioux & Justin Harding, Done Bosse Quintet (with Mary Milliken)
5:30pm, Tannery, The Honeyboys, Richard Gloade, Esq., The Belle Comedians
5:30pm, Acoustic Stage, Eric Fresia & the Offsprings, JC Arsenault & Danny Robichaud
7:30pm, James Joyce Pub, Dan Stevens, Joe Murphy & the Water Street Blues Band
SATURDAY
11am, Officers’ Square, Congo Square (Scotty & the Stars, TJ Wheeler, Rebirth Brass Band)
2pm, Officers’ Square, Lovestorm, Super Chikan, Blues Caravan’s Girls with Guitars
2pm, Barracks, Road to Memphis: The IBC Finals
2pm, Jazz in the Crush (FCC), Silvio Pupo, the Alex Bailey Band, Don Bosse Quintet (with Mary Milliken)
5:30pm, Tannery, Oh No, Theodore, The Midnight Ramblers, Gordon Gets Lost
5:30pm, Acoustic Stage Double Dutch Hutch, Dan Stevens, Isaac & Blewett
7:30pm, James Joyce Pub, Chris Kirby, Joe Murphy & the Water Street Blues Band
SUNDAY
1pm, Officers’ Square, Florence K, Rick Fines & Suzie Vinnick, Rebirth Brass Band
