Category Archives: Music Festival

Spring is Festival Season in Lafayette, LA

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by Wendy Lemlin

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In Lafayette, Spring parades in like a Mardi Gras and 2-steps out like a Zydeco Queen. In fact, you could call springtime Festival Season, because when it comes to music, dancing, regional cuisine, and colorful traditions, there’s really no such thing as “too much of a good thing”, especially when all the fun is spotlighted at one of the many festivals taking place from March through May. The common denominator in most of this merriment, whether in the city or rural towns throughout the parish, is the joyous appreciation of life expressed through the accordion-driven, made-for-dancing, Cajun and zydeco music of the area, and rare is the event that doesn’t culminate in a dance party. If you really want to thoroughly experience festival time in Lafayette, you’d best bring your dancing boots along! Continue reading →

Jazz So Smooth!

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2nd Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival Happening This Weekend

by Wendy Lemlin

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Last year, a new music-based festival rolled into town and immediately became a success. Filling the downtown waterfront Embarcadero Marina Park North, the three day San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival drew a capacity crowd of not only local smooth jazz enthusiasts, but also participants from all over California and beyond. Not a mean accomplishment for a first-time event during a busy time of year!!

Eric Darius

Eric Darius

Drawing on that success, the 2nd annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival is back again this weekend, June 29-July 1, with a stellar lineup of some of the best known names of the genre. Hosted by saxophonist, composer, producer, and vocalist Eric Darius, the festival opens with an intimate evening featuring performances by Continue reading →

Mavis Staples Headlines San Diego Blues Festival

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by Wendy Lemlin

Blues Fest

So, what are you doing on Saturday? If your answer isn’t “attending the 7th annual AimLoan.com San Diego Blues Festival”, you’ll be missing out on a great day of music and fun, not to mention the opportunity to support the very worthy Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank in their fight against chronic hunger.  With a lineup that includes the inimitable Mavis Staples, Joe Louis Walker, California Honeydrops for headliners, and local favorites like Rick Estrin and the Nightcaps, Missy, Mercedes, & Sharifa, Big Jon & the Nationals, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, & Aki Kumar, Blue Largo, and TJ & the Suitcase, Saturday promises to be a stellar day. Continue reading →

KAABOO Year Two

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By Wendy Lemlin

 

logo.kaaboo_2x.ext-33c58bcd750728837ef4a610f4c28a16Music, Art, Food, Comedy –- KAABOO Del Mar brings all the elements of a good time together in one multi-focus three day event billed as a “mixperience”.  Ambitiously begun in 2015 as the largest multi-faceted cultural event to hit the San Diego area, the 2nd annual installment of KAABOO Del Mar takes place September 16-18 and sprawls throughout the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The festival organizers define KAABOO as “an adult escape, created by music lovers for music lovers, uniquely curated to appeal to all five of your senses, with world-class music, dancing, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences”.

At the heart of KAABOO Del Mar is the music, with over 78 eclectic artists appearing on 5 stages, performing everything from Americana/Roots music to classics, to Hip Hop. Those who spring for the VIP “Amplify” ticket, get to start the party early on Thursday evening, with entertainment by Chris Isaak and Macy Gray. Continue reading →

AmiLoan.com San Diego Blues Fest Happening September 10

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By Wendy Lemlin

Blues Fest

The fight against hunger in our community has been waged on many fronts, but perhaps the most pleasant battlefield happens each year at Embacadero Park with a soundtrack that includes the hottest national and local blues artists around.

Since 2011, the AmiLoan.com San Diego Blues Fest has partnered with the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank with a two-fold mission: present top name blues artists at an affordable price while raising much needed funds—-and awareness—-to benefit the Food Bank. It’s been a rousing success; to date,sponsors and festival goers have helped contribute 20 tons of food and more than $435,000 to help the Food Bank fight hunger in San Diego County. And no one’s crying the blues about that!

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Giving Hunger the Blues

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by Wendy Lemlin

Chronic hunger can give anyone the blues.  This weekend, however, the blues will be helping to kick hunger’s butt when the 4th annual AimLoan.com San Diego Blues Festival

Marcia Ball headlines Saturday at 6:30 pm

Marcia Ball headlines Saturday at 6:30 pm

benefits the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. With headliners such as Marcia Ball, Booker T. Jones, Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, Kim Wilson, and Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, this year’s festival promises an eclectic spectrum of blues performers.

 

Running on September 26 & 27, from noon til 8pm at Embarcadero Marina Park North, the festival features continuous music alternating back and forth between 2 stages. Click here for the complete lineup. Tickets are $25 for a 1 day pass, $40 for a 2 day pass.  VIP passes are $125 for one day, $200 for 2 days and include

  • Early admission
  • Preferred viewing area with tables, chairs and some shade
  • Catered lunch and munchies
  • Private bar service
  • Private restrooms
  • Two complimentary adult beverages
  • Unlimited complimentary water and soft drinks

The festival began in 2011 with a mission to provide great blues music at an affordable price, and raise money to support the battle against hunger in our community. Since then, the festival’s sponsors and attendees have helped contribute more than 18 tons of food and more than $350,000 to help the Food Bank fight hunger in San Diego County.

For all the info, go to www,sdbluesfest.com

KAABOO for You

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By Wendy Lemlin

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Back in 1969, the most well known of all music festivals EVER was optimistically billed as Woodstock Music & Art Fair, in hopes that it would be remembered as more than just a regular ol’ music festival.  Which of course it was, but not because of any art exhibits, but rather as the iconic representation of the art of high hippieness.

Forty-six years later (yikes!), KAABOO, the hip, but not hippie, three day music and arts festival taking place this weekend, September 18-20 at Del Mar Fairgrounds will distinguish itself not only by presenting over 100 musical performances, from legends to emerging artists, on seven stages. As if that wouldn’t be ambitious enough, adding to the total “mix-perience”  the festival includes components of  experiential “indulgences”, art installations, a comedy club, and opportunities for indulging our seemingly insatiable food obsessions at the “Palate” area.

The musical lineup is truly impressive, with something seemingly for everyone.  On Friday, the highlights include, among others, Bonnie Raitt, Ozomatli, Fitz & the Tantrums, Sheryl Crow, No Doubt, and Snoop Dog. On Saturday, some of the big names are Counting Crows, Slightly Stoopid, Ozomatli, Zac Brown Band, and Spoon. Sunday features Donovan Frankenreiter, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, O.A.R., Minnie Driver, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Grace Potter, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Brandi Carlisle, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, and Train.  On Friday and Saturday, the music runs from 11 AM-2:30 AM, on Sunday from 11AM-10pm.

As for food, according to KAABOO’s website, the “Palate” component will present fare that’s “way more tasteful than at a typical music festival”, representing an upscale culinary environment where guests can sample specialties from a variety of carefully selected culinary artisans, and limited production wines and craft libations:

  • 18 top local restaurants & chefs
  • 20 exclusive California wineries pouring approximately 60 different wines
  • 25 craft distilleries sampling small batch tequila, mezcal, bourbon, gin, rum, vodka, sake, and other spirits

On the Palate Stage on Saturday, starting at noon, six chefs will compete in the KAABOO Rockin’ Chef Competition, with three teams of two chefs with each team making an appetizer and entrée.  The competing chefs are

  • Amy di Biase
  • Brian Malarkey
  • Chad White
  • James Montejano
  • Jason McLeod
  • Javier Plascencia.

Their entries will be judged by Master Chef Ferdinand Metz, Candice Woo of EATER SD, Darlene Horn of ZAGAT, Josh Kopelman of DiningOutSD, and Sam the Cooking Guy.

The Palate stage will also be the place to catch:

  • Chef Band Performances
  • Celebrity Chef Demos
  • Chef & Artist Book Signings
  • Surprise Musical Performances

For all the detailed info for this “grown up” party, click here. One day passes start at $125, 2 day passes start at $229, and 3 day passes start at $299 in advance, $329 at the gate, all plus service charges.  A variety of VIP passes are also available. $1 per pass purchased will be donated to KAABOO’s “KINDNESS” charity program. Additional charity contributions made at time of pass purchase will be matched dollar for dollar by KAABOO.