Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
READING BLUES FEST RUNS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AT DOUBLETREE
The Reading Blues Fest will be held Friday through Sunday at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, Reading. Here’s a rundown of the major concerts: 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY » Castro Coleman, known as Mr. Sipp, will open the Blues Fest with some authentic Mississippi blues. Also, on the bill for that night will be Scranton-based Clarence Spady, who recently released his new CD “Surrender” on Nola Blues Records, which is getting great reviews. 1 P.M. SATURDAY » Victor Wainwright Jr. will bring his band, The Train, to the DoubleTree after receiving a Grammy nomination for their album, “Memphis Loud,” in 2020. He has received six Blues Music Awards, as well as many other honors. Opening will be guitarist Davy Knowles in support of his new album, “What Happens
Next,” which is just as influenced by The Black Keys, Fantastic Negrito and Gary Clark Jr. as it is Muddy Waters, Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside. 7:30 P.M. SATURDAY » Ana Popovic will fill the Grand Ballroom with her blues, R&B, funk and soul. The Serbian native has released 10 albums, most recently “Like It on Top” (2018) and a one-and-a-half-hour CD/ DVD, “Live for LIVE.” Also performing that night will be the internationally renowned Slam Allen, who wants to be known as a “messenger of love.” Influenced by Otis Redding, James Brown and B.B. King, Allen is the former band leader and lead singer and guitarist for James Cotton. NOON SUNDAY » The finale brunch will feature St. Louis native Mike Zito, who has become one of the most critically acclaimed contemporary blues singersongwriters on the scene. The title song of his 2009 album “Pearl River,” a collaboration with Cyril Neville, won Song of the Year at the Blue Music Awards. Opening for Zito, will be King Solomon Hicks, the New York-based guitarist/ vocalist who recently was named the recipient of the Best Emerging Artists at the Blues Music Awards for his performance on the new CD “Harlem.”
Free events include “Waking Up to the Blues” Saturday morning with Bobby Kyle & The Administers; “Surviving the Pandemic: A Conversation With the Artists” hosted by Michael Cloeren Sunday morning; and 10 p.m. blues parties with the Dave Keyes Trio (Friday) and Deb Callahan Band (Saturday) in the DoubleTree’s Cheers American Bistro.
For the full schedule and ticket information, visit ReadingBluesFest.com.