With more than $100,000 invested in sound and lights, including a 35-foot tall video screen, LiUNA Bluesfest Windsor is geared up to become the city’s largest party of the summer. With music stars like Night Ranger, Eddie Money, Jonny Lang, and Colin James, it’s got the makings of a legendary summer. It runs July 12-15 at Riverfront Festival Plaza in Windsor.
“The stage is up and we’re ready,” stated Rob Petroni, President of Bluesfest Windsor as preparations were underway for the big show opening up tonight. “The response from the community has been great. Ticket sales have been amazing over the last seven days and there might not be too many left at the gates if people wait too long. Sunday is almost sold-out and we’re starting to run out of tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well.”
The lineup includes a departure to the format with touring act Back to the 90s hitting the stage on Sunday night with notable rap, R&B and hip hop stars like Vanilla Ice, Naughty By Nature, Rob Base, Young MC and C+C Music Factory. This is a newly revised version of the popular North American I Love The 90s Tour which sold out dates across the continent over the past few years.
“Last year we tried extremely hard to get that show here,” Petroni said of the Back to the 90s show. “It’s a high energy show and we know the place is going to be packed. That show also serves another purpose and that’s to get people who might not otherwise come to a blues show and expose them to the blues. They’ll get to see one of the best that night in Beth Hart.”
Other headliners include Eddie Money, Night Ranger, Colin James, Extreme, Pat Travers Band, Jonny Lang and Beth Hart.
The festival will also feature several local performers including Danielle Nicole, Kathleen Murray and The Groove Council, The Instinct, Drop Dead Famous, Nemesis, Greatest Hits Live, South River Slim, United Snakes, and the Moondog Howlers.
Another unique addition to the 2018 festival is the addition of a musician in residence or a Bluesfest Ambassador as he’s being called. Sugaray Rayford was a last minute addition in 2017 and impressed not only the audience, but the organizers as well. Rayford will perform on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are available online
The complete lineup includes:
Thursday, July 12:
Night Ranger, Extreme
Drop Dead Famous, Greatest Hits Live
Friday, July 13:
Colin James, Pat Travers Band, Danielle Nicole, Sugaray Rayford
Nemesis, South River Slim
Saturday, July 14:
Eddie Money, Jonny Lang, Sugaray Rayford
Angel Forrest, Kathleen Murray & Groove Council, The Wild Rides, United Snakes
Sunday, July 15:
Vanilla Ice, Naughty By Nature, Rob Base, Young MC, C+C Music Factory
Beth Hart, Sugaray Rayford
Moondog Howlers, The Instinct
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