ROBERT CRAY
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Cray and Bernard Allison will be among the performers as the Waterloo Concert Field in Stanhope returns to presenting major concerts this summer. These three and others will perform at the Bourbon Street Blues Fest there, May 20-21.
The Bourbon Street fest began being presented annually at Lebanon Township Memorial Park in Califon in 2006, and has featured artists such as Edgar Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Pat Travers, over the years. But the fest did not take place last summer.
“The festival has grown in popularity and notoriety over the years and in an effort to keep up with the needs of the festival a new home is necessary,” organizers have written on their web site, bourbonstreetbluesfest.com. “It was also a good opportunity to bring The Historic Waterloo Concert Field back to life. We have been working with Waterloo and the Park Service to update the facility and bring the venue back online as the new home for the annual Bourbon Street Blues Fest.”
(March 3 Update: Tickets will be $50 per day at the door. In advance, they will be $45 daily, $80 for a two-day pass, and $195 daily for VIP tickets. There will be discounts for members of the military and senior citizens. Advance tickets go on sale March 8).
In the ’80s and ’90s, Waterloo was one of New Jersey’s most important concert venues. Acts booked there included The Allman Brothers Band, Bob Dylan, Phish, Neil Young, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt. But it stopped presenting concerts regularly in the early 2000s.
According to the web site, the Bourbon Street lineup will be:
MAY 20:
Noon: Above Ground Blues Band
1:15 p.m.: Bob Lanza Blues Band
2:45 p.m.: Lee Delray
4:30 p.m.: Bernard Alison
6 p.m.: Mike Zito
7:45 p.m.: Kenny Wayne Shepherd
MAY 21:
Noon: The Fins (APRIL 1 Update: The festival has added a second stage, called the Blues Heritage Stage, where Mike Esposito will perform on May 20, and Robert Ross on May 21.)
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
1:45 p.m.: /strong>Billy Hector
3:15 p.m.: Bonerama
5 p.m.: Robert Cray
2 comments
My name is Barry Holmes I was inducted into the blues hall of fame N.J. I am a blues artist and feel my band BBD Rhythm & Blues should have a shot at playing at this venue my phone is 908-305-8223 please call me. Thanks
asks for Barry Blues.