World Class Blues Festival Lands in Michigan City Labor Day Weekend

Ship-and-Shore-Blues-Festival-2016The Ship and Shore Blues Festival is back for its second year, with organizers promising a bigger, better event in its new location at Washington Park’s Guy Foreman Amphitheater on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-4. “Ship and Shore Blues Festival was very well received in its first year in New Buffalo,” Artistic Director John Moultrie said. “We knew immediately that we had outgrown that location and began to look for a space that would allow us to provide the type of festival experience our guests were asking for. We saw Michigan City’s Guy Foreman Amphitheater as a perfect space that would allow us to provide a more comfortable experience for our guests and entertainers.”

The festival is presented by Live Music Matters, a non-profit arts organization that celebrates live music through performance, education and community outreach.

Moultrie stresses the importance of blues music.

“Blues is an American art form that has influenced other popular forms of music, from jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and even rap music,” he said. “There are hints of the blues in all music. When people tell me that they aren't sure they like the blues, I tell them they have probably been listening to the blues all along and didn’t realize it. People will be pleasantly surprised when they come out to the festival.”

At the festival, live performances from internationally known musicians will enhance a setting that features popular local cuisine, wineries and craft breweries.

The lineup is:

Saturday, Sept. 3

Sunday, Sept. 4

http://shipandshorebluesfestival.com/event/chicago-kingsnakes/

Chicago Kingsnakes has been playing the blues since the early ’80s. It has toured internationally, applying what it learned from Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor to create a new blues sound. Guitarist/vocalist and lifelong Chicago resident James “Ang” Anderson formed the group that features Gus Gotsis on drums and Mike Bailey on bass.

Hank Mowery raced onto the blues scene in the mid-’90s with his band, The Hawktones. He then honed his skills jamming nightly with local and national blues acts playing at The Rhythm Kitchen Café in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he was the general manager. In 1996, he began touring nationally and has played with a variety of blues artists.

The Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings have been blasting out their own soul-steeped brand of R&B and blues on a nightly basis for more than 20 years. Tenor saxman Terry Ogolini and trumpeter Don Tenuto still comprise one of the city’s most dangerous horn sections, teamed with bassist Bob Halaj, guitarist David Mick and drummer Willie Hayes. The legendary Gene “Daddy G” Barge is the band’s featured vocalist and saxophonist.

Liz Mandeville is a Chicago Blues Hall of Fame and award-winning artist. A talented singer, guitar, washboard and porch-board player, she also is a producer and blues historian. Having paid her dues playing in every major Chicago blues venue, she now is a fan favorite in 11 countries on three continents.

Straight out of Chicago, the group Mississippi Heat has been performing and recording vintage blues for more than two decades. It all began one night at a 1991 gig at the now-closed Cafe Lura in Chicago, where guitarist and singer Jon McDonald invited Pierre Lacocque to join him onstage. McDonald had hired drummer and vocalist Robert Covington (with Sunnyland Slim at the time) and bassist Bob Stroger (also with Slim and Jimmy Rogers). It went so well, the three musicians formed Mississippi Heat.

While enjoying a successful career touring and recording, along with numerous TV and radio appearances in his homeland of Australia, Michael Charles received an invitation from Buddy Guy’s management to appear at the infamous Legends in Chicago, Illinois USA. Graciously accepting the honor, he traveled the 12,500 miles and took the stage with Guy. After numerous trips back and forth, Charles made the decision to make America his new home.

Waukegan born and raised, Ivy Ford at just 22 is an up-and-coming artist of the Chicago blues and live music scene. She started performing live with Kenosha-based band The Real Deal, managed by Steve Rainey, at 13 and since then continues to nurture her talents. She plays piano, alto saxophone, drums, bass guitar and guitar — all self-taught. In late 2012, she joined a local blues band that evolved into Ivy Ford and The Cadillacs, gaining fair amounts of popularity.

Blue Lunch explores music of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Eight virtuoso musicians, performing on guitar, piano, upright bass, drums, harmonica, saxophones, trumpet and trombone, make up the band.

The festival also will offer a number of interactive activities, including:

  • Kids Quest: Enjoy arts and craft projects, face painting, singing, dancing and other activities designed for elementary through middle school-aged children.
  • Game Truck: Attendees 7 and older can enjoy cutting-edge video gaming technology. The truck is staffed with an experienced team of coaches, dozens of video games and the latest consoles.
  • Musical Instrument Petting Zoo: Curious children and adults can see, hear and touch musical instruments seen on the festival stage. Professional musicians will demonstrate how to hold and play the instruments.
  • Wine and Canvas Adult Art Experience: Combine live jazz and the taste of wine as inspiration to paint with guidance from professional artists.
  • Cookies and Canvas Children’s Art Experience: The hands-on arts experience lets children be guided through the process of painting a canvas from start to finish, all while snacking on cookies.
  • Live Art Experience: Local artists inspire visitors to get excited about the creative process with live demonstrations. Festival goers can ask questions and get a close view of the materials used to create art in real time.

The Ship and Shore Blues Festival will showcase some of the region's best food trucks along with a wide range of beverages from our top notch vendors including:

  • Lulu 's Licks
  • Budweiser
  • Big Daddy's Barbecue
  • Goose Island
  • Valpo Velvet
  • Bud Light
  • South Shore Ovenworks
  • Treasury Wine
  • Blue Chip's King of the Road
  • Round Barn Brewery
  • Herb-N-Juice
  • St. Julian Wines

VIP tickets are now on sale for all-day reserved seating at the Guy Foreman Amphitheater. General admission ticket holders can take portable chairs and blankets to relax on the expansive lawn space around the amphitheater stage. Online prices start at:

  • Lawn Seating (for guests 21 and older) — $10.
  • Two-Day Lawn Pass (only available online) — $15.
  • VIP Gold reserved seating — $15
  • VIP Platinum reserved seating — $20

For more information visit www.shipandshorebluesfestival.com

General admission lawn and reserved VIP seating tickets (subject to availability) may be purchased at the gate starting at 11 a.m on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Prices start at:

  • 12 and younger — free.
  • 13-20 — $5 (with valid ID.
  • 21 and older — $15

Email info@shipandshorebluesfestival.com for more information.