On today's episode, we celebrate the return of the Waterfront Blues Festival. It’s a Portland tradition, going back 35 years, but, due to the pandemic, there was a change in plans during the past two years. In 2020, KBOO partnered with WBF to present a virtual festival. We played two full days of previous sets on the air, kind of a best-of Blues Fest. And last year, 2021, the festival went “Upriver” to the Lot at Zidell Yards with a scaled down, socially distanced event.
But this year, the Blues Fest is back at Waterfront Park, with four full days of great live music from July 1st through the 4th. And, as is tradition, KBOO will be livestreaming the entire run, from noon to 10pm each day, for those of you who can’t attend in person.
While we’re on the subject of tradition, we have another one for you. For the past five years, we’ve had Ty Curtis on the show, to preview the Blues Festival. Ty’s an Oregon-born singer, songwriter, and guitar virtuoso. He’s in the KBOO studios with us again today, along with Ty’s bandmate, Rich Lawrence, to preview the festival. The Ty Curtis Band with Hank Shreve will be performing at the Blues Stage on Sunday, July 3rd at noon.
I can’t tell you how happy I am that the Waterfront Blues Festival is back, Ty and Richard are our guests, and we’re all here in the KBOO studios, in person, for the first time since March 2020.
- KBOO