Festival
cures the blues
By Heather Clarke
On-line Forty-Niner
KKJZ’s
23rd Long Beach Annual Blues Festival drew
a large, mixed crowd to a pleasant outdoor
setting at Cal State Long Beach’s athletic
field this weekend. The eucalyptus trees
and the blue Pyramid framed the background
behind the stage during the breezy and slightly
overcast day.
 The
lineup for Saturday was Arthur Adams, Otis
Rush, Ben E. King, The Ohio Players, Jeff
Healey and Robert Cray. Sunday featured
Etta James and The Roots Band, Dr. John,
Ike Turner, Tyrone Davis, Roy Gaines and
Mable John.
The festival began with a modestly sized
crowd as Adams
played in the morning but blues
lovers continued to filter through the gates.
He started the festival with a deep emotional
voice and bluesy guitar. By noon, the athletic
field was full of people watching Rush sing
the blues in his black cowboy hat with his
bright red guitar. The grass was covered
with blankets and lawn chairs by the time
The Ohio Players flamboyantly took the stage
in the afternoon.
 Much
of the audience was comprised of blues fans
and KKJZ listeners who regularly attend
the event. Donna Mattox said she and her
husband, Bruce Mattox, have been coming
from Downey to the festival for eight years.
They both said they were most excited to
see Etta James, and Bruce Mattox said he
was looking forward to Dr. John as well.
“It’s the closest thing to sin without really
sinning,” said Bruce Mattox.“ It’s almost
enough fun to be illegal.”
Celeste Noland of Inglewood said she has
been coming to the festival for seven years.
She said she could not wait to see The Ohio
Players, James and Davis.
Vikki Goff of Signal Hill, who attended
CSULB, said she has been coming for three
years and plans to continue coming.
The host of the event was Doug MacLeod,
who is also the radio personality of KKJZ
show “Nuthin’ But the Blues.” He came on
stage and asked the crowd to shake the hand
of the person next to them and introduce
themselves.
“We’re gonna be here for awhile,” MacLeod
said. “You might as well know each other
and have a good time.”
Everyone followed MacLeod’s suggestion and
shook hands with a big grin.
The festival atmosphere was very friendly
and peaceful. Cpl. Scott Willey for the
Long Beach Police Department said there
had been no problems at the festival.
“It’s a good crowd, everyone’s having fun.”
Willey said.
Much of the crowd was not only at the festival
for the music but to meet new people. Goff
said she likes to come to the festival to
meet people from new areas. Noland said
she met new people when she came by herself
one year. She said her friends would not
come with her because they considered blues
music to be for older people, so she offered
up her extra ticket. That year she met Markus
Peete, her current boyfriend.
|
