Cobh Blues Festival 24th, 25th, 26th September

More than thirty free performances by twenty musical acts over one weekend, ensures that anyone visiting Cobh, Co Cork will have more than enough gigs to chose from at the end of this month.

The Cobh Blues Experience is taking place on September 24th ,25th  and 26th September and  its fourth year  attracting players from Ireland and overseas for a weekend of electric and acoustic blues.  Sponsored by Guinness with the support of Cobh Chamber and local businesses, the event will provide over a hundred hours of free music at indoor and outdoor venues around the seaside town.

This year’s weekender sees the arrival of The Ben Poole Band, led by the guitarist Total Guitar Magazine readers have voted the one to watch in 2010. Aaron Curtis, also from England, is a blues and ragtime guitarist also visiting for the weekend, while Alessio is virtuoso steel guitar player from Italy. Yossi Valdimar from Israel and Gary Boss from the US are all playing at various venues over the weekend.

The Catriona Fallon Band, who play the Commodore Hotel on Sunday night, are led by a singer from Riverdance, while the Cobh Blues Club, featuring local and visiting musicians are one of the 30 acts playing indoor and outdoor events over the weekend.

Saturday afternoon sees family events held in the promenade (including kids events), while musicians will play on the town’s Victorian bandstand, with free gigs taking place in fourteen venues around the seaside town.

“We’ve had ongoing success with the Blues weekend since we started it four years ago, “ says Paul O’Halloran, the event’s organiser and owner of Ryan’s Bar. “It was originally an attempt to breath life into the town at a quieter time of the year, but the event has gone from strength to strength and we are getting returning groups of visitors here every year now. The event is planned to be relaxed and fun, but with some opportunities to listen to great music and we seem to be increasing the standard year on year.”

Other bands appearing include Dr Dec and the Side Effects, The Swinging Bluecats, Famous Blue Rainbow, Martin Evans Coldshot, The Totalers, Blues Lane, Shangrilas, Nuts & Bolts and many others.

FOR MORE INFORMATION see www.cobhbluesfestival.com

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