The festival may still be four months out, but organizers are anxious to give fans a taste of Roots and Blues through film and with live performances by several talented hometown artists.
Live Music & Cinema Night takes place at the Salmar Classic Theatre Friday, April 25.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the pay-what-you-can evening begins with a 7:30 screening of Boogie on Blues, director Jim Elderton’s sequel to last year’s Backstage on Blues.
In Boogie on Blues, Elderton follows British boogie-woogie player Ben Waters and his madcap entourage of 25 friends on the artist’s third visit to the 2013 festival –one stop on a worldwide tour.
Elderton films Waters at his arrival and throughout the festival weekend, as he performs solo and in workshops with artists such as the Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, Kelley Hunt and Sherman Doucette.
Following the 40-minute film, Routes and Blues presents a musical evening from four of the Shuswap’s finest musical acts:
• Blu and Kelly Hopkins: Blu was awarded the Okanagan Music Award for Bluegrass Artist Of the Year in 2007, and the BCIMA Award for Bluegrass Band Of The Year in 2008. He has been nominated 12 times in various categories.
Kelly is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, her songs ranging from rollicking and fun to heartfelt and poignant ballads. Kelly is a great acoustic bass player, and her mandolin compositions are traditional sounding yet fresh tunes that are delighting audiences and other musicians everywhere.
Her warm harmonies combine nicely with Blu’s smokey baritone voice for a wonderful, relaxed sound.
• Alan Bates and Sue Kyle have been playing and singing together in the Shuswap for 39 years. Seven years of travelling and performing with the now legendary horse-drawn Caravan Stage Company fostered a passion for playing live acoustic music.
Over the years, they have continued to serenade campfires, coffeehouses and festivals as a duo, and as half of the local band, Birchbark.
Sue is a multi-instrumentalist and is an accomplished songwriter. Her songs are an infectious mix of folk, bluegrass and Celtic influences. Alan plays both guitar and bouzouki.
• While he was growing up, Jesse Mast learned to sing and play a variety of instruments by immersing himself in the music of the masters of country – from the guitar and banjo pickers to the amazing entertainers and vocalists, exploring the pioneers of country up to more modern icons.
He has won many awards for his songs, including three at the recent North American Country Music Associations International Competition in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
• When Richard Sevigny and Dale Bush joined forces as the Saloonatics for the 2013 Roots and Blues Festival, the motivation was to have fun.
Combining toe-tapping acoustic musical styles and comedy creates a bond with the audience and leaves them wanting more. From reggae to rocking blues, they always have something up their sleeves – their arms!