February 21, 2020 · Team HG
BBlues enthusiasts from home and abroad have it etched in their memory. The last weekend of February, you have to head to Groningen for the blues festival in the city center. This year, too, the twelfth edition, fifteen hospitality venues are hosting just as many bands. Seven bands are returning for the first time. This year, the festival features exclusively Dutch bands.
The majority of the participating hospitality businesses have been taking part in the music route for years. According to organizer Joris van Berkel, this is the best proof that the festival has proven itself over the years. He receives organizational assistance from Willem Koster and Maarten Linskens, who focus primarily on the programming.
"The band has to fit the café's ambiance," says Van Berkel. "You can't have a band playing 1950s blues in a hypermodern establishment. That is how we try to find a suitable setting for every type of music. For example, Café Huis de Beurs is perfectly suited for Ralph de Jongh's performances, and Groningen musician Remco Wind plays at Barrel Wijnlokaal."
The twelfth edition of the Blues Tour Groningen takes place on Saturday, February 29, the actual last day of the month. The performances can be heard starting at 9:30 PM, with the final notes scheduled to sound by 1:00 AM. Sponsors and participating hospitality venues make it possible to offer all performances free of charge.
Experience shows that during the Blues Tour Groningen, nearly five thousand enthusiasts walk around the city center of Groningen to listen to their favorite music. Starting a week before the festival, a free magazine is available in participating hospitality establishments containing all information about the Blues Tour, along with a handy, clear map.
1: Big Bo (classic blues) – Café De Sleutel
2: Captain Morgan Express (blues rock) – Benzinebar
3: Ed Baker & The Boogie Machine (boogie blues) – Café Uurwerker
4: Sugerdaddy and the Honeydrippers (west-coast blues) – Café Wolthoorn & Co
5: The Sidekicks (swing blues) – Café De Keyzer
6: The Hootchies (harp blues) – Café Mulder
7: The Electric Hollers (blues rock) – Allround Groningen
8: Ralph de Jongh (classic blues) – Huis De Beurs
9: Juke Joints (jump blues rock) – City and Terrace Café Pronk
10: The Tightropes (blues rock) – LOLA 050
11: Remko Wind N O show (New Orleans blues) – Barrel Wijnlokaal
12: Thomas Toussaint Band (blues & roots) – Café Buckshot
13: The Blues Gallery (blues & roots) – Martini Hotel
14: The 4Horsemen (swing blues) – Taveerne Rabenhaupt
15: The Woods (blues & roots) – Keldercafé Merlot
