The only thing better than free music is good free music.
And Michigan's capital city, Lansing - where Gov. Granholm gets down to business - presents two days of smooth peanut butter slapped on the jam at a little event we all call the 11th annual Old Town BluesFest. And all music is free of charge. The intersection of Turner Street and E. Grand River Avenue is going to be more fun than if you were a kitten with a ball of yarn for the next two days.
Kicking off tomorrow with the danceable Mojo Phoenix at 5 p.m., the thrills don't stop until you want them to Saturday night with the never hesitant Automatic Blues Band.
Jason Strotheide, member of the Capital Area Blues Society, projected great things for this year's foot-stomping, hand-clapping festival.
"I'm expecting larger crowds this year and the weather is supposed to be really nice for the weekend," Strotheide said.
The BluesFest is also striking a chord with a wider variety of music acts and has strummed up to more activities for children this year, Strotheide said.
"This year, we are trying to get kids more involved," he said. "We're trying to make things more interactive."
There will be a harmonica workshop for children of all ages - yes, if you still watch cartoons you will still be considered a young'un, but don't give any real ankle-biters wet willies while waiting in line for the workshop.
The society's "Harmonica for Kids," sponsored by General Motors Corp. is 2:45-3:30 p.m. Saturday. The first 100 children receive a harmonica and a small instruction manual on the house.
Besides workshops and around-the-clock blues, there will be craft booths, ethnic foods and a beer tent. The beer tent has a $5 admission fee, but all the proceeds enable the event to remain free.
Regarding the performers, the lineup is stacked with established blues, gospel and local acts. All of the musicians indubitably will kick out awe-inspiring sets, but Strotheide did disclose he was looking forward to two acts specifically.
"I'm really excited about W.C. Clark and Calvin Cooke. Clark is out of Austin, Texas and is considered one of the godfathers of the blues. Not because of his age either. He helped write the Stevie Ray Vaughan tune 'Cold Shot,'" Strotheide said.
W.C. Clark, who's been playing modern Texas blues for more than 40 years, will let it all hang out 8:30 p.m. Saturday on the North Stage. Calvin Cooke, a 61-year old steel guitar innovator from Detroit, will get funky starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday night on the South stage.
For more information, visit www.oldtownbluesfest.com
