The 2019 Waterfront Blues Fest kicks off this week, and the annual event boasts an impressive lineup.
Featured artists at this year’s festival, which takes place July 4-7, include The Robert Cray Band, Shemekia Copeland and Vintage Trouble. In all, more than 100 acts are expected to take to the festival’s stages at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
Thursday, July 4 lineup
David Jacobs-Strain+WORTH will kick off the 2019 Blues Fest on July 4 with the festival’s first show, which starts at noon at the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage, and will follow up with another performance later that evening.
Other artists to perform on Thursday include Lucious Spiller, Sarah Grace & the Soul, Mary Flower & Doug Cox, and Too Slim & the Taildaggers.
The featured performances for the evening will start at 7 p.m. with Curtis Salgado on the South Stage. Ron Artis II & the Truth performs at 8 p.m. on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage, while The Robert Cray Band will take the stage ahead of the annual fireworks show, which will feature a performance of the National Anthem by artist Andy Stokes.
Click here for the full lineup.
Friday, July 5 lineup
Portland-native Arietta Ward launches Day 2 of Blues Fest on July 5 with a performance at noon on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage.
Other artists to perform on Friday include Lloyd Jones, Harpdog Brown & the Uptown Blues Band, Travis “Moonchild” Haddix, Joy Now!, and Big Monti.
Featured performances start at 6 p.m. with the California Honeydrops on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe takes the South Stage at 7 p.m., followed by Larkin Poe on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage at 8 p.m. Portland-based musical and performance group MarchFourth hits the South Stage at 9 p.m.
Click here for the full schedule.
Saturday, July 6
Samuel E-M+The Joyful Noise and Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble starts Saturday’s performances with their respective acts at noon on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage and the Oregonian Front Porch Stage.
Brother Yusef, Marina Crouse with Ben Rice, LaRhonda & the Steele Family Band, the Norman Sylvester Revue, Lil’ Pookie and the Zydeco Sensations and Timothy James are among those expected to perform through the day on the various stages at Waterfront Park.
Featured performances start at 7 p.m. on the South Stage with Southern Avenue. Vintage Trouble takes the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage at 8 p.m., followed by St. Paul & the Broken Bones on the South Stage at 9 p.m. At 9:30 p.m., Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band start their show on the Oregonian Front Porch Stage.
The party doesn’t end after their show, though: An after-hours show featuring Vintage Trouble, Southern Avenue and Kingfish will take place at the Marriott’s Grand Ballroom, while the “Rock the Boat” dance cruise is another opportunity for some late-night fun.
Click here for the full lineup.
Sunday, July 7
United by Music kicks off the last day of Blues Fest with its performance on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage at noon on July 7.
Other artists slated to perform on Sunday include Saeeda Wright, Ural Thomas & the Pain, Lilla, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and The Sons of the Soul Revivers.
Sunday’s featured acts start at 7 p.m. on the South Stage with Cyril Nevile’s Swamp Funk. Shemekia Copeland kicks off her performance on the Buick GMC of Beaverton Stage at 8 p.m. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performs on the South Stage at 9 p.m., the same time as Sugaray Rayford takes the stage at the Oregonian Front Porch Stage.
Click here for the full schedule.