Fri 8/19-Sun 8/21
Jilly’s in downtown Akron has postponed its Jilly’s Blues Fest scheduled for this weekend. But don’t despair, blues lovers: they’ve still got a full weekend of outstanding blues performers booked, including some of the folks booked for the Blues Fest.
Akron guitarist/harmonica player/vocalist/songwriter Mike Lenz, who’s very familiar to music lovers in the area, will still holding down the Friday slot, with his diverse blues influences ranging from Delta and Piedmont blues to juke joint boogies to electric Chicago-style blues, pus a little old-school country and a little rock. He’ll be joined by young Canton blues singer/harmonica player Jake Friel, starting at 8pm.
Saturday features one of the mainstays of the touring white blues/roots-rock scene — Washington, D.C.’s Nighthawks, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary as a band this year as they tour behind a new album called (appropriately) Established 1972. Founder/harp player/vocalists Mark Wenner continues to lead a quartet of veterans who play classic blues & R&B.
On Sunday, stop by for Jilly’s weekly brunch featuring Columbus Blues Challenge 2022 winner, singer/songwriter/guitarist Christopher Soulsby at 11am. As a result of that win, the Akron musician will be going to Memphis to take part in the 2023 International Blues Challenge.
Get more info and tickets for all three shows here.