Episode 3: Mike Biggar's SUMMER ROAD REPORT for BluesandRootsRadio.com
On the road again with episode 3 of my SUMMER ROAD REPORT, checking in from festivals and shows I play all around the Canadian East Coast. And oh boy, this one is a true summer highlight for me...the KEMPT SHORE MARITIME ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL in wonderful sea-side Kempt Shore, Nova Scotia.
This is such a marvelous roots, blues and folk festival, boasting a stellar lineup each year of genuinely wonderful artists. Just look at the crew we had there this year:
Dave Gunning
JP Cormier
Matt Minglewood
John Campbelljohn
Christine Campbell
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys
Heather Rankin
Jacob Strang & the High Class Hussies
David Francey
Old Man Luedecke
Bill Elliott
The Good Lovelies
Kevin Davison
& me! :-)
But more than that, it has a certain magical...something. Eye-popping Atlantic scenery? Absolutely. Easy-going? You bet. Family-feeling? Hmmm...I think we might be onto something here. One of the really cool aspects of Kempt Shore is how so many of the campers who come for the music also PARTICIPATE. There is the open mic that begins the whole festival on Thursday evening where campers take to the stage to share their talents and songs. Saturday morning there is a wonderful youth open mic slot. But likely most charming of all is how late night jam sessions break out after the main stage shuts down for the night and simmer long into the wee hours, as people revel in being together and celebrate the summer and music they love. It even happens among the main artists, as you can see on the video. Honestly, it's a very heart-warming thing to observe and hear on the summer night breezes as you roam around the campsites...a true Kempt Shore experience. And the warm family-type vibes are in no small part the result of festival directors Marc Petersen and Patti Gass, who exhibit their owner/director roles in such a heartfelt manner...always a treat to be there!
So thanks for once again checking in and following along with my travels...I am having so much fun with the travel blog and it's a wonderful summer of music with more to come!
REMIND ME...WHAT IS THIS BLOG THING AGAIN? I was asked exclusively by the global internet radio station Blues and Roots Radio (based in Toronto) to capture the moment by moment adventure of my summer travels as an independent Canadian artist out there following a life in music. It features video, photos and a blog stream, which will all be showcased on the B&RR main website and linked on my blog. It will all wrap up with an Ontario tour in September, including a feature interview special in Toronto with B&RR co-founder Stevie Connor. ABOUT BLUES AND ROOTS RADIO Based in Port Credit, Ontario and Melbourne, Australia, http://www.bluesandrootsradio.com is a global online radio station with hubs in the UK, Ireland and Hawaii USA, featuring over fifty shows from around the world that highlight a vast array of independent artists playing Blues, Soul, R&B, Americana, Alt Country, Bluegrass, Celtic, Folk, Roots and more on a 24/7 stream. Described by Cashbox Canada as " Radio The Way It Used To Be " B&RR places high value on both the music of the independent artist and partner radio show hosts being free to present music to their listeners about which they are passionate.