Phuket ready for Blues Rock Fest

KARON, PHUKET: Artists taking part in the two-day Phuket International Blues Rock Festival that kicks off at 5pm tomorrow gathered today inside the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort ballroom for a brief pre-event press conference.

Festival Director Andy Andersen started by thanking new sponsor Thai Airways, then welcomed the artists and told the media about some exciting new developments for this year’s event.

“This will be the best festival to date, not just in terms of premium artists, but also the new layout. We have moved the stage inside the marquee. In the past it was set back about 30ft, so the new stage position will make it a more intimate concert.”

To warm up early-bird arrivals, the Malaysian band AkashA begins playing at 3pm in the Hilton Arcadia lobby until the main gate opens at 5pm.

The musical line-up for the opening night is stacked with blues greats from the folksy Robert ‘One-Man’ Johnson, Bangkok’s RetroVision, Andy Gonzales & The Rockin’ Angels, Rich Harper and Friday’s headliner Richard Clapton.

Arizona native and Latino blues maestro Andy Gonzales said, “I’m looking forward to a great night of blues mixed with Latin Tejano.”

He will be playing with the Thai based Rockin Angels in their Blues Festival debut.

On Saturday, February 27, the music and fun continue, starting at 5pm with The Prodigal Sons from Norway, George Cordeiro and The Fai Jang Blues Gang, The Groove Doctors, KNiKi, culminating with a performance by blues legend Charlie Musselwhite.

The Tennessee-born blues man, a recent inductee to the 2010 Blues Hall of Fame, was thrilled to be in Phuket for the first time.

After traveling in Thailand for the last three weeks, he said,”I’m looking forward to performing. I love the Thai people, their food and temples….”