Blues fans young and old battled the heat and enjoyed the beat of the highly anticipated Hot Blues and BBQ Festival last Saturday behind the Oxford municipal complex.
Approximately 1,400 people from near and far spent the morning and evening engulfed in the music of acts like Lady Sunshine and the X Band, blues pioneer, Billy Davis Rhythm Machine and the Smokin 45’s among others.
Blues lovers not only got to feast their ears on some catchy tunes, but tempted their tastebuds with various barbecue creations from local vendors like Kalloway’s Restaraunt and Pub, Oxford Tap, Thai Cuisine, Red Knapp’s American Grill and the White Horse Inn.
A beer tent cosponsored by the Great Oaks Civitan Club featured various Budweiser and Widmer Brothers products and quenched the thirst of the loyal listeners.
Bands performed from noon to 10 p.m. and each drew large crowds to the stage and had fans dancing in the aisles.
Ben Phillips and Michele Williams from Waterford didn’t let the heat stop them from coming to the festival. They wasted no time grooving to the music. When asked what they thought of the festival, they only had one phrase.
‘It’s cool!?
Hot Blues and BBQ is the 2005 Detroit Blues Challenge Kickoff in which these 10 of the state’s top Blues bands competed for a spot in the finals of the Motor City Breakdown. Sponsored by the Detroit Blues Society and Royal Oak-based Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine, the 4th Annual Motor City Breakdown is a series of local Blues competitions in which winning acts advance to the next round; the ultimate goal being to send one unsigned, independent, Blues band from Metro Detroit to the February 2006 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
The first place winner of this year’s event went to Luther ‘Badman? Keith, of Detroit. Keith released his first CD in 1999 and has won over his fans with his high-energy performing style. He also won a hollow-body commemorative guitar hand-crafted by Ron Couts, owner of the Chesterfield-based HMR Guitars.
Keith was ecstatic and surprised when he was announced as the winner.
‘I just have to say, this is the highlight of my career and I want to thank you for the opportunity,? he said. ‘Keep supporting the music!?
Third place went to Lady Sunshine and the X Band, second place to Billy Davis Rhythm Machine and the People’s Choice Award went to the Smokin 45’s.
Bands who placed also won a paid booking for a spot at Concerts in the Park at Centennial Park and a commemorative plaque.
The winners were chosen by a team of judges from the Detroit News, Go & Do Michigan.com and Motorcityrocks.com, among others.
Suzanne Ardelan, chair of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority’s Promotions Committee, said she couldn’t be happier with the success of the event.
‘For our first year doing this event, it was better than I expected,? she said.
For more photos from the Hot Blues and BBQ Festival, go to page 20.