Mark your diaries for the first weekend of July when the Letterkenny Blues & Roots Festival returns for 2022.
The Festival which ran in 2019 as the Letterkenny Jazz & Blues Festival has announced an exciting lineup of music and events taking place throughout the town over the first weekend of July.
Kristine Reynolds, Jimmy Stafford and Mark Ponsonby check out the list of performers at the launch of the 2022 Blues and Roots Music Festival which will be held in Letterkenny from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July. Photo -Clive Wasson
After an unfortunate break due to covid for 2020 and 2021 the Festival is back this year with over 60 gigs happening throughout the bars and venues from Thursday 30th June to Sunday 3rd July. After the success of the first Festival in 2019 the organisers are excited to bring a stellar lineup of International and national bands to town along with a great selection of fabulous local talent. Big names that have already been announced for the Blues and Roots Festival including:
- Dom Martin Band (NI)
- Wille & The Bandits (UK)
- Mirenda Rosenberg (USA)
- Buck Taylor (USA)
- Duke Street Kings (Norway)
- Johnny Gallagher & The Boxty Band (IRL)
- The Blues Katz (NI)
Mark Ponsonby speaking at the launch of the 2022 Blues and Roots Music Festival which will be held in Letterkenny from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July. Photo -Clive Wasson
Maria McCormick and Sabrina Ponsonby at the launch of the 2022 Blues and Roots Music Festival which will be held in Letterkenny from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July with 60 Free Blues & Roots gigs. Photo -Clive Wasson
Dom Martin and his band are amongst the hottest talked about blues bands in the world at the moment after a meteoric rise in the UK Blues scene scooping the Best solo/acoustic Award at the European Blues awards in 2019 and winning the Best acoustic Blues award at the UK Blues Awards in 2020 and 2021. He has just returned from Memphis after representing the UK in the International Blues awards where he made it to the semi finals of the competition. An outstanding guitarist and performer he follows in the footsteps of the great Rory Gallagher and his music influences from the irish rock guitarist can be clearly heard during his dynamic live performances. He appeared at the first Letterkenny Jazz and Blues Festival in 2019 and we are very lucky to have him back again in 2022 as his stardom is very much international horizon.
The Regional Cultural Centre will host UK Roots Rock band ‘Wille & The Bandits’ on Saturday 2nd July in what will be a highlight of the Festival. Wille and The Bandits are one of the hardest working bands in the UK and never off the European Blues Rock circuit where they do up to 200 shows a year on the continent. Their latest album ”When The World Stands Still” has garnered some major reviews in the rock music press such as Planet Rock and Rolling Stone scoring the 4* out of 5 for the latest album. They will be joined by local up and coming blues band Delta Fuse who are on tour in the UK and Europe prior to returning home for their Letterkenny gigs. This show is not to be missed and tickets will be available from the box office at the Regional Cultural Centre, early booking is advisable as capacity is limited.
Guests at the launch of the 2022 Blues and Roots Music Festival which will be held in Letterkenny from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July. Photo -Clive Wasson
Cllr. Gerry McMonagle, Deputy Mayor speaking at the launch of the 2022 Blues and Roots Music Festival which will be held in Letterkenny from the 30th of June until the 3rd of July with 60 Free Blues & Roots gigs. Photo -Clive Wasson
Johnny Gallagher & The Boxty Band head up an exciting lineup late on Saturday evening in the Pulse Venue. Needing no introduction he is regarded as one of the best electric rock guitarists in Europe, Johnny and his band who tour mostly in Europe these days will be in town for one night only and rocking the Pulse venue to the early hours also supported by Galway band Old Times playing a selection of classic rock and Credence Clearwater Revival covers.
Returning again to the Festival after their brilliant 2019 performances we have the fantastic Mirenda Rosenberg with her band, and the very excellent Buck Taylor will be really giving the Festival an authentic American blues and soul treat.
Other notable mentions appearing at the Blues and Roots Festival this year will be The Davy K Project, one of the best blues rock bands in the country at the moment, Leila Jane and the Bumblebees, The Makings from Sligo, Kick The Bucket Blues Band, Mark Black Blues Band, Sheerbuzz, Stolen Relic, Old Times, Maria McCormack Band, Joan Talbot & Jazz Gazette, The Met Quartet, We Love Sax, High Heeled Converse, RAW, Indigo Joe, The Rumble Club, Shindig House Band, Red Neck Hillbillies, Jonathan Smeaton and much much more still to be announced.
On Saturday 2nd July the Festival kicks of early in the day with a Blues Busk around the town from midday supported by Shop LK with live music filling the streets for the afternoon bringing that festival vibe to Letterkenny culminating with live music on the band stand at the Market Square featuring the Davy K Project.
The Letterkenny Blues and Roots Festival is supported by the pubs and venues in town, the Donegal County Council, Shop LK and beer companies Heineken, Diageo and Tennants.
There are 15 venues taking part all over town and it is expected to be a highlight of the summer calendar of events for the town.
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