The Rockland Report - North Atlantic Bluesfest 2008

I tend to think that I'm living in a vacuum when it comes to propagating the blues. When I started this blog over a year ago, as well as doing "Blues With A Feeling" on WQRI 88.3 FM, I felt it was my duty to preserve the music, to make sure that the audience not only survives but expands. I was surprised to find out that people actually listened to the show; I figured I was sitting there playing the tunes for myself. Fortunately, last weekend in Rockland, Maine, I discovered not only the North Atlantic Bluesfest but also the fact that the blues are definitely alive and well.


The event has been staged for the past 15 years in and around Rockland's Harbor Park, a setting that provides a picture perfect snapshot of "the way life should be"- sails swelling with the wind as boats criscross the harbor, framed by the azure sweep of summer sky and shifting shades of blue green ocean, a far cry from the cramped clubs and modest venues that first exposed me to the likes of Paul Butterfield, BB King and Muddy Waters. It seemed incongruous at first, blending a uniquely American form of music that is typically associated with pain and sufferring into a New England postcard setting, but I was happy to see the blues getting the respect it deserves as well as an audience that cut across all ages and lifestyles.


As I sat through eight different acts over two days, I started thinking about the music industry in general, the fact that it is getting harder and harder for performers to earn a living, not to mention the liability issues that seem to sink most large outdoor events. In a world of ringtones, downloads and cookie-cutter pop "stars", authenticity and musical integrity are outmoded concepts. The blues survive because of their hardcore following, as well as those who realize the unique place the music occupies in American history. Festivals like the North Atlantic Bluesfest give the audience a chance to get up close and personal with the legends as well as the up and coming players, since each performer would hang around right after their segment to sign their CDs and meet the fans.


The best known "name" at the event was veteran guitatrist Elvin Bishop, who closed out the show on Sunday, but the lineup featured some lesser known acts that I'll be profiling here over the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, blues aficionadoes should start planning now for North Atlantic Bluesfest 2009 - you won't be disappointed.