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Blues on the Landing: Big Muddy returns this weekend

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Aug. 29, 2013 - The 18th annual Big Muddy Blues Festival returns to the streets of Laclede’s Landing this Labor Day weekend, featuring 30 bands performing on three stages from 1 p.m. to approximately 11 p.m. on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Aside from some tweaking of VIP ticket pricing for the Budweiser Main Stage performances (the other two stages -- on Lucas Street and Morgan Street -- have free admission), the basic format of this year’s Big Muddy Fest remains the same.

But one additional variable has been put into the mix this time around. And it involves the headliners on the Main Stage – primarily the choice of David Clayton Thomas, former lead vocalist with Blood, Sweat & Tears, as Sunday’s final act.

Comments on the internet – especially on Facebook by Vintage Vinyl owner, KDHX DJ and blues harp player Tom Ray – have been critical of the choice of Thomas to headline a blues festival.

“Am I the only one who thinks it’s absurd to have David Clayton Thomas headline a ‘Blues Festival’ in St. Louis?” wrote on his Facebook page, and he criticized the choice on his weekly Monday evening KDHX show, “Soul Selector.”

Interestingly, Saturday night’s Main Stage headliner, the Reverend Horton Heat, a high-energy, rockabilly band from Dallas, has drawn minor criticism on Facebook – not nearly the number of comments as the booking of David Clayton Thomas.

According to Emily Kochan, executive director of the Laclede’s Landing Merchant’s Association, and the person overseeing the Big Muddy blues festival and other events on the Landing, the choice of both David Clayton Thomas and the Reverend Horton Heat were made with full awareness that both acts were outside the usual boundaries of the mainstream blues tradition.

“The goal in booking David Clayton Thomas and the Reverend Horton Heat is to broaden the appeal of the Big Muddy,” Kochan said during a recent interview. “The festival is still focused on the blues – especially blues musicians from the St. Louis area. Of the 30 acts at the festival, 27 of them are from here. And the vast majority of them are blues bands or artists.”

Kochan notes that Thomas’ most recent recording, “A Blues for the New World,” takes as its starting point basic blues chord changes – but readily admits that’s not why Thomas –or the Reverend Horton Heat, for that matter – were booked.

“Because of his connection with Blood, Sweat & Tears, David Clayton Thomas brings in people who might not usually come down to the Landing for the Big Muddy. And the Reverend Horton Heat always puts on a great show. In addition, David being part of the Fest is helping get us additional press coverage for the big Muddy.

Crown Royal Big Muddy Blues Festival

Over the course of Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1, the Big Muddy will present a lineup of 30 bands performing on three stages located throughout the Landing.

The festival is free for those attending the Lucas Street Stage (2nd & Lucas) and the Verizon Stage @ Morgan Street (2nd & Morgan). The Budweiser Main Stage, at 700 N. 1st Street, has an admission fee.

Main Stage general admission is $13 a day. General admission tickets are available for presale now and are available on the days of the event at the entrance gate on a cash only basis. You may bring a blanket or lawn chairs.

VIP tickets are $45 a day. Included in that are reserved seating in front of the stage, access to the bar next to the Budweiser Main Stage and private restroom facilities. Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://bigmuddybluesfestival.com/tix-merch/.

“To make this event continue to happen every year, we have to attract an audience. And we’ve also gone to a partial paid admission approach with the Main Stage to help pay for the event – while keeping the other two stages free to attend.

"By bringing in these headliners, we’re also trying to broaden the appeal of the Big Muddy. Hopefully, someone who comes down to see David Clayton Thomas or the Reverend Horton Heat will also hear some of the great St. Louis blues bands playing that day as well.”

Whether that turns out to be the case is certainly open to debate. But there’s no argument that many mainstream music festivals - like the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest and the Montreal Jazz Festival - have moved to embrace a wildly eclectic smorgasbord of musical styles to pull in an audience.

And given that the Big Muddy still features a heavy dose of St. Louis-based blues bands on its bill, it will be very interesting to see how this year’s event succeeds in the attempt to balance the effort to pull in a larger audience with the potential alienation of hardcore blues fans.

The lineup

Saturday, Aug. 31

Budweiser Main Stage

1 p.m.: David Dee and the Hot Tracks Band

3 p.m.: Bible Belt Sinners

5 p.m.: Billy Peek

7 p.m.: Anthony Gomes

9 p.m.: Reverend Horton Heat

Lucas Street Stage

1 p.m.: Renee Smith Band

3 p.m.: Aaron Kamm & the One Drops

5 p.m.: The Trip Daddys

7 p.m.: Melissa Neels

9 p.m.: Ghost Town Blues Band

Verizon Stage @ Morgan Street

1:30 p.m.: Starlifter (Scott Air Force Base)

3:30 p.m.: Dawn Weber Band

5:30 p.m.: Gypsy Jones

7:30 p.m.: Big Mike Aguirre & the Blues City Allstars

9:30 p.m.: Marquise Knox

Sunday, Sept. 1

Budweiser Main stage

1 p.m.: Big George Brock

3 p.m.: Funky Dragons featuring Robert Jordan

5 p.m.: Jeremiah Johnson Band with the Sliders

7 p.m.: Walter Trout

9 p.m.: David Clayton Thomas

Pepsi Music Stage

1 p.m.: Bottoms Up Blues Gang

3 p.m.: Blues Handle Band

5 p.m.: Rich McDonough & the Big Bad Blues Boys featuring Anita Rosamond

7 p.m.: Tony Campanella

9 p.m.: Big Brother Thunder & the Master Blasters

Verizon Stage @ Morgan Street

1:30 p.m.: Starlifter (Scott Air Force Base)

3:30 p.m.: Jimmy Lee Kennett

5:30 p.m.: Mississippi Fever

7:30 p.m.: Soulard Blues Band

9:30 p.m.: Charles “Skeet” Rodgers & the Inner City Blues Band

DOS & DON’TS

The Big Muddy is a rain or shine event. Precipitation shouldn’t be an issue this weekend … but be prepared for lots of heat!

Folding chairs and blankets are OK, as well as sealed water bottles.

But don’t bring pets, coolers, grilling equipment or outside food and drinks.

All of the many restaurants and bars in the Landing will be open for business throughout the weekend, and many will have outside booths to serve food and drink.

Purses and backpacks will be checked when entering the main stage area.

Parking will cost from $10 - $20 on lots in the Landing, but there is a MetroLink stop at Eads Bridge, and riding your bicycle can work as well.

For  information, go to wwwbigmuddybluesfestival.com

Terry Perkins is a freelance writer based in St. Louis. He has written for the St. Louis Beacon since 2009. Terry's other writing credits in St. Louis include: the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the St. Louis American, the Riverfront Times, and St. Louis magazine. Nationally, Terry writes for DownBeat magazine, OxfordAmerican.org and RollingStone.com, among others.