Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/11544
A Bluesy Irvine Affair 13th Annual Irvine Lake Blues Festival JUNE 26TH, 2010 By>> Brian J. Murphy I rvine Lake is playing host to its 13th Annual Irvine Lake Blues Festival. The 750 acres fishing and camping facility boasts some of the most beautiful vistas in all of Orange County. Irvine Lake's mountain backdrop and scenic lake makes it the perfect venue for a music festival. The Festival will feature some of the biggest names in blues including The B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year, Tommy Castro. Castro is currently on tour in Europe and will be playing in England, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. His Album, "Hard Believer" which was produced by John Porter, was on the Billboard Blues Charts for 30 consecutive weeks. Also on the musical card is CoCo Montoya, who just finished up the Blues Cruise this past year. Montoya is currently collaborating with Jeff Paris and Keb' Mo' for his upcoming album that should be released this year. In addition, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers will be part of the headlining act. Their latest album, "Soul Flyers" is enjoying great success on the Blues circuit. Piazza, who first started recording in 1967 with his group The Dirty Blues Band, is currently on tour. Johnny Mastro will be rocking the lake festival come June 26th with his group Mama's Boys. Their infusion brand of blues is sure to be a hit at the venue. This continent hopping band will be touring throughout the month of May. Their eleven track C.D., "Beautiful Chaos", implements extreme melodic guitar riffs, with old school blues. Taking infusion to another level is The Blue Note Band, which is on the headline bill as well. They are blending Rock, Blues, Soul, Funk and Jazz into what they like to call 'Blusion.' Festival attendees are sure to be in for a treat when this eclectic group performs. The Band has only been around since 2008, but will certainly rival their more seasoned counterparts. Their biggest single "Amrap" is a throw- back to the Blues of yesteryear. The Janis Joplin esque singer, Shari Puorto, will bring down the house with her raspy soulful voice. This past January, she was in Bangkok to perform with the Soi Dog Band. This extremely passionate performer is a fan favorite in the local Blues community and is sure to be one of the highlights of the show. Rounding out the lineup is The 44's, featuring producer and guitar great Kid Ramos. This event actually kicks off a series of concerts at the Irvine Lake. Others to follow include the 2nd Annual Legends of Rock Concert in July and the 5th Annual Woodstock 69 Concert in August. In addition to concerts, the Irvine Lake plays host to a number of other events. One of their biggest events is the Masters Invitational, a fishing contest where anglers fish for Rainbow, Steelhead, Brook and Brown Trout. The lake also is stocked with Bass, Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill, Sturgeon, Wiper and Carp. General admission for the festival is $25.00 pre-sale and $30.00 at the door. VIP tickets also are available for $100.00. The VIP package includes a catered lunch, discounted drinks and preferred seating. The price for general parking is $5.00 and $10.00 for preferred parking. Motorcycles are free of charge. Lawn chairs and blankets are allowed, along with one bottle of water per person. No other outside food or drink is allowed in the venue. Please be mindful that there is no re-entry. Irvine Lake is Located at 4621 Santiago Canyon Rd. Silverado, CA 92676. If you are a Blues enthusiast or just the casual listener, this event seems like a great opportunity to get out and hear some fantastic music by some very talented bands. TODO LIST LIVEMAGS.NET JUNE>>10 43