(AURORA, IL) – 23 years ago, a seemingly simple music festival began. It honored the historic 1930s blues recordings that took place at the Leland Hotel in Downtown Aurora. Few could have guessed those recordings would spawn a blues festival that’s brought thousands and thousands of music lovers to Aurora, and like those blues legends, decades ago, it just keeps getting better and better year after year. Celebrate the blues with the one and only Blues on the Fox. Performers include Ana Popovic and Taj Mahal on Friday evening, and Jamiah Rogers, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Coco Montoya and Robert Randolh on Saturday. Tickets are $20 each day general admission, children 12 and under no charge.
Friday, June 14 the gates open at 6 pm at RiverEdge Park and Ana Popovic takes the stage at 7pm. This extraordinarily talented woman is a powerhouse performer who uses her guitar effortlessly. She’s and a breath of fresh of air in the blues world.
Taj Mahal Quartet follows at 9pm. A blues legend in his own right, uses traditional country blues as a starting place, then mixes a spicy concoction of Afrocentric roots music, a blues gumbo kissed by reggae, Latin, R&B, Cajun, Caribbean rhythms, gospel, West African folk, jazz, calypso, and Hawaiian slack key.
Saturday, June 15 the Gates open at 2 pm and Jamiah Rogers and his band will kickoff at 3pm. One of the hottest acts in the Midwest and a Chicago favorite, Jamiah has been playing since he was three years old with his dad, and is now electrifying audiences across the country.
Ronnie Baker Brooks steps up at 5pm. A ferocious blues player, Brooks is a Chicago-born musician who’s been on stage since the age of 9, is considered “unrelenting,” a “monster guitarist” and “blues royalty.”
Coco Montoya takes the stage at 7 pm. An honest-to-God show-stopper with a hard-edged sound and style all his own, Montoya mixes his forceful, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals with memorable songs, delivering the blues’ hardest truths. He earned his status as a master guitarist and soul-powered vocalist through years of rockin’ the blues with a guitar that cuts straight to the heart of the matter.
Robert Randolph and the Family Band will headline at 9pm. Robert Randolph fuses rock, funk, soul, jazz and the jam band scene into his own miraculous sound. Robert Randolph didn’t even hear the sounds of blues until he was out of his teens due to only knowing music from church. Unbelievable talent.
Children 12 and under are admitted free to Blues on the Fox and must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. A physical ticket is still required to enter the park, so please visit any of the ticket booths outside the park upon arrival for free children tickets. Children must be present to obtain free ticket.
At this event, the entire park is general admission. There will be limited bench seating in front of the stage with an area for bag chairs in between. Bench seating is first come, first served. No bag chairs are allowed in the benches. The rest of the park is general admission for bag chairs. Bag chairs and blankets are also allowed on the lawn areas. No saving spaces allowed.
