THUNDER BAY – Female artists dominated Day 1 of the 2018 Thunder Bay Blues Festival, and the 8,000-strong crowd loved every minute of it.
Led by the return of rocker Melissa Etheridge and Canadian legend Sass Jordan, there was barely room to move at the Marina Park venue, as throngs of music fans flocked to the waterfront to check out opening day.
Unlike other years, the crowds arrived early, presenting a thrilling backdrop for local artists Arley Hughes and The Angies, who kicked off the evening with a pair of powerful sets, the first a blues-infused hour, the second an all-female take on the Rolling Stones, including selections from their earliest blues-fuelled roots.
Hughes, for one, was thrilled to start the show, pumped that female artists are finally starting to get their due.
“I have had the best time tonight. I think the ladies and the women of blues and the women of music are starting to get more accolades, a little bit more understanding and promotion and it just feels really good to be part of this,” said Hughes, who’s become a bit of a regular on the Blues Festival stage in recent years and has a pair of albums, one blues and one folk, nearing release.
“And being on the same stage as so many fantastic women artists this weekend, I couldn’t be more excited.”
Drummer Jenny McPhail said she founded The Angies in part to fill a gap in the local music scene -- that and her love of the Stones.
“I felt like there needed to be an all-female band in Thunder Bay because there were so many of us peppered around and we never got together to collaborate. So we got together and our second gig we won the Blues Society’s International Blues Challenge,” McPhail said.
She added she didn’t realize it would become the Year of the Women, as this year’s Blues Festival has been hailed, when they signed, but loves the idea, adding it’s great for music development in the city.
“I think young females still need some good role models in this business, so it’s been a good experience so far.”
And playing on the same stage as the likes of Sheryl Crow, Pat Benatar and Sarah MacLachlin is a dream come true.
“(Sheryl) is a huge role model. All of them are. I grew up listening to Sass Jordan and Sheryl Crow, I feel like she’s played with the Stones and there’s that connection too,” McPhail said.
Trevor Hurtig, who helped organize the three-day event through the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, said the sold-out status of the festival is proof positive a female-led lineup was a good direction to take the event.
It’s a huge hit, he said.
“I thought, how can it be any busier than previous years and it is. There’s no doubt about it. We know that we’re still within park capacity, so that’s good. But it is quite busy. Certainly it’s because they’re female and that’s the theme this year. But at the same time I think we’ve got some of the best talent we’ve had.”
He wasn’t surprised that either of the two opening acts were able to convince fans to make their way to Marina Park earlier than usual.
“I think both those acts, they belong on that stage alongside these other national and international artists. They both delivered amazing sets.”
Big Wreck, led by front-man Ian Thornley, rounded out the evening, leading into Etheridge’s hit-charged set with an hour-long rock and roll set that landed the retooled band on the charts numerous times over the past 21 years.
Blues Fest continues on Saturday with the Arkells, Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan topping the bill.
