Doheny Blues Festival '18 preview

Larkin Poe photo courtesy Red Light Mgmt.

If you’ve ever satisfied a blues music fix at Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point, there is still find plenty to savor now that the event has moved to Sea Terrace Park.

“We owe it to the audience buying a ticket and coming to the festival to get it as close to perfect as we can,” Rich Sherman, event producer and president of Omega Events, said in a phone interview.

Following a two-decade Doheny State Beach run, the announcement of the change was made last December. If regular attendees are skeptical about whether organizers can replicate the old experience on May 19-20, Sherman dispelled any doubts.

It will be “almost exactly the same,” he affirmed, with straight ahead sightlines at the main Dana Point stage and a large seating area for gold/VIP ticket buyers. The party-minded PCH Stage is returning; the more intimate Backporch Stage, enhanced.

“Everybody likes being up close. We’ve done a lot of design elements and added to that with the big craft beer area” (plus the popular wine lounge and international food court). “The flow at each of the three stages will be very similar to what it’s been in the past.”

The location change stemmed from a failed site bid. Keeping everything in town was a primary goal for Omega Events, which immediately met Dana Point business leaders and city officials. They were equally passionate about the festival staying around, its importance to the local economy and cultural impact.

“It didn’t take much time to identify the best location and dates,” said Sherman. “We’re very thankful for the support from the city of Dana Point.”

Eric Burdon photo: Bob Steshetz

Once a site agreement was finalized, the booking process commenced in January. Despite a compressed timeframe, Omega Events still managed “a good pool of talent,” said Sherman.

"We’re thrilled with the lineup that we pulled together, but it did create a challenge by getting a late start. “We looked at the real meat and potatoes blues acts that you want to have on the lineup and cool new acts.”

Atlanta-bred Larkin Poe, a rising sibling duo, whose latest full-length effort “Peach” mixes incendiary originals with traditional blues numbers, is definitely one to watch.

“They’ve been doing viral videos, covering Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters, and those have blossomed their career over the last year,” Sherman said. “You have these young women, playing blues and early rock ‘n’ roll and it’s exciting to see. That’s why we booked ‘em. We’re getting a lot of positive feedback about them coming to the show. I anticipate a big crowd” for their Doheny debut.

Saturday co-headliner George Thorogood is touring behind 2017 acoustic album “Party of One” (Rounder Records), where he interprets blues classics by artists that influenced him such as Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Robert Johnson. Thorogood also tackles John Cash, the Rolling Stones and reinvents his own "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."

Also topping that evening’s bill is Blues Traveler, returning to the festival after a 17-year absence. The group has a new album due later this year. Then there's Fabulous Thunderbirds founder Jimmie Vaughan. 

Eric Gales is among several musicians making their first Doheny Blues appearance.

"Probably 1/3 of our lineup has never played the event before. That’s unique after 20 years, for sure," affirmed Sherman. "Eric is a monster guitar player. If you like big searing guitar, he’s your guy. He’s had a renaissance in his career and is really on a roll right now. He’s very humble and blessed to be playing and we’re thrilled to have him. That’s going to be a really electric show."

 

photo: Bob Steshetz

On Sunday, 81-year-old blues legend Buddy Guy looks to be a major draw. His next album “The Blues is Alive and Well,” due June 15 on Silvertone/RCA, features appearances by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck and James Bay.

Sherman is excited about having Guy play Doheny a fourth time. “We are really fortunate to have featured B.B. King, Little Richard and Chuck Berry and Buddy Guy” in the past. “Buddy is the direct lineage to the beginning of American rock ‘n’ roll music.”

Former War and The Animals frontman Eric Burdon, best known for such 1960s and early '70s hits as "We Gotta Get Outta This Place," "It's My Life," "Spill the Wine," "House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Bring Me Down" is making his third Doheny appearance.

Kim Wilson is no stranger to the Dana Point event either. 

"It seems like he’s hanging out every year," joked Sherman. "He’ll come and sit in with people. He was there for the first event with the Fabulous Thunderbirds. That was the year that Jimmie Vaughan [joined] them and he hadn’t played with T-Birds since he left. That reunion was a special moment. He’s got a killer all-star band that he recorded his last record ["Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1] with - one of the best of the year in the blues community. He’s motivated to play that music. Blues is his passion."

 

Beth Hart photo: Bob Steshetz

Another must-see set is Los Angeles native Beth Hart. She previously played Doheny Blues in '15 and has three recent releases: "Front and Center - Live from New York" (taken from the PBS-TV special), last year's studio album "Fire on the Floor" and "Black Coffee," a collaboration with Joe Bonamassa.

Inland Empire blues musician Chris Thayer, leader of Chris Thayer & the TCB (formerly Big Papa & the TCB), said the 2018 lineup "looks light years better than previous years. It actually looks like a blues festival again. I think they finally are getting it right.

"Nothing against the classic rock acts, but I think a blues festival should have headliners that actually play blues," he continued. The singer/guitarist also believes more local independent talent should have the opportunity to play it. 

Transportation options for the festival include free parking on Niguel Road and Pacific Coast Highway; a trolley, shuttles at four Dana Point locations, the Harbor area, area hotels and the nearby campground. Sherman pointed out that “the front gate is pretty easy to get to,” a hassle-free Rideshare drop off and bike parking.

As for the future of Doheny Blues, Sherman said “our job is to produce a great event and work with the neighboring associations and hotels nearby. Assuming all goes as well as we expect, our plan is to try to establish a long-term festival site at Sea Terrace.” 

Doheny Blues Festival 
When: Gates open at 11 a.m. (general admission passholders) – 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19-11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 20; no lineups before 8 a.m.
Where: Sea Terrace Park, Pacific Coast Highway and Niguel Rd., Dana Point
Tickets: $475 advance for gold two-day pass ($260 gold single day); $275 VIP two-day pass ($160 VIP single day); $140 general admission two-day pass ($80 single day). Gold passholders early entry access starts at 10 a.m. daily. VIP almost sold out. Prices increase by $10 on May 18.
Saturday lineup: George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Blues Traveler, Jimmie Vaughan, Anders Osborne, Eric Gales, Larkin Poe, Knockout Greg, Chris Cane All Stars, Mitch Woods, Nathan James, Dany Franchi, Artur Menezes, Silver Kings 
Sunday lineup: Buddy Guy, Eric Burdon, Beth Hart, California Honeydrops, John Nemeth's Love Light Orchestra, Nikki Hill, Kim Wilson's Blues All Stars, Curtis Salgado & Alan Hager, Quinn Sullivan, Santos & Sinners, Mercedes Moore Band Information: www.dohenybluesfestival.com 

A version of my story originally appeared at ocregister.com, pe.com and other Southern California News Group publications.