Blues Peer celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Forty years in which the festival went through deep valleys and even came close to bankruptcy.
Thanks to the support of loyal fans, sponsors and the municipality of Peer, the festival has now been held on its current site for four years.
That site exudes Belgian nonchalance and Burgundian cosiness – this year too it was a blast.
On Friday, the locals were already entertained during the Peer festivities, with performances by K’s Choice, The Kokomo Kings (who blew the roof off) and the Belgian blues band Travellin’ Blue, who recently released an excellent album.
Jazz Blues EU Magazine was present on Saturday and Sunday to report on a weekend full of musical highlights.
Saturday – full of guitars and grooves
Upon arrival, we already heard the sounds of Deman Rogue, a Belgian rocker from Alken, coming towards us. For him, this performance felt like a home game, and that was evident from the enthusiastic response from the audience.
His energetic mix of indie and blues was infectious – too bad he only got 30 minutes as an opening act.
After a period of relative silence, Doghouse Sam returned earlier this year with a rock-solid album. Together with his Magnatones – Martin Ubaghs (upright bass) and Franky Gomez (drums) – he delivered a wonderfully swinging set. Their rockabilly-based music went down a treat.
The tight grooves, the inventive rhythms of Franky on his minimalist drum kit, and the palpable energy made the performance a true party, standing still was not an option. Doghouse Sam and his Magnatones came, saw and conquered.
Then it was Early James’ turn. My expectations were high, because his latest album is a gem.
Although his introspective music is not typical for a festival setting, he managed to touch deeply with his expressive facial expressions and magical guitar playing.
Edwin even remarked: “It sounds like fado.” And indeed – the performance had that same magic. Despite part of the audience dropping out, a dedicated group stayed behind to give this class act the appreciation he deserved. One of the absolute highlights of the day.
Another highlight followed with The North Mississippi Allstars. Luther and Cody Dickinson, a duo not to be missed, brought a set full of uptempo Hill country blues.
Classics such as Shake ’Em On Down, Down in Mississippi, Snake Drive and Going Down South were played, drenched in Luther’s fabulous slide guitar playing and Cody’s hypnotic drumming. Even the subdued My Mind Is Rambling grew into a guitar orgy. It was a delight in a set full of surprises.
Luther and Cody switched instruments during All Night Long, with Cody taking up an electronically amplified washboard and Samantha Fish joining them for a jam at the end. The encore – a cracking version of Po’ Black Maddie – was the perfect end to a sublime performance.
There was no time to catch your breath, because the Delta Generators were already waiting in the Mississippi tent. Big Brian Templeton took the lead from the first note, with his captivating vocals and harmonica playing.
Supported by slide master Charlie O’Neal and his brother Rick on bass and drummer Jeff Armstrong, they delivered a tight and exciting show. The Night of the Johnstown Flood and The Devil’s Gun were highlights in a dazzling set.
In between all the international violence, Blues Peer also offered space to Belgian acts.
The trio Roland, Mauro and Steven were greeted with loud cheers, and the heavy rock duo Equal Idiots also got the audience going, although that was a bit too rough for us.
For blues lovers, the real work only started with Samantha Fish, who had already been spotted briefly during the Delta Generators’ performance.
The Mississippi tent was packed before she even started. With a fiery start – the MC5 cover of Kick Out the Jams – she set the tone. The intensity remained high, even during the ballad I Put a Spell on You, in which the guitar solo left the audience breathless.
Her signature cigar box guitar came out for the thundering Bulletproof, after which Luther Dickinson took the stage for a payback jam, Samantha closed with a steaming version of Rusty Razor.
A sizzling performance that turned Saturday night upside down – for many the absolute highlight of the weekend.
In the Mississippi tent, the party wasn’t over yet. Lee Fields, as a worthy successor to James Brown, delivered a show full of fire, soul and charm.
His captivating performance, his warm voice, the passion with which he sang about love and relationships, and his 7-piece band made a deep impression.
The honour of closing was for Seasick Steve. The question was how he would fill the hour and a half, as a one-man or two-man band. The stage setup – two chairs and a guitar rack – betrayed that something special was about to happen.
After a few songs, drummer Dan Magnusson joined, and not much later Luther Dickinson appeared on stage. Together they played songs from their joint album Love & Peace (2020).
The combination of Steve’s raw charm and grooves, Luther’s masterful slide work and their collective energy formed the perfect conclusion to an impressive Saturday.
