Blues to Boot: Octoberfest Blues Revue to bring live music, food and brews to Walkabout Brewing (copy)

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Guitarists and vocalists Chris Cain and Michael Osborn will showcase their musical chops along with Ben Rice & The PDX Hustle, The Brisbane Project, and TC and The Reactions for this year’s rendition of the Octoberfest Blues Revue, organized by the Rogue Blues Society.

The single-day event celebrates blues music with local and internationally touring artists at Walkabout Brewing Company, located at 921 Mason Way in Medford.

In addition to the rhythmic tunes, the festivities will also include food and a wide range of craft beer offered by Walkabout.

The Octoberfest Blues Revue is scheduled for 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6. Gates open at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for Rogue Blues Society members, $30 for non-members, tickets for kids ages 10 through 17 are $25 or $20 for society members; children under 10 years of age can get in for free. Tickets at the door cost an additional $10 per person. There is no fee for parking.

Tickets can be purchased at rogueblues.org/tickets.

Walkabout’s patio seating is limited, so organizers encourage attendees to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.

No outside food or beverages are permitted and overnight camping isn’t allowed.

“This is an opportunity to introduce music that people don’t hear in the area too often, and we’re doing an excellent job with that this year, especially with Chris Cain,” said Linda Huffman, president of the Rogue Blues Society. “One of the things I really like about this year’s revue is we have some younger blues people as well as older blues musicians, so it transcends age.”

The revue includes multiple talented and renowned artists, with headliners Cain and Osborn sharing the stage for a rare joint appearance together.

Bringing a soulful, jazz-infused sound influenced by the likes of B.B. King and Bobby Bland, Cain is returning from an Australian tour supporting his latest album release, “Good Intentions Gone Bad,” with Alligator Records. Cain was nominated for the 2018 “Guitarist of the Year” award at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee.

Osborn played with legendary blues artist John Lee Hooker for 13 years, also backing, recording and playing with musical heavyweights Carlos Santana, Elvin Bishop and Bonnie Raitt. Based in Portland, Oregon, Osborn is a regular performer at the city’s Waterfront Blues Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

On the younger end of the lineup, Ben Rice & The PDX Hustle will bring their own style of blues and soul, showcasing instrumental versatility and blending traces of country, folk and rock.

“I’m excited to bring the band down and play for everybody. It’s always great to see everybody and that’s a major fun thing in music, is the people you get to come across,” Rice said. “We play down in Southern Oregon quite a bit.”

Based in Portland but playing all around the region, Rice’s bandmates bring their own skills and flavors to the musical group.

“They have their own musical careers too and play a lot — they’re a great part of the band and also great musicians in their own right,” Rice said.

Rounding out the blues revue will be local bands The Brisbane Project and TC and The Reactions.

The Brisbane Project will showcase a hard rock and blues mix with youthful energy and TC and The Reactions’ blues base melds with R&B influences.

The Rogue Blues Society, formerly known as the Ashland Blues Society, started in 2008.

“There’s a lot I didn’t understand about the blues until I got involved in the Rogue Blues Society, and I’ve been involved with the board for probably 12 years now,” Huffman said.

Huffman has been the group’s president for nearly a decade, and the organization puts on blues jams twice a month for local players to test their chops.

The jam sessions are held from 6 to 9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of every month at Grape Street Bar & Grill, 31 S. Grape St., Medford. A different local blues band hosts each jam.

“It gives an opportunity for people to hear live music during the week, and it’s over at 9 p.m. so you still get a good night’s sleep,” Huffman said. “It also offers an opportunity for lesser experienced musicians to network and play with more experienced musicians, and that’s a lot of how we learn and grow.”

To learn more about the Rogue Blues Revue or Rogue Blues Society, visit rogueblues.org or email at roguebluessociety@gmail.com.

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