International star for Blues fest

By Harry Sagara Kabalagala's AL's bar will this Sunday, April 1, be set ablaze with the shimmering sound of guitars, the roar of trombones and heart-stopping drum-beats. Brace yourselves for the third annual edition of the Blues Fest proudly brought to you courtesy of The New Vision, Jade. Inc, Capital Radio, Mango and Alliance Francaise, among others. The organisers of this fete speak of an alluring entertainment package that might be the best thing that ever happened to you this year. The Blues Fest is a festival that celebrates 'the blues' and is an unequalled event not only in Uganda, but the world over. Gates for the do will be open at 2:00PM. "Its going to be the perfect Sunday afternoon affair," says Larborde Gilles, director of Alliance Francaise. He adds that the whole idea is to broaden the perspective of the conventional Blues Fest by flying in internationally acclaimed composer and drummer, Bertrand Renaudin as the main performer. The management of Nandos have vowed to inundate the place with their products. Mbu, they will also have a free barbecue for the first people to get into the AL's Bar gardens. There will also be an assortment of games like Rodeo Bull, Giant American roulette and Gladiator ring. The bands line up streaks of accomplished local blues crooners who include The Nocturnals, Power Cut, Survivors and Mental Midgets. Entrance for the fete is a paltry sh 5,000. Blues music (the blues) is an art-form that was introduced and nurtured by slaves in America during the long gone slavery days, in the cotton plantations of the Southern states, and was carried northward by freed slaves. Chicago, an American state, soon became the home of the urban blues and by the middle of the 20th century the blues had been firmly entrenched into American culture. It was during this period that it spawned an off-shot aptly called Rock & Roll. In fact it is said that if it were not for the influence of Blues Music, the likes of Elvis Priestly, who cut a niche from Rock and Roll, would be ordinary people. The blues are the lamentations of a man encountered with hard times, it is a message of grief and hope; a thing that has given it global popularity. The advent of this enchanting Blues Fest in Uganda stems back to March 26, 1999 at Kaos Sports bar where a number of local blues bands held what was dubbed as "Blues Fest Kampala" where a plethora of uptown socialites and the diplomatic community flocked. Yet another Blues Fest' in July last year at the Rock Garden café followed the initial one. It was aptly dubbed 'Blues Fest 2'. The April 1st third annual Blues Fest' 3 is definitely not going to be another April fools' prank, it's for real so don't get fooled! Just be at AL's bar and have a blast. Ends