Sunshine Blues Festival Rocks Boca Raton

Blues Fans Brave Rain in Mizner Park

Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers Band reaches for a high note.

BOCA RATON, Fla. – There's an old blues song by T-Bone Walker called "Stormy Monday" but the rain was pouring on Saturday, January 19th when the Sunshine Blues Festival pulled into Mizner Park in Boca Raton!

But the nasty weather didn't dampen the spirits of the hundreds of fans who stood out in the pouring rain (very strange) to hear some live blues by masters like Sonny Landreth, Tedeschi Trucks Band and New Orleans music legend Dr. John!

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There was plenty of good food from sausages to homemade BBQ available as well as cold draft beer and even mixed drinks!  Tie-dyes, T-shirts and other vending was set up in the field surrounding the smaller 2nd stage. 

During the day, the main competition was finding some dry space under an awning or a tree to get out of the rain for a minute or two!  The standard concert outfit was a poncho or even a garbage bag, for those who weren't prepared for the weather.

But the rain didn't keep fans from coming out and dancing for their favorite bands!  The music started at 11 a.m. and ran until 11 p.m.  Fans got to hear great music from Joe Louis Walker, Matt Schofield, Sean Chambers, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Walter Trout, Jamoe's Jassz Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Sonny Landreth, Dr. John and The Wood Brothers!

The Sunshine Blues Festival was created by Derek Trucks of Tedeschi Trucks Band and took place in 3 Florida cities over the weekend of January 18-20; with a concert on Friday, Jan. 18th in Fort Myers, Saturday, Jan. 19th's show in Boca Raton and wrapped up with a show on Sun., Jan. 20 in St. Petersburg.

Despite the rain, it was a great time on Saturday, with a lot of incredible live music and a very appreciative audience!  Tickets were not that expensive and it was a very intimate venue.   You could walk right up to either the main or secondary stage and get very close to some of these blues legends as they were playing!  It's tough to do that at a theater or other concert venue.  You don't want to miss the Sunshine Blues Festival when it rolls back through next year!

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