After much gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands, Fredericton’s Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival have finally announced their full 2017 Line-Up.
Last week the festival broke the news that their big name this year would be perhaps the biggest fish they’ve landed yet with Phish frontman Trey Anastasio topping the bill.
“Trey Anastasio is an otherworldly musical force and being able to present him is a coup for Harvest,” said Brent Staeben, Harvest’s Music Programmer.
“He’s not only a mind-bending guitarist and formidable front man for Phish, but his spirit of collaboration lends itself perfectly to his once-in-a-generation talent. While his resume surely speaks for itself, I think what most stands out for me is that this is the guy who the Grateful Dead asked to sit in for the late Jerry Garcia at their 2015 farewell concerts. Rock music lovers need only hear the name Trey to know exactly who you mean.”
The Trey Anastasio Band will be joining a line-up that includes East Coast heavy-weights Sloan, Matt Andersen & The Bona Fide, and Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire. Last minute announcements include also former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page. The festival will also feature performances from Colin James, Bruce Cockburn, Steve Earle and the Dukes, The Revivalists, Martha Wainwright, The TransCanada Highwaymen, Lettuce, Alex Cuba, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, The Marcus King Band, Chali 2na & The Funk Hunters, Matt Minglewood Band, Muddy Magnolias, The National Reserve, The Hip Abduction, Start Making Sense – A Talking Heads Tribute, Hollerado, The Ghost of Paul Revere, Amasa Hines, Sonya Rae and the Sleepwalkers, Paper Lions Atlas Road Crew Joe Murphy & The Water Street Blues Band, Terra Lightfoot, Keith Hallett, Garrett Mason, Reeny Smith, Greg MacPherson, Earthbound, Stephen Lewis and The Big Band of Fun, City Natives, The Christine Campbell Band, Downtown Blues Band, Brent Mason and Jessica Rhaye, Earle and Coffin, Amanda Jackson Band, The Gary Sappier Blues Band, Blind Dog, The Honeyboys, Buck Tingley, Laurent Couturier & The Rusty Mikes, David in the Dark, Brookside Mall, and Quinn Bonnell.
“Harvest fans will be absolutely thrilled by this year’s blues line-‐up, with headliners that cover the full spectrum, from acoustic delta mastery through to powerful electric styles,” said Staeben
“We’ve crafted this schedule to cover the whole palette of blues taste, and we’re very pleased to mix returning favorites like Colin James, Matt Andersen and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer with some of the hottest players on the scene, in acts like Sonya Rae and the Sleepwalkers and The National Reserve,” he said. “Of course, the line-‐up wouldn’t be complete without longtime regional favorites, who are well represented in our 2017 edition.”
*Update: Servers have crashed. Ticket says are being delayed until May 12th.
Harvest Jazz & Blues will be happening downtown Fredericton between September 12-17th . Tickets and passes go on sale immediately and are available online at etixnow.com, Harvest Central at 81 Regent St, and Graystone Brewing(221 King St), and Grimross Brewing (600 Bishop Dr).