The Blues are back! The Leopolda Station of Pisa welcomes the first edition of bluesriver: four summer events dedicated to contemporary blues organized by the House of the City Leopolda and BeeRiver with the support of the Ministry of Culture.
The festival will be opened by the Cyborgs: drums, bass, keyboards, vocals and guitar for an alternative and engaging blues'n'boogie. No one knows exactly the identity of Cyborg1 and Cyborg0: their faces are concealed by welder helmets, which they wear during public performances. The Cyborgs' sound has won everyone over, so much so that the two mysterious humanoids have been chosen to open the concerts of Bruce Springsteen, Deep Purple, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Johnny Winter and many other internationally renowned artists. During their time in our dimension they played in every corner of the planet, from Russia to Canada, and participated in numerous festivals, such as Eurosonic in the Netherlands and the Bestival on the Isle of Wight in the UK.
The Call of the Blues
The blues bring with it the songs of African-American plantation slaves in the southern states of the United States. It is a constant reminder of the desire for freedom and the spirit of resistance. Musically it is the basis of many popular genres, from
blues to rock. Despite this, it is a genre that does not often happen to listen. In the contemporary scene many formations composed of young musicians offer an original sound, with obvious references to rock and country. In this perspective are placed the choices of the artistic direction of the BluesRiver curated by Lorenzo Marianelli.
The next bluerriver dates
- On Saturday, June 26, Betta & Luti (born Elisabetta Maulo and Roberto Luti) will bring to BluesRiver the scents and sounds that lead to New Orleans along the banks of the Mississippi.
- On July 10, the spotlight will shift to the Magicaboola Brass Band, a versatile group with the characteristics of a modern Street Band. Trumpets, trombone, saxophones, saxophone, crate, snare drum will compose blues, jazz, ethnic and funk into a mix of original compositions and songs by Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Thelonious Monk and others.
- Betta Blues Society will conclude the BluesRiver with a long-awaited concert on Saturday, July 17, on the eve of the release of their fourth album. Since 2009 the line-up composed of Elisabetta Maulo, Lorenzo Marianelli, Fabrizio Balest and Pietro Borsò has gained increasing popularity in Italy and abroad, culminating in participation in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, the first time for an Italian blues team.
Food trucks and craft beer
During the concerts at leopolada station in Pisa it will be possible to taste a selection of craft beers and dine with vintage food trucks. During the four summer events 12 breweries will participate and to deepen the knowledge of brassicole productions, journalist and sommelier Simone Cantoni, authentic vate of craft beer, will propose at nightfall a program of guided tastings able to satisfy the most demanding enthusiasts and the curious less experienced. Registration for tastings is open on the website. Visitors will also receive a guide to the different types of beer to be used for tastings and future opportunities to deepen brassicola culture.
Final note
Visitors who wish to listen to good music and dine in company can participate freely without having to buy tokens for tastings. BluesRiver events take place outdoors, with contingent input, masks, temperature measurement, sanitization. Admission is free.
Info
For more information you can contact the Leopolda Station in Pisa in Piazza Guerrazzi, tel. 05021531, info@leopolda.it.
Opening hours
Saturday 19 and 26 June, 10 and 17 July h 19.00 - 24.00
Website with the full program: www.beeriver.it
Image sources: blues river pisa
Map