Spin Doctors, Digging Roots included in annual Kitchener Blues Festival lineup

Kitchener Blues Festival has announced its lineup that will play at the 23rd annual event in downtown Kitchener from Aug. 10 to 13.

Some of the bigger names include Downchild Blues Band, I Mother Earth, Men Without Hats and Dandy Warhols.

The four-day event is free, except for the Aug. 10 fundraising concert in which tickets are $40 each.

Opening the fundraising concert is Digging Roots, an Indigenous band.

“Just stellar performers,” Blues Fest President Rob Barkshire told CityNews. “We’ve had them before at the festival before a couple of times. They’re always a fan favourite.”

They will be followed by the headliner, Spin Doctors, who Barkshire describes as “iconic.”

“A sort of New York City-formed group that has a really, really strong blues background but has moved into rocking blues with a bit of a twist to it,” he said.

This year’s festival will have a focus on 90s acts — including I Mother Earth, Rheostatics, Dandy Warhols and Odds — in efforts to draw a younger demographic. Barkshire says a total of at least 150,000 participants are expected.

“It’s great fun, it’s family-oriented,” said Barkshire. “Again, because it’s free, there’s no economic barriers for people to participate.”

The Blues Fest will be played across three different stages in downtown Kitchener. At night the bands will move indoors to the bars.

“You can keep partying and seeing some of your acts up close and more intimate,” said Barkshire. “So it’s a really great vibe to have that stroll up and down King Street, pop into different venues and see a great live act.”

The full list of performers for 2023 Kitchener Blues Festival:

Thursday, Aug. 10:
7:00 p.m. – Digging Roots OLG Stage
9:15 p.m. – Spin Doctors OLG Stage

Friday, Aug. 11:
3:00 p.m. – GRBS Blues Camp Performance Europro Stage
5:45 p.m. – Dwayne Laforme’s Boogie Blues Europro Stage
5:30 p.m. – Justin Saladino Band OLG Stage
6:00 p.m. – Miss Angel & The Homewreckers YNC Stage
7:15 p.m. – David Gogo Europro Stage
7:00 p.m. – Steve Strongman Band OLG Stage
7:30 p.m. – Endrick & The Sandwiches YNC Stage
9:30 p.m. – Dawn Tyler Watson Europro Stage
9:00 p.m. – GET BACK – The Rooftop Concert The Beatles Never Gave OLG Stage
9:30 p.m. – I Mother Earth YNC Stage

Saturday, Aug. 12:
12:00 p.m. – Youth Legacy Winner YNC Stage
12:00 p.m. – The Tonewheels OLG Stage
12:30 p.m. – Brooke Blackburn Europro Stage
1:30 p.m. – The Weber Brothers YNC Stage
1:30 p.m. – Patrick Alexandre OLG Stage
2:00 p.m. – McKenna/Moonah Blues Duo Europro Stage
3:30 p.m. – Men Without Hats YNC Stage
3:15 p.m. – Albert Cummings OLG Stage
3:30 p.m. – Spencer Mackenzie Europro Stage
5:30 p.m. – Errol Blackwood Injah Band YNC Stage
5:15 p.m. – Rheostatics OLG Stage
5:30 p.m. – Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar Europro Stage
7:30 p.m. – MonkeyJunk YNC Stage
7:30 p.m. – Thorbjorn Risager Europro Stage
7:15 p.m. – Samantha Fish ft. Jesse Dayton OLG Stage
9:30 p.m. – Mr. Sipp Europro Stage
9:30 p.m. – M Dandy Warhols OLG Stage

Sunday, Aug. 13:
12:00 p.m. – Harrison Kennedy Europro Stage
12:00 p.m. – Halloween Animals YNC Stage
10:30 a.m. – Gospel Breakfast OLG Stage
1:30 p.m. – Lyle Odjick & The Northern Steam Europro Stage
2:00 p.m. – SheWolves of London YNC Stage
1:00 p.m. – Stealing Dan OLG Stage
3:15 p.m. – Mike McKenna’s Slidewinder Blues Band Europro Stage
3:30 p.m. – ODDS OLG Stage
4:30 p.m. – The Legendary Downchild Blues Band YNC Stage