Out of the Blue: Dive into weekend Blue Water Festival for a rockin’ good time
Do not let the loss of two acts at this weekend’s Blue Water Music Festival deter you in any way from going. This is a lyrical Laguna love fest. A sonic bubble bath to soak in Laguna’s mighty eclectic music scene. In one marvelous open space — the Sawdust Festival.
What a brilliant use of bucolic festival grounds that unfortunately sit fallow much of the year and what a lineup. Sure, you might see any of these artists during the year at The Sandpiper, Cliff, White House or Marine Room, but to see them all at one time in one place is a rich, delicious gumbo — not to mention feeling the love and mutual respect as the bands jam together and cheer each other on.
Set to perform are Laguna’s most legendary acts, including The Missiles of October, Common Sense, World Anthem and favorite sons Ken Garcia and Trevor Green. And so many original voices like Pawnshop Kings (California folk/rock), Salty Suites (bluegrass), Sammie Jay (blues), Paco Banton (reggae), O’Malley Jones (soul), Vinnie and the Hooligans (string band), Adam Lasher (rock) and much more. If you love music, real music played by real musicians and not by programmers, this is a showcase for you.
Last year was the event’s first year at the Sawdust. Blue Water founder Rick Conkey found the ideal venue for a music festival, with plenty of room to roam across expansive, shaded grounds to the three discreet stages. The audience’s raucous embrace of their favorite hometown bands was yet another testament to Laguna’s lovely, gooey vibe. In other words, a swingin good time.
The Rebel Rockers performed a stirring, heartfelt tribute to their late leader, the man who spawned our peerless West Coast reggae scene, Eric “Redz” Morton. So many great players who were part of the band through their three decades joined the stage. It was beautiful and touching. Most will be back, including this year’s honoree, Redz’ founding bandmate Jack Miller.
This is the little music festival that can and will if our community gets behind it. I encourage all of you seniors who never make it past 9 p.m. to come see these acts. Bring the family. I hope our City Council, Arts Commission, city staff and even law enforcement come to experience a dimension of Laguna they usually only hear about when there are noise complaints. These artists will move you. They are infectious fun.
Where could this little festival go? Maybe it could become our very own SXSW (South By Southwest), a multiday music, arts and culinary celebration that could bring people in from around the world. Most potential venues are within walking distance — our entire Arts District. Can you imagine national acts at the Irvine Bowl, the Laguna Playhouse and [seven-degrees]? Or perhaps at the yet-to-be-built performing arts center that Mayor Can-Do hopes to realize at our village entrance? And we could mount a prestigious art fair — a West Coast Art Basel.
Plus performances and shows at downtown bars, restaurants and perhaps even free showcases at our future Forest Pedestrian Plaza. And shows up and down Coast Highway, from the Montage to the Dirty Bird, from a sunset classical show at Crescent Bay to a jazz showcase at the Heisler Park amphitheater. Maybe by that time Mark Fudge will have retired from the buzzkill business and The Ranch will host massive concerts on the first tee. All reachable by our free trolley, or safely on bike.
It is a vision that is not out of reach for Rick, who has such a huge heart that he works tirelessly to support these bands and cares nothing for personal enrichment but instead earmarks the profits for charity. He is a force for good but he needs support.
If certain business, civic and city leaders get behind him — including the visitors bureau and arts council — we could make something magnificent and perennial to support all the artists and merchants in this town — at a time of year when they could use it most.
So get thee to the Blue Water festival. And spread the word. Ticket prices for the Saturday and Sunday event have been cut in half. Get yours at https://www.bluewatermusicfestival.org.
BILLY FRIED has a radio show on KX93.5 from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursdays called “Laguna Talks.” He is the chief experience officer of La Vida Laguna and member of the board of Transition Laguna. He can be reached at billy@lavidalaguna.com.