Get ready for the blues, Love City!
A group of island blues lovers, calling themselves St. John Blues Society, has so missed the annual blues fest, they decided to do something about it.
The group is hosting the first annual St. John Blues Blowout on Saturday, March 29, at the Winston Wells ball field with music kicking off at 7 p.m.
The night will feature Kansas City-based Samantha Fish, the Mississippi-born Johnny Rawls, Canadian blues guitarist Anthony Gomes and Florida harmonica man T.C. Carr.
In addition to great music, the night is also a fund raiser for the non-profit emergency response group St. John Rescue.
The fledgeling St. John Blues Society is still looking for donations and is partnering with Rotary Club of St. John, explained Ronnie’s Pizza owner, Ronnie Klingsberg, a St. John Blues Society member who is organizing the concert along with Ian Samuel.
“The Rotary Club of St. John is helping sponsor the event so all donations to the St. John Blues Blowout are tax deductible,” said Klingsberg.
The blues fans were inspired to organize the concert in order to bring some great music to the island but also to help the one agency on St. John which helps all residents, Klingsberg explained.
“St. John Rescue is the only volunteer group that can help Police, Fire, EMS, Coast Guard, National Park, VITEMA, FEMA; all for free,” he said. “They can either conduct boat rescues, repel sharp inclines — which we have many of — extract people from crashed vehicles, administer first aid or even direct traffic whenever called to help.”
“A fundraiser for St. John Rescue just seemed like the right thing to do for the right cause,” said Klingsberg. “It makes sense to help the ones who help us.”
The St. John Blues Society is still looking for both donations and volunteers for the first annual St. John Blues Blowout on Saturday, March 29.
Tickets for the concert are $35 in advance, and will be more at the door. Tickets are available at Connections, Chelsea Drug Stores, Ronnie’s Pizza, Kilroy’s Laundry, Cruz Bay Landing and Gecko Gazebo.
For more information about the concert, how to help or to donate, call Klingsberg at Ronnie’s Pizza at (340) 693-7700.
Klingsberg is also looking for a food vendor interested in paying $300 to set up and vend in the field during the concert.
