Blues Festival starts rocking tonight

Deanna Bogart, Maryland-based blues and boogie pianist and saxophonist, kicks off the  eighth annual Johnnie Walker Blues Festival at Mongoose Junction's Sun Dog Cafe at 8 p.m.  An hour later, the group Groove Thang appears at the Beach Bar at Wharfside.

And so begins concert promoter Steve Simon's latest week long series of free(!) blues concerts for the island.  Additional concerts are scheduled Thursday and Friday night in both Cruz Bay and Coral Bay (See the schedule here.) There will be a warm up Blues Revue at Skinny Legs Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m, too.

"It's going to be a huge week," Simon said.  The long time island resident has become an international blues concert promoter over the past five years.  He's packaged musicians' tours in the Middle East and the states, but St. John is home and where he puts on the biggest show of the music he loves.

The St. John Blues Festival's extravaganza show is Saturday night at the Coral Bay Ballfield.  Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate.  Food and beverages will be available thanks to volunteers from St. John Rotary, the Gifft Hill School and Sheila's Pot.