BY ROBERT MOYES

Special to Black Press

The Americana genre encompasses traditional music styles such as folk, country, bluegrass, blues, roots, gospel, and most things singer-songwriter.

And these days itB次元官网网址檚 safe to throw in some rock, rockabilly, and R&B, too. The Vancouver Island Music Festival (VIMF) has always booked lots of great Americana acts, and this summer they are bringing up a trio of bands that qualify as true royalty.

Many people of a certain age recall The Blasters, the glorious neo-rockabilly wrecking crew from California who sang about B次元官网网址�American MusicB次元官网网址� with blistering joy. That band blasted apart in the late 1980s, and out of the wreckage emerged co-founder Dave Alvin, who went on to become one of the most thrilling guitarist-singer-songwriters on the non-commercial music scene. Album after album, Alvin crafted amazing songs and performed them with a brilliant, kick-ass band known as The Guilty Ones. Their galvanizing live shows were and are unforgettable.

B次元官网网址淒ave is a real road warrior and one of my favourite artists,B次元官网网址� says Doug Cox, longtime artistic director of VIMF. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a killer guitarist, a wonderful singer, and he writes songs that seem like theyB次元官网网址檝e been around forever.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been trying to get him up to the festival for years and years but itB次元官网网址檚 never worked out till now.B次元官网网址�

Even better, Alvin is bringing a special guest star: renowned Texas singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore, who was one of the founding members of the legendary Flatlanders along with Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. Alvin and Gilmore have been buddies for 30 years but only recorded their first album, Downey to Lubbock, in 2018.

B次元官网网址淚t is so great that these two are performing together and telling some great stories,B次元官网网址� Cox says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 only the second time theyB次元官网网址檝e ever toured together. We are so lucky to get them.B次元官网网址�

And we segue from earthy to the divine, courtesy of Nikki D and the Sisters of Thunder, an all-female gospel sextet led by incendiary steel guitar star Nikki D. She is a master of B次元官网网址渟acred steel,B次元官网网址� which evolved in certain Baptist churches and features fervent solos on a lap steel guitar in place of the more traditional organ.

One of the standouts at last yearB次元官网网址檚 VIMF, Nikki D was an important part of HER Majesty, a showcase of amazing female blues singers and players. She also appeared on several daytime stages, where her ferocious riffing and sultry vocals were simultaneously intense and uplifting.

B次元官网网址淪acred steel is a male-dominated world and Nikki is the only female practitioner of note,B次元官网网址� says Cox. B次元官网网址淪he is just a fabulous playerB次元官网网址� with feel, soul, and heart.B次元官网网址�

Last year Nikki came alone but this year sheB次元官网网址檚 brought her band, which will complement NikkiB次元官网网址檚 Hendrix-like blues blasts and huge grooves with gospel-quartet harmonies and the unstoppable power of an old-style Baptist revival meeting. In short: sheer joy! (Nikki will also be leading the Sunday morning gospel session on the main stage, which is unfailingly a foot-stomping/hand-clapping weekend highlight.)

Expect the frenzy to get distinctly funky when New Orleans superstars Galactic take to the stage. Known for their upbeat party attitude, Galactic are as blended as a Bourbon Street daiquiri thanks to their jam-band mix of jazz-funk, rap, acid-jazz, and New Orleans-flavoured R&B.

Formed nearly 30 years ago, they originally favoured the slinky, rhythm-centric sound of the legendary Meters, but have latterly developed more modern and varied ways to guarantee a butt-shaking good time. From tastefully exuberant horn solos to the powerhouse vocals of lead singer Anjelika Jelly Joseph, this band knows how to party. And their not-so-secret weapon is longtime drummer Stanton Moore, who is the driving, rhythmic core of their irresistible funkiness.

B次元官网网址淢oore is a drummerB次元官网网址檚 drummer,B次元官网网址� enthuses Cox. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a New Orleans legend.B次元官网网址�

The 2023 Vancouver Island MusicFest runs July 14-16 at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds in Courtenay. For more information, or tickets, visit

B次元官网网址揜obert Moyes is an arts journalist with a particular interest in music