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Free yourself up for The Summer Time Blues

Dereham Blues Festival 2024

Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th, Friday 12th, Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July, 2024 

Dereham town centre is home to one of the UK’s very best music festivals.  Wander freely from FREE gig to FREE gig around the compact old market town.  The music is FREE in the local pubs and clubs (NO muddy fields)!

If you've never been to the Dereham Blues Festival, you need to make some space in your diary.  If you have been, you just need to make sure that you do not miss this beefed-up, extra special 10th festival.  It starts on the evening of Wednesday 10^th July with a ticketed gig and then simply rolls into a four-day weekend of wall-to-wall free blues music.

I went last year and it was brilliant!  It is superbly contained  in the tight-knit town and free, apart from a handful of events. All the local pubs and bars support the event and it creates a real buzz around Dereham.  

What I learned from last year's blues festival was:

• Grab a brochure and plot a route from free venue to free venue.
• Be prepared to bin your plan, as you will get be lured in by the siren sounds of beautiful blues music from many an unexpected quarter.
• Chat with any of many the music lovers who flock to Dereham for this wonderful event and just go with the flow from hostelry to tavern, from pub to club and round again.  We are talking Norfolk here, where friendly and welcoming music fans abound.

This year’s opening night starring Toby Lee, the wunderkind from the West Country is at the Dereham Memorial Hall.  The opening act is Catfish, who play innovative, “face-melting” blues rock, who bring a fresh dimension to the contemporary blues scene. I do understand that this show is already sold out, but do not fret - the festival opener is only a precursor to a wonderful music filled-weekend.

After the opening paid for and ticketed event, the music around town is free from Thursday through to Sunday night and it is absolutely everywhere in this old Norfolk market town.

This is the 10^th Dereham Blues Festival and this year there is the added dimension of the Community Blues Explosion.  Learn how to do West African Drumming for just £3 (children £2) in the Morrison’s carpark.  Sessions run at 11:00h / 12:30h / 14:30h / 16:00h on both Saturday 13^th July and Sunday 14^th July.

If singing is your thing, then get along to the Lauren Dove taster blues and soul taster session at 10:00h on Saturday 13^th July.  In preparation for the festival Lauren will be holding a session at 19:30h on Wednesdays Free yourself up to sing the summer time blues with Lauren at the Church House, Church Road on Wednesday evenings of 12th, 19th, 26th June and 3rd July. 

The Orion Cinema is hosting an audience with Mississippi MacDonald on Friday 12th July.  His interviewer will be Ross Stewart, who has a fast-growing reputation as one of the UK’s most-talented young blues guitarists.  Both men will be armed with guitars, so it won’t just be chewing the musical cud.

The Orion is also screening an exclusive feature of Cadillac Records about the rise of the legendary, Chicago- based Chess Records at 17:30h on Saturday 13^thJuly.

The other Community Blues Explosion events, are History of The Blues, in which Terry Bunting takes a fascinating walk through the beginnings, history and enduring, far-reaching influence of blues music today. 

If this wasn’t enough, get to the Dereham Men’s Shed and make yourself a cigar box guitar. Tools and materials provided.  For £35 that has to be a bargain.

This article is already close to 500 words and it would take a couple of thousand more to cover every act, gig and event at Dereham Blues Festival 2024.  Just lock up your house and get everyone down to Dereham 10^th to 14^th July, 2024. Good times guaranteed.  

At the time of posting this article the following bands are going to be appearing at Dereham Blues Festival 2024:

After Hours, Against the Grain, Andy Grant Band, Back Porch, Ben Hemming, Blackstone Blues Band, Blues Highway, Checkmate Kings, Clean Sneak, Cold Sweat, Doc K's Blues Band, Dove and Boweevil, Egypt, Going Down South, Goldrusha, Gypsy Candlesticks, Henry Baker, Hot Cold Ground, Hotsmoke and Danger, indigo Collective, John's Blue Crew, Jon De'Konker Root, Justin Light and the Midnighteers, Katie and The Bad Sign, Lightning Threads, Loy and The Tall Boys, Luke Arnold, Miller Crossan, Mississippi MacDonald, Mojo Mules, Mojo Preachers, Moonshine Coyote, NEVEN, No Good Woman and the Kingsnakes, Paul Tinkler Part Time Blues Band, Ralph Beeby and the Elephant Collective, Rhythm Travellers, Rich Miller, Richard Townend and The Mighty Bosscats, Ross Stewart, SaltshakerStoli Gibson and The Pearl Onions,  Stoney Broke, Stoney Pony, Stormy T and Bluesman's Lane, The Core,  The Devil's Cadillac, The JBBH Project, The Ministry of Mojo, The Sam Wilkinson Band, The Shunters Company, The Staffell and Stewart Band, The Thomas Heppel Band, The Tricks, The Worried Men, Tony Brook Band, Uncalled Four, Used Blues...  

Camping, overnight parking, B&Bs and local hotels welcome Dereham Blues fans. Buses run from Norwich city centre to Dereham up to three times an hour. Dereham is on the A47, just west of Norwich.