Visiting and local artists alike are preparing for the Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival’s Winter Showcase, to be held at the Golden Vine Hotel, Bendigo, on Sunday, July 16.
For Melbourne-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Matt Katsis, who has played the past two festivals, the annual event in November has quickly become a highlight on his music calendar.
The Winter Showcase is important in ensuring the not-for-profit festival continues to be the success it is, Katsis says.
“As a past artist at Bendigo Blues & Roots, being able to support the festival that supported me initially I feel is essential,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to it [the fundraiser]. It’s not every weekend artists from across the country bind together through music to show their support, so that come November, the festival weekend can not only go ahead, but be a success for all involved.”
Katsis will be one of many artists to take to the stage at the Golden Vine from 12pm-8pm on July 16.
Essentially a one-man band, Katsis plays a mix of blues, roots and folk music, making use of live looping and the percussive elements of the acoustic guitar to build up song forms, while also using a kick drum and tambourine.
He will perform a number of new songs at the fundraiser before returning for the festival in November armed with a new EP, As the River Runs, which is due for release in September.
You can check out his music at www.mattkatsis.com
Tickets to the Winter Showcase are available at the door on the day and are $15 for adults, $5 for under-18s (with under-12s free). Friends of the Festival (FOF Members) enter free – but a FOF card must be presented.
Now in its seventh year, the Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival continues to go from strength to strength. The Festival is still solely run by a dedicated group of local volunteers. With a line-up of local, national and international artists, there is always plenty to see and hear – from talented newcomers to genre stalwarts who have been refining their sound over many years.
