Briggs Farm Blues Fest celebrated its 25th Anniversary, this past weekend, July 7-9, a major event that thousands of mostly camping fans in northeast Pennsylvania and surrounding states look forward to as “the best weekend of the year.” With thirteen consecutive years of attendance interrupted only in 2020 by the pandemic, this writer has witnessed its steady growth from a family festival that featured a range of primarily genuine blues artists to an event, bordering on commercial enterprise, that now embraces headlining country acts, platinum-selling blues rockers, jam bands, and danceable blues-influenced acts. This mix succeeds in drawing bigger attendance each year but the blues purists, for which this was once a destination festival, find themselves increasingly less attracted to this lineup shift, which is intended to draw younger audiences, thereby sustaining the festival well into the future.
The Briggs family is turning responsibilities over to the next generation, perhaps reflective of this more eclectic, contemporary lineup. Last year, they made deep commitments to make a “bigger and better” festival, unveiling a permanent, much larger stage, repositioning and enlarging the Back Porch venue, expanding camping and parking, and attracting more vendors to give it the feel of an outdoor shopping mall, as well as a wider variety of food. As one small example, a food favorite from earlier years was the famous Briggs Farm corn. This year they even had an outside vendor for that former staple. Now campers can reserve VIP spots and rent their own private Porta-potties.
What began as a two-day festival 25 years ago has evolved to a three-day festival with music on Thursday night; this year billed for the first time as “country blues night”, three acts beginning with local favorites The Hess Brothers playing mostly familiar rock and country covers. Italian-born, Nashville-based Cristina Vane charmed with her acoustic blues and especially her slide and finger picking on the resonator, electric, baritone guitars, and banjo. She played originals from her two albums and EP including “Heaven Bound Station,” “Badlands,” “How Ya Doin’,” “Things Have Changed,” “Small Town East Nashville Blues,” Skip James’ “Catfish Blues,” and a crowd-pleasing Black Sabbath cover. Her versatility is almost as impressive as her guitar skills.
Thursday’s headliner, rising country star from Texas, Joshua Ray Walker delivered a stunning set of original material, backed by a killer three-piece band, including one of the best pedal steel players this writer has ever heard. Walker, currently riding high on the charts and coming off a late-night appearance with Jimmy Fallon, crafted a balanced set of rockers and ballads, moving more toward the rocking side as many of the charged crowd were dancing wildly. The storytelling, character sketch songwriter Walker played his hits, “Sexy After Dark,” “Voices,” “Canyon,” “Fondly,” “Cowboy,” and several others. He returned for the encore solo, delivering the most poignant emotional song, “Flash Paper” (from See You Next Time), that he wrote shortly after his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis, pondering the box of odd mementos his father passed on to him near the end of his life, at one point his voice reaching a high falsetto, emblematic of his deep feelings. Country night may indeed be here to stay if they can match performances as strong as Walker’s.
So, this writing/photography team was only able to attend for two acts on Friday afternoon. Thus, we likely missed some of the real blues that was available later in the Alexis P. Suter Band, Lonnie Shields, Davy Knowles, and soul star Lee Fields and the Impressions. We heard the full set from locals Totem Pole, blending their own material with familiar covers. Multiple BMA and Grammy nominee Guy Davis followed with a solo folk-based blues set, accompanying himself on guitar, banjo and harmonica. The crowd, initially talkative, grew in numbers and in their respect, realizing they were in the presence of the “real deal.” Davis was attuned to the vibe. He got the audience involved in singalongs on “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,” and brought many to their feet with his solo stomping harmonica tune, “Long Gone Riley Brown.”
Saturday’s Back Porch began with the Uptown Music Collective, another that we missed, arriving in time for the rocking, jamming Mighty Susquehannas, a perennial favorite at the fest. Making a return Briggs Farm appearance was Boston born and raised, Memphis-based Gracie Curran and her High Falutin’ Band, who delivered an energetic mix of blues and soul, with inventive soloing from all members, including Victor Wainwright’s guitarist Pat Harrington. One can’t help but marvel at Curran’s joy in performing. If she weren’t doing this, she could probably make it as a successful comedy act. Having missed The Tribe, we did catch Pennsylvania’s own emerging blues sensation, BMA nominee Gabe Stillman, an electrifying, engaging performer, playing much of the material from his acclaimed Just Say the Word.
Saturday’s Main Stage lineup packed a powerful punch. Soul/R&B/rock artist Nikki Hill, returned to the fest, having performed in 2017. Her rousing, danceable set ignited a primed, danceable crowd who swayed to the music of her crack band including renowned guitarist Laura Chavez, who had played earlier in the day for another act at another festival. The Taylor Scott Band from Colorado laid down some of the funkiest music ever heard on the farm, buoyed by Scott’s soulful vocals, fiery guitar playing, top-notch B3 work from Jon Wirtz, and filthy, greasy bass lines from the bassist wielding a 5-string. The energy level built to a frenzied peak with Memphis’s Southern Avenue propelled by vocalist and whirling dervish Tierini Jackson and her sister, the drummer Tikyra Jackson, along with Israeli-born guitarist Ori Naftaly and keyboardist Jeremy Powell. They played tunes from their two albums including “Whiskey Love” and “Switchup,” among others with the rousing closer, “Don’t Give Up.”
The headliner was Kenny Wayne Shepherd, coincidentally celebrating the 25th anniversary of his own for his 1997 platinum album Trouble Is, the titular track that led off his white-hot set that also included “Blue on Black” and a searing nod to Hendrix in “Voodoo Chile.” This is one act that The Briggs family has been working towards booking for a long time. Yet, at least for this writer and several others who share similar sentiments, they may have reached a little far. The music was overly loud, full of endless shredding, and lacking real song quality. Yes, it drew people and may have even thrilled many, judging by the packed crowd in front of the stage. It could be marking the move toward big-name acts, who operate with their own sound crews, shun any announcements from the Briggs staff, and somehow don’t jell with the communal atmosphere. That’s one point of view. Another is that the convenience of bringing top artists to a local venue saves people from traveling to other cities to see them and the camping will also alleviate the cost of gas.
When the numbers are finally tallied, it will be interesting to learn whether there was significant growth from last year’s more blues-focused, pent-up pandemic thirst for live music. Nonetheless, the loose vibe remains pretty well intact. The farm has plenty of room for expansion. As the old adage says, “If you build it, they will come.” Visit www.briggsfarm.com to make your plans for July 6-8, 2023.
Photos by Tina Pastor
