If Duluth has the get-off-the-sofa blues this weekend, we may not even know it. That’s because the most-talked-about headliner at the 23rd annual Bayfront Blues Festival is Vicci Martinez, a singer-songwriter and a performer we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on television.
In the early 2000s, Martinez — “a young spitfire,” as the News Tribune’s Christa Lawler described her this week — was a regional finalist on “American Idol.” She opted out after early rounds because, she said, “Basically they own your soul,” and because, “They also wanted to change my style.” A few years later, Martinez was on “Star Search.” This summer she was a finalist on the NBC-TV reality competition, “The Voice,” which allowed her to perform with pop superstar Cee Lo Green.
She’ll take the stage in Duluth with fellow “The Voice” finalist Beverly McClellan, a multi-instrumentalist who favors a bluesy rock sound. They’ll cap off the three-day festival, Duluth’s can’t-miss, circle-the-dates-on-your-calendar, premiere summertime event. Other headliners include bluesfest regular Tommy Castro and a band that would be a huge deal if this was still 1993, Big Head Todd & the Monsters.
Whoever you’re eager to see at Bayfront Festival Park, or at clubs around town (schedules and other information are posted at bayfrontblues.com), the important things is you’re off the couch and soaking up some sun and sounds — and that you have the blues, no matter what kind of blues you prefer.
