Okay. Easter's done and dusted. But there's another festival coming up next weekend which should sate all remaining desires of blues lovers.

Before I get onto that, however, there's a gig in town tonight, assuming that you are reading this on Friday night. As many people don't get to The Sun till Saturday I'll keep this short so as not to potentially waste your time.
Tonight at the Colosseum you will find highly-regarded Auckland musician Dylan Storey, who has just released his third album, Out of the Soup. The album has been getting rave reviews and he is becoming well known for his psychedelic blues/country/rock guitar style.
Also playing are local band Barebones and Cabaret, an alt country outfit put together by singer/songwriter Matt Yearbook. Matt has released a couple of solo recordings and the band is now preparing to release their debut album. Rounding out the bill is Hamilton band Strayhound.
Right. On to next weekend…
There's a lot happening next weekend but the big local event is the second of this year's Marchwood Blues Picnics, on Saturday, April 24. The first blues picnic was held on Anniversary weekend. You probably remember the time, if only for the fact that the skies opened and the town was hammered by a veritable deluge of rain, causing even one of Mills Reef's Stars Under The Stars concerts to be cancelled (for the first time ever!) due to the field being literally under water.
Marchwood was actually the day before, when the rain hadn't quite hit hurricane proportions and, despite constant showers, went ahead splendidly. However, weather did put off a significant number of punters and the event didn't do as well as it rightfully should have. The good news is that Marchwood Redux has assembled possibly an even better line-up and looks set to be an outstanding day of music.
Most exciting for some people will be that local blast from the past Hard To Handle are getting together for one of their very occasional reunions. The last was for the launch of their album Live at the
Colosseum (very good by the way), so this is a rare chance to see them. And Tauranga's ruling kings of R&B Brilleaux will be back in action. They recently released their best album yet, the fantastic Decade, but have been a bit quiet since then as half the band immediately decamped for foreign climes, guitarist Bruce Rolands adventuring round Latin America and frontman Graham Clark hanging out with the boys from Dr Feelgood in England.
But wait! There is, as they say, more. Grant Haua's trio, who were sensational at February's Marchwood Blues Picnic are back for another hit of hi-energy Hendrixy blues rock, Peri Kohu will be dealing out his authentic brand of blues, and hot young gun Joel Shadbolt will be amazing everyone with his guitar chops.
There are also two out-of-town performers, Rotorua bluesman Mike Garner and – Direct from Sydney! – the queen of boogie woogie piano Jan Preston. Jan always puts on a fantastic show and is a lucky addition to the bill as she just happens to be in town recording a new album at Whakamarama's Boatshed Studio.
What else can I tell you about Marchwood? If you don't want to drive, there are $10 coaches leaving from Bayfair (10am), Memorial Park (10.30am) and Bethlehem Hall (10.45am), and you are welcome to bring food and drink (this is a picnic after all…). There will also be refreshments available on site at reasonable prices and the organisers have arranged for stretch tents should the weather again turn unpleasant.
Tickets are $25, from TicketDirect or direct from the festival website
www.bluespicnic.com
And a couple of other quick 'Coming Ups”: on April 24 Sharon Elizabeth, the singer of light opera with a definite local following, is launching her new album at Alimento. Tickets are $15. Then on April 30 guitarist Nigel Gavin and violinist Richard Adams of the Nairobi Trio will be returning to the Tauranga Art Gallery. If you missed them down at the Village over Easter (and it sure was packed out for their gig, so many did) here's another chance to catch a little beauty.
Tickets are $25.