About Festival
The Beginning
The idea of the Rawa Blues Festival was introduced in 1981 by Irek Dudek - great musician and blues promoter. The first festival was organized in the Katowice Theater and gathered some twenty blues from all over Poland and 500 blues fans. Fourteen years ago Festival moved into Polish biggest and most famous concert arena "Spodek" and actually became one of the biggest blues festivals in Central Europe. In the past years thousands of blues fans have enjoyed themselves while listening biggest Polish, American and European blues musicians playing 100% live.
International Blues Festival
The Festival was regularly televised and screened throughout the national TV Network. Among the highlights of past festivals were: Luther Allison. Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Carey Bell, John Cephas and Phil Wiggins, C. J. Chenier, Rory Block, Little Charlie & The Nightcats, Guitar Shorty, James Blood Ulmer and many others.
It's for them that many fans came on "Rawa", to hear the blues from so important artists, to meet people which means so much on blues top, to see blues show that is presented only on key blues festivals around the world.
Recent years
During 2006 edition of Rawa Blues we heared i.a. Roy Rogers, Paul Geremia and Nora Jean Bruso, whose performance became a great event of that edition. In 2007 we heard several times awarded with Blues Music Awards, Janiva Magness. Exceptional were Asyslum Street Spankers, taking much from all contemporary genres - from country to hiphop. Very energetic was Storm Warning performace. In 2008 the event was Debbie Davies show but also Seth Walker. Very ambient was play of Samuel James, and the atmosphere were raised by Shakin' Dudi. Also The California Honeydrops was a positive surprise.
