BB Blues Fest 2024 in Moita: A Celebration of European and International Blues

The European Blues Union (EBU) was represented this year by Board member Fred Delforge at the 13th edition of the BB Blues Fest, held in Moita, just outside Lisbon, Portugal.

Over two evenings, Fred joined the festival audience and its Portuguese hosts for a celebration of blues, live music and conviviality in a superb setting. The event once again demonstrated the vitality of the Portuguese blues scene while bringing together artists and audiences from different parts of Europe and beyond.

Kiko & The Blues Refugees: From the European Blues Challenge to the BB Blues Fest

One of the highlights of the festival lineup was Kiko & The Blues Refugees, the Portuguese band that achieved third place at the European Blues Challenge (EBC) 2024 in Braga.

Their participation in the BB Blues Fest offered another opportunity for the band to present its music to a live audience at home, following its successful appearance at the European Blues Challenge.

The EBC has become an important meeting point for blues musicians from across Europe, providing artists with an international platform and helping connect the European blues community. The presence of Kiko & The Blues Refugees at the BB Blues Fest was a further reminder of how artists discovered through the EBC continue to contribute to the wider European blues circuit.

Photo by Fred Delforge

A Special Guest from Spain

The international spirit of the evening was further underlined by the presence of Mingo Balaguer from Spain.

Balaguer had also achieved third place at the European Blues Challenge in Malmö in 2023. During the festival, he was invited to join Kiko & The Blues Refugees on stage for a special performance, adding another European dimension to an already memorable concert.

Moments like this are at the heart of the European blues community: musicians who have met through the European Blues Challenge can reconnect on different stages and create new musical collaborations in front of audiences around Europe.

An International Blues Lineup

The BB Blues Fest 2024 lineup extended well beyond the European scene, bringing artists from different blues traditions together in Moita.

Among the international guests was Brazilian harmonica player Flavio Guimaraes, whose presence added a distinctive South American voice to the festival. The program also featured American bluesman Vasti Jackson, bringing the sound and experience of the American blues tradition to the Portuguese stage.

Another highlight was Canadian singer Shakura S’Aida, who performed in a duet with guitarist Paige Armstrong. Their collaboration contributed another international color to a festival already characterized by its broad geographical and musical reach.

The combination of Portuguese, European, American, Brazilian and Canadian artists made the BB Blues Fest a genuine meeting point for different blues cultures.

A Musical Picnic in Moita

The festival atmosphere continued on Sunday lunchtime with a special musical picnic in a city park.

Local groups performed for an informal gathering that brought musicians, festivalgoers and blues enthusiasts together in a relaxed outdoor setting. The program also featured the Travellin’ Brothers, the Spanish band that won the European Blues Challenge in Brussels in 2015.

The participation of the Travellin’ Brothers added another connection to the history of the EBC, showing once again how artists who have taken part in the competition remain active ambassadors of European blues.

The musical picnic offered a different kind of festival experience: less formal than an evening concert, but equally focused on music, community and the pleasure of sharing time together.

European Blues, International Connections

The 13th edition of the BB Blues Fest was another example of the role that blues festivals play in connecting musicians, audiences and blues organizations across borders.

From Kiko & The Blues Refugees and Mingo Balaguer to the Travellin’ Brothers, several artists on the program had a direct connection with the European Blues Challenge. At the same time, the participation of musicians from Brazil, the United States and Canada underlined the international nature of the blues and its ability to bring together artists from very different musical backgrounds.

For the European Blues Union, maintaining these connections is an important part of supporting the blues community. The presence of EBU Board members at festivals across Europe provides an opportunity to meet organizers, musicians and audiences and to share in the events that contribute to the development of the European blues scene.

The BB Blues Fest in Moita offered two evenings of live music, a relaxed Sunday gathering and, above all, a strong sense of community. It was another successful celebration of European blues, international blues culture and the good humor that makes the festival scene so special.

The EBU Board members will continue to support blues festivals across Europe and around the world, strengthening the connections between artists, organizers, audiences and the wider international blues community.