"Knee-slapping, gut-grabbing" blues will fill the West Philadelphia air this weekend.
The Greater Philadelphia Rock, Rhythm and Blues Festival, formerly known as the Blues Fest, begins tonight at its new home, the World Cafe Live -- located just east of campus at 3025 Walnut St.
For the past eight years, the festival has brought an eclectic mix of musicians to Philadelphia. This year, in addition to the usual array of blues and rock artists, the festival features a rap and reggae concert and an afternoon show for kids.
The Partnership Community Development Corporation has hosted the show since its start in 1997. All proceeds from the 13 concerts playing this weekend benefit PCDC, which promotes economic development, affordable housing and job creation in West Philadelphia.
World Cafe Live spokeswoman Stephanie Mayers said the different music genres will appeal to a broad range of music fans, especially college students.
"It's really going to be quite a good time," Mayers said. "The highlighted shows are definitely Shemekia Copeland and the Campbell Brothers. ... It will be a great show for the college crowd."
The festival will use both the upstairs and downstairs stages of World Cafe Live, featuring about four acts each day. The upstairs concerts are usually less expensive and some shows are completely free, including Mojo Stu, tonight's 7 p.m. show.
The broad range of music welcomes a number of exciting and somewhat obscure musicians. Tomorrow night's 11 p.m. show is Soulamite!, described on World Cafe Live's Web site as "Bad-ass 6T's Soul ... Nothing else like it in Philadelphia. Just sta-raight ahead, stripped-down, toof-chippin, get-down music that nobody can resist shakin to."
Tickets to most of the shows are less than $30, and tomorrow's 7 p.m. show is also free. The performance of Soulamite! is $15, but students can call ahead to get a reduced price.
Tonight at 11 p.m. students can dance to hip-hop and reggaeton on the downstairs stage for $10.
Mayers said she is hopeful that World Cafe Live and PCDC will continue to team up to put on the musical festivals for years to come.
"We just think it's a really great kind of community partnership," Mayers said. "We're lucky that we found a home for us here in West Philadelphia. We just want to do everything in our power to let others do the same.
Blues festival All shows at World Cafe Live - Friday: Mojo Stu, Shemekia Copeland 7 p.m.; Chris Bell & LeRoy Foster, 9 p.m.; Hip Hop & Reggaeton Dance Party, 11 p.m. - Saturday: Beaucoup Blue, 7 p.m.; BD Mylo & The Go Daddies, the Campbell Brothers, 9 p.m.
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