Saturday, July 30: Fifth annual Hudson music festival promises to be bigger and better

Alycia Ambroziak
The Gazette
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hudson Music Festival takes place on Saturday, July 30th.

There'll be music in the air all over Hudson next week as musicians of all genres - including Montreal blues great James Green, April Wine's Blair Mackay and South African singer Thandie Klaasen - take over the town during the fifth annual Hudson Music Festival.

The music festival, which features both free and paying performances from July 27 to 30, will mesh with the town's July 30 street fair, which also will offer a variety of musical performances as well as the Theatre Sans Fil's giant puppets, food, and arts and crafts.

The music festival's opening grand concert gala takes place July 27 at 8 p.m. at the Hudson Village Theatre and features Klaasen and Geoff Mitchell, Mackay, Brian Greenway and Green, Plastic Utopia and El Proyecto, as well as surprises and live auctions.

Tickets for that event cost $29.

Schedule of concerts:

On Thursday, July 28, thre’s a lot of free performances including the Hudson Swing Trio who will be at Mlle. Clifford’s Floral Emporium and English Tea Room, 60 Cameron St., from 3 to 5 p.m. and a 7 to 10 p.m. salon concert featuring jazz stamdards with Geoff Mitchell and Bob. at the Half Moon Resto-Bar, 422 Main Road. There’ll also be free jazz at Cunningham’s Pub, corner of Cameron and St. Jean, at 7 p.m.

A grand concert featuring the Foggy Hogtown Boys’ high energy bluegrass at the Hudson Village Theatre (tickets cost $29) and at 10 p.m. there’s a Grand Party HMF at the Chateau du Lac, 460 Main Road, featuring James Green and Friends who will be offering electric blues, R &B and Soul and Funk. Tickets for that event cost $10.

*Friday, July 29, features a lot of free music throughout the town as well as the Grand Concert with the Montreal Guitar Trio at 8 p.m. at the Hudson Village Theatre. Tickets cost $10.

Some of the street music includes a free concert of fusion of Gypsy and western swing by Hot Swing Sauce with Pat Loisel from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Aux Gourmandises, 429 Main Road in Hudson. The Hudson Legion is holding a $13 barbecue and music night from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring the G. string Band with Phil Gail. There’s a free Jam Night at Woot’s, 3239 Harwood, hosted by Soul Fusion from 6 p.m. to midnight and at 10 p.m. there’s free music featuring Jeff Star and Paulo at Cunningham’s and dance music at the Chateau du Lac.

*On Saturday, July 30, the street fair and music festival mesh together during the day with live music throughout the town as well as a concert gala, and musical presentations at night.

There’s a lot of free music at various stages around town:

The Royal LePage State at the corner of Cameron and St. Jean will feature more than 30 local musicians between noon and five p.m. and B.J. and the Rippers from 5 to 11 p.m.

The Hudson Village Stage, 28 Wharf Road, will also feature talented local musicians hosted by Night Shift between noon and 5 p.m.

Dead Yet will perform from noon to 5 p.m. at the Churrasco Stage, 518 Main Road.

The Sofa Kings will be at the Remax Stage, 471 Main Road, from noon to five p.m.

The Flamenco duo Marta and Richard will perform from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Syrrah Tapas and Bar a Vin, 3187 Harwood. There’ll be an open Jam night at the Half Moon Resto Bar, 442 Main Road, beginning at 7 p.m.

The Grand Concert features the BluesVille Express at 8 p.m. at the Hudson Village Theatre. The cost is $29. The Franklin Electric/John Matte will perform at the Chateau du Lac at 10 p.m. The cost is $5.

*Sunday, July 31, the last day of the music festival, features three events:

The Brunet Plus Hudson youth Showcase from noon to 3 p.m at the Hudson Village Theatre. MC is Austin Beauchamp. The cost is $5.

There’s a Double Salon concert from 4 to 6 p.m. at Mullan’s Music Hall, 586 main Road, featuring Rob Lutes and Rob Macdonald and Cecile Doo – Kingue Trio. The cost is $29.

The Ken Hodgson stage at the Willow Place Inn, 208 Main Road is the site of the Grand Concert closing with carte blanche to Jim Norcross, featuring Emily Lamarche, Kiko, Scarlett James and many surprises.

For more information about tickets, venues, festival passes, call 450-458-5633 or go to www.hudsonmusicfestival.ca.