Breakfast and Blues

Jim Cuddy is looking forward to breakfast at Kangas Sauna almost as much as closing the 10th annual Thunder Bay Blues Festival Sunday evening.

“We’ve always enjoyed Thunder Bay,” said the Blue Rodeo front man. “We’ve always had a really good response there. When we discovered Kangas Sauna, then we were hooked.”

Blue Rodeo broke onto the Canadian music scene in the early 1980s and has since produced 12 albums and won five Junos for Group of the Year. The Canadian Walk of Famers take the stage at Marina Park to wrap up this weekend’s Blues Fest at 9:30 p.m.

Cuddy, joined on stage by guitarist Greg Keelor, bassist Bazil Donovan, drummer Glenn Michem and multi-instrumentalist Bob Egan, said they’re excited to play the Thunder Bay Blues Fest and the fact the festival has lasted 10 years is a testament to the people that run it year after year.

“It’s hard to keep festivals going in smaller communities,” he said in a telephone interview with CKPR Radio Friday afternoon. “We’re obviously honoured to be coming in and headlining on the 10th year.”

The band plans to play songs from their 1993 album Five Days in July, and will also break into their catalogue and pull out trusted fan favourites.

Playing festivals, Cuddy said they like to see the other acts and see who is there; they usually know a few people and it’s a chance to catch up with old friends. But they’re also excited to get in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

“I like Northern Ontario. I like the people up there,” he said. “They are very enthusiastic about music. It’s always been a very welcome spot for Blue Rodeo. Then there’s Kangas Sauna.”

For more information on the Thunder Bay Blues Festival see www.tbayblues.ca.