2009 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival dates set

After a great success this year, the 2009 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival is now being prepared to restage at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa during 20-21 February 2009. In an e-mail sent to Andaman News here at NBT Phuket the organizer Andy Anderson told us that next year they are planning twelve acts in total with five international bands, including California's Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88s. Mitch is a world class piano New Orleans style boogie-woogie bluesman and has set crowds abuzz around the world for 30+ years. Another excellent international band is planned as well as a top rated acoustic blues act from Sweden. By popular demand Rich Harper will return along with Bangkok's Cannonball. Decision is pending on the rest of the domestic acts, with least two new Thai bands for 2009. The 2008 Festival DVD is also now available for only 700 baht. The festival is recognized as a community event as profits go to educational charities.
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We would also like to present some excerpts from the last Phuket Blues Rock Festival show in February this year, partly to ease the worried feelings of anyone involved or suffering impacts from the current protests. Let's enjoy some performances by Rich Harper and Shari Puorto from USA who were the star acts in Phuket: