The day the music was revived

WALLACE — In the wake of last week’s decision to cancel the Wallace Blues Festival, something magical has happened in Wallace. A new music festival has been born.  

This weekend will be the first Wallace Music Festival, built through the collaboration of local business owners who were dismayed by last week’s bombshell.  

Barb Strother is one of the organizers of the new event and is excited to bring a new party to Wallace.  

“Nobody set to complete what we’re doing now,” Strother said. “But the more we kept asking questions the more things began falling into place. We’ve had people volunteer for this and that and stepping up.” 

Unlike other music festivals, the Wallace Music Festival is going to be completely free of charge, however, they are taking donations to cover the various costs that accompany such an event.  

When the news broke about the blues festival’s cancellation, the Wallace community was stunned. Annually, the blues festival was a large revenue generator for the hotels, bars and restaurants in Wallace and to lose that would be devastating.  

But in true Wallace fashion, they weren’t going to go down without a fight.  

“I knew this community could do this,” Strother said. “I’ve seen people dig deep into their pockets to support festivals and events. I just thought, we’ve got the resources and the people to do this.”  

Organizers jumped into high gear quickly, reaching out to the bands who had been scheduled for the blues fest to see if they would still be interested in coming to Wallace to play. The lineup they’ve secured is nothing short of impressive.  

Popular acts like Sammy Eubanks, Alison Joy Williams, Rusty and Ginger and Kirby Ai will all be playing sets during the new festival.  

Each show is being hosted at various Wallace businesses, including Cogs Gastropub, the 1313 Club, Albertini’s Gem Bar, The Metals, the Fainting Goat, 6th and Cedar and the Red Light Garage. 

“I want to highlight the venues and bars who are paying out of their own pocket to get the musicians here,” Strother said. “Even if people don’t necessarily want to donate, come to Wallace and have some food or grab a drink and support these businesses. They really care about bringing visitors into our community.”  

The Wallace Music Festival begins Thursday and runs through Saturday.  

For more information or to donate to the event, visit the Wallace Music Fest Facebook page.  

Here is the full lineup of acts for the Wallace Music Fest 

Thursday: 

6-8 p.m. David Champion @ Cogs Gastropub  

6-8:30 p.m. Tanya Hottel @ Fainting Goat  

7-10 p.m. One Street Over @ Metals Bar 

7:30-10:30 p.m. Rusty & Ginger @ Albertini’s 8-9:30 Mad-Sol @ 1313 Club 

Friday: 

11 a.m.-1 p.m. D. A. Blues @ Red Light Garage 

12-1:30 p.m. Devon Dean Riley @ Fainting Goat 

12-2 p.m. Brian Sacco @ 6th & Cedar 

2-5 p.m. Vaughn Jensen Experience @ Red Light Garage 

3:30-5 p.m. Brian Sacco @ Cogs Gastropub 

6-9 p.m. Rusty & Ginger @ Cogs Gastropub 

6-10 p.m. Dirty Daze @ Red Light Garage 

7-9 p.m. Kenny James Miller Band @ 1313 Club 

7:30-10:30 p.m. Alison Joy Williams @ Albertini’s 

9:30 p.m. -1 a.m. late night karaoke @ Cogs Gastropub 

Saturday: 

12-1 p.m. Nathan Stratte @ Red Light Garage 

1-2 p.m. Comme C’etait @ Cogs Gastropub 

2-4 p.m. Alison Williams Band @ 6th & Cedar  

2:30-4 p.m. Tammy Young @ Red Light Garage 

3-5 p.m. Jim Tilden Brown @ Cogs Gastropub 

4-8 p.m. Dirty Daze @ 1313 Club 

5-8 p.m. Justyn Priest @ Red Light Garage 

6-8 p.m. Electric Flesh @ Cogs Gastropub 

6-8 p.m. Rusty Jackson Band @ Metals Bar 

7-9 p.m. Bobby Patterson Band @ 6th & Cedar 

7:30-10:30 p.m. Kirby Ai @ Albertini’s 

8:30-10:30 p.m. Sammy Eubanks @ Red Light Garage 

9 p.m.-1 a.m. late night karaoke @ Cogs Gastropub