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Festival reviews!
The 2002 Sparta Blues Fest review
By Dave Beardsley

Just a short drive from St. Louis is where you'll find one of the best Blues Festivals that Illinois offers, the Sparta Blues Festival. Some may know Sparta is where they filmed the classic "In the Heat of the Night", starring Sidney Poiter and Rod Stieger. The film, with a nonwhite actor in a lead acting role, was so controversial that it couldn't be filmed in the Deep South, so the sets were recreated in various small towns, and Sparta was one of them!

Let's jump from 1967 to today, and the Sparta Blues Festival! I've heard it sang by Billy Peek that "there ain't no color in the Blues", and this event is living proof of that! Celebrating their 5th yr. anniversary, the Sparta fest keeps growing every year, as the word about a good fest does get around! STLBlues arrived just at the end of Hired Help, just in time to catch up with Alvin Jett, hanging backstage with Michael Burks.

Jim Gentry and friends then took to the stage, as Fest Director Debi K. announced that "this is my favorite act to introduce, he's my Dad!", and "Dad" replied "She's the only reason we get to play here! Here's our pictorial review of one of the finest events Southern Illinois has to offer, the Sparta Blues Festival.


Hired Help autograph session
Hired Help
autograph session
Jim Gentry & good friends
Jim Gentry
& good friends
Jim Gentry & good friends
Butch Krysnoski
Joni and the No Shoes Blues Band
The No Shoes
Blues Band
Joni and the No Shoes Blues Band
The No Shoes
Blues Band
Joni and the No Shoes Blues Band
Joni Reid
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome

Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome
Mojo Syndrome

Mojo Syndrome is one of St. Louis finest Blues bands, fronted by the talent of Eric McSpadden on harmonica and Larry Griffin on guitar. Mojo Syndrome was a great choice to fill an opening left by the last minute cancellation of the Arthur Williams band.
      
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