BBQ & Blues drew its largest Friday night crowd ever as throngs of people sampled barbecue and stew and rocked to the sounds of 4U2C, the Melflames and the Buckeye band. The music cranks back up at 11 a.m. Saturday with opening performances by Josh Humphrey, Vaughn Childre and Lexi Sutherland. At 11:30 a.m with a show by Atlanta blues artist Veronika Jackson. Another Atlanta act, Frankie’s Blues Mission, will take the stage at 1 p.m. The widely acclaimed Ben Ratliff Band will close out the afternoon show, performing from 3-5 p.m. Saturday night, the action shifts to Ritz Park where gates open at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $10. Local guitar god Mark Henson and his band open the show at 5:30 p.m. Blues masters Mystery Road take the stage at 6:30 p.m. followed by headliner E.G. Kight at 7:30 p.m. At 9 p.m., the Bell scholarship will be awarded and Beverly (Guitar) Watkins will be presented with the annual Georgia Music Legend Award. Watkins still tours the world, performing at age 70. She is expected to do a short set along with any number of blues artists who happen to show up for the party. The late night funk jam will be led by Atlanta party band Contagious. ‘This is a high energy dance band that is big on audience participation. They are going to turn up the heat,’ Imberger said of the band he compares to Mother’s Finest.
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