Sunday Blues Jam at The Queens

04/14/2025

A couple of pics from the Sunday Blues Jam at The Queens . Natasha bringing in her home baking for the blues patrons and Jack Lavin sitting in on drums!

04/14/2025

Great players in the house today. Ken Williams - bass & Sherry - drums, Cameron Boudrot - guitar, and Jordie Edmonds music sitting in.

04/14/2025

04/05/2025

April calendar is up! This month we are featuring Thor Jonsson, Michael Patrick, Paul Black and special guest Quique Gomez on April 13th.

Quique is on tour from Spain and bringing in a smokin band with Jordie Edmonds music, Jack Lavin & Ross Hall

Harmonica player and singer born in Madrid, Spain. Quique started playing harmonica at age 18 and travelled the Spanish stages during the following decade, while studying and running a small club. Quiquie travelled to Chicago in 2008 and started touring on both sides of the Atlantic - he has stepped on stages from 5 continents, sharing them with artists such as John Primer, Eddie C. Campbell, Bob Stroger, Rockin Johnny, Jimmy Burns, Tail Dragger, Kenny Blues Boss Wayne…

In 2019 Quique toured with Kid Andersen (Rick Estrin & the Nightcats) and later went into Greasland Studios, California to record Cooking at Greaseland together with Little Charlie Baty (Charlie’s last recording) & Kid Andersen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79A84qLdSW0&t=5s

03/25/2025

Just a reminder the Nanaimo Blues Society AGM is Tuesday March 25th, 6 pm at the Nanaimo downtown Public Library. Memberships will be available. We hope to see you there!

03/24/2025

Pretty awesome night with special show with Miss Emily. We are so blessed to have amazing performers like Emily come by when out in BC touring. Here's a clip of Emily joining Nadine States on stage. Kelly Fawcett and Cam Cameron Boudrot on guitar, Robert Moffatt Music on drums, Graham Shonwise on bass.

03/16/2025

03/15/2025

Tickets for the Nanaimo Blues Festival fundraiser and silent auction are available at Sunday Blues Jam at The Queens or you can purchase on line at https://nanaimoblues.tickit.ca/

Coming this Saturday March 22nd from 6 - 9 pm. We will have some of the silent auction items on display and for bidding at the jam this sunday - check out the NBS autographed guitars!

03/05/2025

Nanaimo Blues Society & Nanaimo International Jazz Festival are presenting 2025 JUNO nominee Blue Moon Marquee at The Port Theatre. Special guest David Vest will open the show. Ticket link in reel

02/27/2025

Full festival line up it out! Weekend and day passes on sale at https://nanaimoblues.tickit.ca

Funding grants for these important arts and cultural events is shrinking so your ticket purchases made a difference to keep this wonderful festival going

Nanaimo Blues Festival Full Line up announcement. 3-day passes (Aug 8-10) and single day passes are on sale at https://nanaimoblues.tickit.ca

Gates open 2 pm on Friday, noon on Saturday & Sunday

This year there will be a festival pre-party at The Queen's on Thursday Aug 7th, music from 7 pm to midnight. Seating is limited for this event so get your tickets at https://nanaimoblues.tickit.ca for reserved seating.

We have on festival after party scheduled at The Queen's on Saturday Aug 9th and your festival pass gets you into this event for free. Music starts at 9:30 pm. Seating is limited and first come first serve.

We also have two music workshops scheduled for the festival weekend. Lee Oskar & Friends will be presenting a harmonica workshop and Shakura S'Aida will be presenting a vocal workshop. More details to come.

02/26/2025

Its another fantastic month coming up! Welcome back The Brice Tabish Band, Jay Stevens & The Chosen Ones and Robert Moffatt Music We are also excited to bring The Dextones who are going to to some blues for you along with their party favourites. AND a special show on March 23rd with Miss Emily who is on her west coast tour. Seriously, its the best pro blues jam around for only $10.

Come early for seating, doors open at 2 pm, otherwise you will just have to dance all afternoon.

02/16/2025

Our Black History Month celebrations continue with Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteleyfeatured Sunday February 16th. Bring your dancing shoes - its going to be a great afternoon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GXLzkeBxvc

As a blues performer, I was so honoured and thrilled to have been asked to be the keynote speaker and musical performer for the 2020 Toronto Merit Awards Sho...

02/09/2025

A message below from Sean Vince's family to our Sunday Blues jam family. Our deepest condolences to Sean's family and friends. RIP peace Sean, you will be missed and we always enjoyed when you came by with the band to sing some songs and share some laughs with us.

_______________________________
Vinny's last ride says good-bye to Sean Vince

It's with a heavy heart that the family and band members announce the passing of Sean last week. After a hard fought battle with cancer Sean left us peacefully and on his own terms.

Before passing he asked us to make sure that everyone at the Queen's Hotel and the Blues Jam family knew how much he loved the Blues Jam and all the staff members and performers. Sean started playing guitar and singing around the Cowichan Valley, in the mid sixties and continued with various band in Vancouver and then finally back to Nanaimo. He was a great singer and front man. Sean's life was music and for many years the Queen's played a huge role in that life.

02/07/2025

This Sunday Sonnet L'Abbé will be stopping by to share some songs and stories for Black History Month. Our special host is Eugene Smith - its going to be a great day.
And for you Super Bowl fans the game will be on so you can catch the jam and watch the Super Bowl.

02/06/2025

More Nanaimo Blues Festival line up announcements. Tickets at https://nanaimoblues.tickit.ca

Coco Montoya Angel Forrest Shakura S'Aida Brett Smith-Daniels

01/28/2025

February is Black History month and Nanaimo Blues Society and Nanaimo African Heritage Society are collaborating to bring you the Black History month blues jam series with Jimmy D. Lane Music Page 2024, Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, Nadine States, & Eugene Smith

On February 23 Barbara Hudlin will come to share about Victoria's Black History - wanna know more? Check out this CHEK clip...

https://chekplus.ca/m/kDTUg7ez/micchek?e=n1zaBk78&r=&play=1