“I dreamed I saw St. Augustine
Alive as you or me” –
Bob Dylan “I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine” from John Wesley Harding 1967
St Augustine in Florida is America’s oldest continuously occupied European settlement. It was founded by the Spanish colonist Pedro Menendez de Aviles on the feast day of St Augustine in 1565. St Augustine has a population of around 14,000 and lies on the Atlantic Coast of Florida, fifty minutes south-east of Jacksonville and ninety minutes north of Orlando.
Now I know that Bob Dylan was singing about the saint and not the city – hell, that reminds me of “It’s hard to be a saint in the city”** er …sorry I digress). And what has this all got to do with roots music, the preeminent subject of this site anyway?
Well, dear beloved readers, it is because St Augustine the city is celebrating its 450th birthday this coming September and will be commemorating this anniversary of substance with a music and street festival. After reading of the music line-up, the history and culture of this town, I have decided to incorporate this into my four-week trip from Melbourne Australia to the USA this August and September. Here’s the reasons why.
Celebrate 450! is set for September 4 to 8 2015, at various locations throughout downtown St. Augustine. This celebration provides something for everyone while embracing its 450-year history. Admission is FREE to all city-organized events. The music part of the event will run from 4 to 6 September.
The performer headliners of Celebrate 450! have been announced and are:
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Aaron Neville
Mavis Staples
JJ Grey & Mofro
Justin Townes Earle
Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
In addition to the headliners, the street and music festival lineup includes over forty performers scheduled across five stages in the downtown area. In the line-up of cultural performers are ones with national, regional and local followings. In addition, the festival will have international performers with the inclusion of three bands from Avilés, Spain – The Morrigans, Alexandra in Grey and Tejedor.
Other artists announced are:
– Luis Mario Band
– The Willowwacks
– Sam Pacetti
– The Wild Shiners
– The Falling Bones
– Aslyn & the Naysayers
– Rivernecks
– Amy Hendrickson
– Ramona Quimby Band
– Sea Floor Explosives
– Lonesome Bert & the Skinny Lizards
– Bob Patterson
– Charley Simmons
– Shea Birney
– Chelsea Saddler
– The Rubies
– Michael Jordan
– Jim Johnston
– Colton McKenna
– The House Cats
– The Wobbly Toms
– Dewey Via
– Rob Peck
– Trio of Boom
– Billy Buchanan
– Laura Lee & the Escapees
– Love Chunk
– Kenny and the Jetts
– Gary Campbell
– Hunter Miller
– Joe Schauer
– Scott Sweet
– Elizabeth Roth
– The Gatorbone Band
– Addi & Jacq
– Complicated Animals
– John Dickie
– Germaine Veronica
– The Driftwoods
– The Sand Fleas
– Red River Band
** Bruce Springsteen from his debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. in 1973
