By Steve Hubrecht
A true summertime taste of the blues is coming to Invermere.
Rising B.C. blues phenomenon Garrett T. Willie will be in town on Thursday, July 6 at Ullr Bar for the venue’s first ever Blues Beer Garden Party.
Willie will be playing on stage in the Asgarden — the beautiful grassy, outdoor area that Ullr first added to meet COVID-19 pandemic requirements. It’s an idyllic setting any summer evening, but even better with one of the province’s hottest young musicians performing.
“He (Willie) plays more rock-style blues, like George Thorogood, so it’s really fun,” Ullr co-owner Richard Matthews told the Pioneer. “I heard his songs and I immediately liked them. He sounds really old-school, like he’s very experienced, both at playing the blues and at life. Then I learned he’s only 23 and I couldn’t believe it. I thought ‘we’ve got to get him in to play’.”
There are two ways to take in the show – buying a general admission ticket ($10 per person) for the Asgarden (where there will also be beer tubs from Fernie Brewing Company and gluten-free drink options as well as a barbecue with burgers from J2 Ranch) or by reserving a table on the Ullr patio for a VIP experience.
“There is nothing better than summer, live blues music, beer and burgers,” said Matthews. “I’m pretty excited. It’s the first time we’ve tried an outdoor beer garden concert like this. If it’s a hit, if the community responds well to it, we’d love to do more shows like this in the summer.”
The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. To get general admission tickets (85 will be sold) visit eventbrite.com and search for either ‘Ullr Bar’ of ‘Blues Beer Garden.’
To book a VIP table (there were only two left as the Pioneer went to press) email [email protected].
