Grassroots bid to revive blues tradition in Sarnia
After years without a dedicated local blues showcase, a Sarnia musician is taking a measured step to bring the genre back into the spotlight. Robb Sharp, frontman of the Robb Sharp Band, is organizing the Summertime Blues Review, a three-band concert scheduled for Aug. 8 at Maud’s Variety in Sarnia. The show, set for 7–11 p.m., is intended as a small-scale pilot with an eye toward building a future annual blues event in the city.
Sharp describes the evening as a deliberate start rather than a splashy relaunch. He said the outing is designed to test interest among local audiences who have had fewer chances to see live blues in recent years. As he put it in an interview:
“There’s a bit of a shortage of that kind of entertainment around her.”
In addition to the Robb Sharp Band — with Harlin Braichet on drums and Dan Martin on bass — the lineup includes the Stanley Brown Blues Band from Fingal. Sharp said the evening features three bands in total. He called the concept a “mini Bluesfest,” adding he hopes to expand it cautiously if the response is strong.
Filling a gap left by a long-running festival
Sharp previously served on the committee for Jazz and Blues in the Village, a two-day music festival held for more than a decade in McGibbon Park. That event ended when the COVID-19 pandemic halted large gatherings. With its absence still felt among local music fans, the Summertime Blues Review is intended as a modest bridge to reintroduce a dedicated blues experience in Sarnia. Sharp noted the objective is to gauge turnout and community appetite before considering a larger, recurring event.
He framed the Aug. 8 concert as a practical way to see whether Sarnia’s blues community wants a dedicated festival to return:
“My plan with this is to see what kind of reaction we get.”
Event at a glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Summertime Blues Review |
| Date | Thursday, Aug. 8 |
| Time | 7–11 p.m. |
| Venue | Maud’s Variety, Sarnia |
| Artists | Robb Sharp Band; Stanley Brown Blues Band; plus one additional band |
Why it matters for Sarnia’s music calendar
For Sarnia audiences, the initiative represents a locally led effort to restore a style of programming that was a fixture before the pandemic. The former Jazz and Blues in the Village provided a reliable fall weekend of live music for more than ten years; its conclusion left a gap for performers, venues and fans. By starting with a single evening and a small roster, organizers can assess interest without the risks that come with mounting a full festival from the outset.
- Local focus: The event is organized by a Sarnia-based musician with longstanding ties to the city’s scene.
- Measured approach: A three-band format allows organizers to evaluate demand and logistics.
- Future potential: If the response is strong, Sharp hopes to grow it into a one-day annual festival.
Sharp emphasized that the Summertime Blues Review is a starting point rather than a replacement for what existed in McGibbon Park. But for listeners who have been looking for a dedicated night of blues, soul and rhythm-and-blues acts, the Aug. 8 show offers a chance to signal support for a possible return of a larger blues presence in Sarnia’s cultural calendar.
