Have ‘No Fear’ at The Shed this weekend

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What a great idea for a music festival. Hurricane season is now upon us all and, if you’re like me, just hearing the word “tropical” attached to anything else other than “shorts” or “cocktail” gives you cause for concern. That being said, stay informed and watch yourself this hurricane season. However, The Original Shed BBQ and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs has the cure for those hurricane season blues.

The Fear Not Festival will be held this Saturday at the Ocean Springs location, 7501 Mississippi 57. Gates open at 2 p.m. and the show starts around 2:45 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are only available at the gate the day of the event, so there’s no need to worry about pre-sales, VIP passes or good seats. This year’s line-up includes T-Bird and the Breaks from Austin, Texas, Hattiesburg-based Rooster Blues, our very own The Rochelle Harper Band, George McConnell, Grayson Capps and the Stumpknockers from Alabama and headliner, Grammy winning singer-songwriter and New Orleans musician Anders Osborne.

The Fear Not Festival isn’t quite an annual event, but event organizer Brett Orrison said he brought it back due to, shall we say, an overwhelming popular demand. The inaugural festival was held at the beginning of the 2006 hurricane season, when the slightest sea breeze was enough to send people running for the hills. Things are better these days, but we could all use a little good voodoo.

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who were asking about it,” Orrison said. “I don’t know why we stopped doing it, but we hope to continue it every year from here on out. It’s also about really coming out and having a good time and warding off the coming season of storms. That’s why we have all regional artists this year. They can relate to what hurricane season means to the people that will attend this festival. That’s how we’re going to do it forever. It all wraps up into that notion that it’s the beginning of the season, so let’s ward off the storm by having a good time.”

T-Bird and The Breaks are a travelling caravan of funk and soul. The band’s 11 members (that’s right, 11) are the talk of the town in Austin and have the flair to back it up. They’re playing The Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg at 8 tonight and then their only other area performance is Saturday at The Shed. Be sure to check them out while they’re in town.

Rooster Blues, a staple at The Government Street Grocery in Ocean Springs, has recorded two albums in Austin with Brett Orrison. They’re a Neo-Blues duo, kind of experimental bluegrass group not to be missed. They launch an East Coast tour after their performance on Saturday, so you won’t be able to see them until August. Don’t miss them.

George McConnell’s performance should be a real treat. He was the lead guitar player for jam band legend Widespread Panic for a time, and has deep roots in Mississippi blues. He was raised in Vicksburg and is performing tonight at The Soul Kitchen in Mobile. Saturday’s performance should be a great one.

The real Shedheds are quite familiar with Grayson Capps and the Stumpknockers. If you’ve never heard his grungy electrified Americana, you should. He’s loved by the Shedheds. You’ll love him, too.

The Fear Not Festival was resurrected by local music lovers. Hopefully, the local music lovers can continue it for quite some time. The Gulf is still pretty quiet, so don’t worry about procrastinating for one more day about getting your hurricane kit together. Hit the Shed this Saturday and have a blast.

Justin Hooks covers bars and bands for the Sun Herald.