Kettle of Fish set to rock at Van Wezel Friday Fest

They call their music “festiblues.”

Kettle of Fish describes their music as “the kind of festival music that features blues, soul and funk with the energy of rock ’n’ roll.” They cover songs by everyone from Hank Williams Jr. to Jimi Hendrix and they do a lot of blues-based original music too.

They’re based in this area but they’ve played all over the Southeast. This weekend, they’re playing right here at home, for free. They’ll be the featured act at Friday Fest on the grounds of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota.

The Friday Fest series offers monthly free concerts by some of the best area bands and musicians on the shores of Sarasota Bay. The daytime temperatures may be in the 90s, but the bay breezes should make Friday Fest pleasant, especially after the sun starts to set. If it’s raining, Friday Fest moves inside the Van Wezel.

This is the second of four Friday fest events this summer. On Aug. 25, Friday Fest features the Jah Movement Reggae Band, one of the area’s best reggae groups. Jah Movement is known for putting a new spin on familiar songs, often by adding touches of soul and funk to their reggae,

The last Friday Fest of the season, on Sept. 15, features Reverend Barry & Funktastic Soul, an eight-piece funk and soul band.

Details: 5 p.m. July 21, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Free. 941-953-3368, vanwezel.org.

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Kettle of Fish set to rock at Van Wezel Friday Fest."