The Journey of Augustibluus

The deepest roots of the Augustibluus stretch from America all the way to Africa. Having evolved from the work songs of enslaved people, the blues became the dominant musical style within the African American community by the end of the 19th century. Gradually, the new style gained popularity among the white working class as well, eventually catching the attention of major national record companies in the first half of the 20th century. By the 1960s, the influence of the blues was evident across nearly the entire spectrum of popular music.

So it can be said that the music Augustibluus loves and offers its listeners has grown from a subculture of cotton fields into a cultural phenomenon with global influence. In a sense, parallels can also be drawn here with Augustibluus. In 1994, while crafting posters for the first blues night with scissors and glue, the festival’s creators, Gülnar Murumägi and Roman Sultangirejev, didn’t even dare to call their endeavor a festival at first. Kolumbus Kris, Ultima Thule, and Compromise Blue performed, and the first blues night took place. The organizers’ goal was to create a cultural event alongside the popular disco festivals that would also offer something for the soul. It is a pleasure to note that the festival has grown, the lineup of performers has become increasingly impressive, and in addition to the Bishop’s Castle, you can now hear, see, and feel the blues throughout nearly the entire city of Haapsalu. The festival’s reach, however, extends all the way to the birthplace of the blues. Augustibluus, held in this small resort town, has grown into a highly regarded European blues festival, attracting the brightest stars of the blues world who wish to perform here.

A charming little town, an enchanting medieval bishop’s castle, balmy August nights, great music, and friendly people all come together to create an atmosphere you’ll want to experience again and again. The wonderful audience and great atmosphere have been noted by many festival performers. The special aura of Augustibluus has been praised separately by both 2014 headliner Coco Montoya and 2013 crowd-pleasing harmonica virtuoso Jimmy Z. Blues diva Candye Kane, who has traveled the world far and wide, said that performing at Augustibluus was the highlight of her career and likely the most memorable concert of her entire life. Finland’s “blues minister,” Esa Kuloniemi, described the Augustibluus atmosphere in similar terms and added that Haapsalu is a place where he would like to settle permanently in his twilight years. It is precisely the positive word-of-mouth from the performers that has largely been the foundation of the festival’s success—thanks to the warm recommendations of musicians who have previously performed at Augustibluus, the festival has managed to invite several distinguished blues figures whose standard fees would clearly be beyond the festival’s means.

The unique atmosphere of Augustibluus and its exceptionally lively and receptive audience have helped ensure that even performances that were in danger of being canceled went ahead against all odds. For example, in 2012, headliner Matt Schofield was struck by severe food poisoning just before taking the stage. The emergency doctors who were called to the scene ruled out Schofield’s appearance entirely, and the organizers were ready to announce the cancellation. Schofield’s band, however, having soaked up the special atmosphere during the previous acts and sensing the audience’s anticipation, did not want to disappoint the crowd and spontaneously decided to take the stage without their frontman. Schofield, having heard his band playing without him from the ambulance, could not resist the temptation; he ordered the doctors to remove his IVs and cannulas and literally stepped straight from the ambulance onto the stage.

Augustibluus is proud of and honors its roots. As part of annual special projects, numerous distinguished blues figures have been honored and commemorated. Open-mic jams at the cultural center’s nightclub have become a tradition, where world-class musicians can play alongside local amateurs in a relaxed atmosphere until the early hours of the morning. It happens that headlining bands perform at these jams with their full lineups; for example, the collective of 2014’s headliner Boney Fields continued their performance, which had ended at the castle, with a nearly full-length set at the club.

Local businesses also help fill the city with festival spirit. While as recently as 2013, Lääne Elu reported with surprise that local businesses—from taxi drivers to morning coffee vendors—seemed to have finally embraced the festival, today this close collaboration no longer surprises anyone. Whether it’s the collaboration with food and beverage establishments that gained momentum last year or the sports and leisure centers and museums that have joined the ranks of partners this year—local businesses want to contribute in every way possible to filling the city with blues. And creating a positive, all-encompassing blues atmosphere has been a goal in itself for the organizers.

As the number of performers and the festival’s geographical reach have grown, so too has the blues audience’s interest in the festival. In addition to local guests, the audience includes people from neighboring countries as well as from further afield in Europe. The Augustibluus audience has grown year after year, but this has not led to any security issues. Augustibluus visitors are good, sensible people, and only with such an audience can Haapsalu truly become a blues paradise and carry on the tradition of a thoroughly friendly festival.