Giving Hunger the Blues Turns 20 with Sunday's Anniversary Blowout

SARASOTA – It’s hard to believe that the best local music festival in the area will celebrate its 20th anniversary this Sunday, but promoter Peter Anderson has pulled together a worthy celebration that includes the area’s very best musical acts for a full day of tunes that will include everything from rock to funk to blues. GHTB20 is a local music lover’s dream that also happens to be for a very worthy cause.

Due to construction on Hillview Avenue, this year’s event has moved to the outside area of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, where there will be no less than three stages of music. The action will kick off on the main stage at noon with the Fogt’s Music All-Stars.
At 1 p.m., Sarasota’s first lady of rock Ôn’ roll takes the stage. Twinkle & Rock Soul Radio are without question one of the best local acts I’ve ever seen. From their first-rate original material to unique covers of your favorite rock classics from the Ô70s and Ô80s, the band brings an incomparable energy and vibe to every single performance. Their cover of Guns & Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine, featuring dead-on guitar licks by Lenny Brooks is nothing short of astonishing.

At 5:30, the area’s premier reggae band Jah Movement takes the stage. In a genre that often suffers a lot of generic poseurs, Jah Movement is as authentic as it gets and has become the go-to Gulf Coast band for reggae enthusiasts. At 6:55, they’ll be followed by the Gumbo Boogie Band, a two-decade act that’s well known locally for their regular Sunday gigs at Ace’s Live. This energetic rock/zydeco/jazz group brings an authentic New Orleans feel that always cranks the party up a notch.