Wendy Matthews for blues festival

Legendary Australian songstress Wendy Matthews is set to headline the 2013 Wignalls Vintage Blues Festival at Albany, followed up by lead acts Katie Noonan, Russell Morris and break-through star Mia Dyson.

The festival is on Saturday, January 5 at Wignalls Wines and winery owner Rob Wignall believes the festival could be “the best value event in WA” for just $10 an act.

In fact, he reckons this is the strongest ever line-up the festival has hosted in its 17-year history.

With an emphasis on local and WA bands, supporting artists this year include local blues maestro Moondog J, Dilip and the Davs, and Sam Carmody and The Warning Birds.

“We always have a local act and a couple of WA acts and that the rest are lead acts, which this year are very institutionally Australian,” Mr Wignall said.

In a deliberate departure from tradition, this year the lead acts will take to the stage earlier in the afternoon.

“The good thing this year is the first lead act starts at 4.15pm, so get there early, don’t wait til 5pm or 6pm, otherwise you’re going to miss it all,” he said.

“In the old days, going back about eight years ago, we’d have the lead act last and the families never saw it. We have gradually been inking it forward to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to see the key acts.”

And as always, the emphasis is on creating a family friendly event, where parents can bring their kids for free.

Families and friends, from teenagers to retirees, can roll out the picnic rug in the afternoon and enjoy the tunes – and even have a boogie or attempt the bucking bull later in the evening.

“We believe we are filling a part that regularly gets missed, making sure that mums and dads can come along, if they want to bring their 12 and 13-year-olds for free, we are catering for that, we are filling that gap,” Mr Wignall said.

“It’s a real community event and, we’ve always said, it resembles an annual Sunday barbecue, where you catch up with your mates who you haven’t seen for the year.

“That is literally what it looks like, cruisy at first then it gets more upbeat as the night goes on and people start to rock’n’roll.”

For tickets, visit www.vintageblues.com.au or call Wignalls Wines on 9841 2848.