EDWARDSVILLE - The Bonifest Music Festival set for this Friday and Saturday evening, May 26-27, announced Monday a huge surprise that Billy Peek, an American rock and roll and blues guitarist legend, will perform.
Peek will open for the Dirty Muggs at 7 p.m. Friday in Downtown Edwardsville. The Dirty Muggs, a long-time success at the music festival, are scheduled to go on stage at 8:30 p.m. Friday, but Peek has agreed to open the evening.
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Peek is an American music legend as a rock and roll and blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer and producer. Peek recorded, toured and played as a lead guitarist for rock icon Rod Stewart in his beginning years. In his later years, Peek also recorded, toured and performed with rock legend Chuck Berry of St. Louis, who died recently.
“Billy Peek plays a giant Gibson Flying V Guitar, which you don’t see too often,” Ryan Hentz, the St. Bonifest Music Festival organizer, said. “He is a really great player on many iconic songs. Billy grew up in St. Louis. We have been already fielding huge calls about having Billy come to Bonifest. Some of the reviews on him say Billy Peek does Chuck Berry better than Chuck did at the end. He is a guitar showman.
“We switched the Dirty Muggs, who we have come every year and normally play on Saturday, to Friday night because of Edwardsville High School graduation and graduation parties. We added Ryan Ideus and the Feudin’ Hillbillies, a country band from Murphysboro, IL., for Saturday night and we think they will also be hit.”
Bonifest will be held at St. Boniface Parish, Edwardsville, located at the intersection of Vandalia and Buchanan Streets. Hentz encouraged area residents to enjoy a great weekend of food, music, carnival rides, raffles and fun at Bonifest. He said there will be added space for rides for children this year and those are always popular.
Hentz in no way wanted to dissuade anyone from wanting to go to a high school graduation party, but he encouraged people to come out, even for part of the final concert on Saturday.
Ryan Ideas and the Feudin’ Hillbillies has been entertaining by the thousands all across the Midwest for the last nine years.
Ryan Ideas and the Feudin’ Hillbillies have been ICMA’s Dance Band of the Year seven years in a row. The group has performed with such artists as: Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Cole Swindell, and over 19 of the industry’s finest artists.
Hentz said to look forward to a high energy show from the Feudin’ Hillbillies.
Another band that is performing Saturday from Murphysboro, Illinois, is Murphy500. Murphy500 is quickly working their way to creating a name for themselves in country music.
Currently, 2017 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for Murphy500 with tour dates scheduled throughout the Midwest. Murphy500 has had the pleasure of opening for such acts as Jon Pardi, LoCash Cowboys, Eric Church, Jamey Johnson, Mo Pitney, Clayton Anderson, Eli Young Band and Kid Rock, with many more great shows lined up this year.
Bonifest Music Schedule
Friday May 27, 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Dirty Muggs with Special Guest Billy Peek (Ultimate party/show band experience)
Saturday May 28, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – The NATU Band (acoustic country) 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Murphy500 (country) 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Ryan Ideus and the Feudin’ Hillbillies (country)
Ticket information
Pre-sale tickets are now available. Ride tickets are $18/24 – a 25-cent discount per ticket. Food/drink/game tickets are 80 cents – will be $1 at Bonifest. Wristbands will be $28 and offered Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., during the “Bluejay Family Day” hours.
Purchase Pre-sale tickets at:
St. Boniface Parish Office
Edwardsville K of C
Bank of Edwardsville – 4 locations
Town and Country Bank
Schnucks
Dierbergs
Shop ‘n Save
Market Basket
Also stop by the St. Boniface Parish office at 110 N. Buchanan St., Edwardsville or call (618) 656-6450. Also go to the Bonifest Facebook page for more information.
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