ROCKLAND — Young musicians of the Midcoast, participating in a week long rock and blues camp, swung a cool groove as they opened the North Atlantic Blues Festival Saturday morning at Harbor Park in Rockland.

As the crowd grew in anticipation of the 11 a.m. scheduled festival act, Rob Morioli, audience members got a chance to listen to a new generation of talented musicians. “The future of the Blues,” is how Paul Benjamin, NAFB organizer, introduced the Young Bloods. “Tomorrow’s stars are going to come up on stage today.”

Some at the 22-year-old Festival consider the putting of young, local talent on stage for the half hour prior to the show’s start to be a new tradition for the event.

According to Tom Ulichny, founder and director of Midcoast Music Academy and lead teacher for the camp, when Benjamin learned of the music camp, he invited the 10 campers to bring what they learned onto the stage.

The kids, ages 11 to 17, formed their ‘Young Bloods’ group this past Monday morning, not having met before. In five days they got used to each others’ styles and molded 10 singular units into one. “We worked hard all week, got three great blues tunes down. And now the town is going to make this (showcasing local talent) an annual event,” Ulichny said.

Ulichny said the musicians were extremely excited and a little nervous about the show. But he pushed the group hard all week, and the students pushed themselves as well. They were ready.

Along with allowing the campers a chance to experience the big stage, Benjamin also visited with the campers during the week, teaching them about the blues. “Paul’s just a tremendous advocate for young musicians and music education,” Ulichny said. 

The Midcoast Music Academy rock and blues camp is a collaboration with the Maine Academy of Modern Music, based in Portland. Camps have also been held in Augusta, Machias, and Bar Harbor. At the end of the camping week at each location, campers play at a local event happening the municipality they’re in. After the Bar Harbor camp, musicians play during an annual parade. During the Machias camp, which is a stay-over camp, the kids play at an annual festival, as well. But, nothing, by far, as big as the North Atlantic Blues Fest. 

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com.