After a year that was not easy after what happened in June 2024, the Vallemaggia Magic Blues is back at the starting tape for the XXIII. Edition. Duke Robillard, the Band of Friends in the four-piece lineup, and the amazing Harlem Lake and Selwyn Birchwood, big stars of last summer, have been added to the legendary showcase. "Naturally magic!" is the slogan designed for the 2025 edition. Naturally stands for how the Blues has become a hallmark of Vallemaggia over the years. The organizers have worked hard to present the many aficionados with a program worthy of the last editions. Once again this summer there will be magical vibes in the squares of Vallemaggia. There has been no shortage of big hits! After more than sixty years, The Yardbirds, guests at Lido di Locarno in August 1964, return to us! While waiting for the official presentation of the 2025 program in the coming weeks, reserve already now the date of August 7 on the beautiful square of Maggia with The Yardbirds.

The Vallemaggia Magic Blues, after long negotiations, has succeeded in a real big score, a sort of icing on the cake of the 2025 edition: the return after more than 60 years of the legendary The Yardbirds! In fact, in August 1964, their mentor Giorgio Gomelsky, the first manager who had gotten them a contract with Columbia Records, under the guise of a vacation, brought Eric Clapton and co. to Ticino by having them perform at the Lido and Innovazione in Locarno and the Taverna in Ascona. Of Georgian descent, to escape communism the Gomelsky family had left the USSR, emigrating first to Syria, then to Egypt and Italy, eventually settling in Ascona, where he grew up and studied before leaving at age 21 for London. 

The Yardbirds, a historic group led by co-founder and drummer Jim McCarty, who continues to lead the band. Once the innovators of the British Rock Invasion, they were a crucial link between Blues, British R&B, Psychedelic Rock and Heavy Metal. They also pioneered the use of technical innovations such as fuzztone, feedback and distortion. This drummer, singer, songwriter and producer is considered one of the driving forces responsible for the band's spellbinding sound. From the band's inception in 1963 to its induction into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, The Yardbirds have been revered for the legendary guitarists who have contributed to the band's history, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, all of whom were named to Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time (No. 35, 5 and 3, respectively).

Originally a blues-based group, known for their characteristic "rave-up" instrumental jams covering blues classics such as Howlin Wolf's "Smokestack Lighting" and Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man," The Yardbirds later expanded their reach into pop, pioneered psychedelic rock and early hard rock/heavy metal, and contributed to many of the electric guitar innovations that marked these musical genres. After several personnel changes, in 1968 Jimmy Page took over the reins of the group and, abetted by the "fatigue" of MCarty and Dreja, worn out by four years of extremely intense activity, and vocalist Keith Relf's desire to turn to Folk (he would found Renaissance), with new bandmates he re-founded the group at first called The New Yardbirds. Soon after, the quartet will change its name to Led Zeppelin and the rest is legend.

To return to the early Yardbirds, the band had a string of hits in the mid-1960s, including "For Your Love," "Heart Full of Soul," "Shapes of Things," and "Over Under Sideways Down." Celebrating his 30th year as Yardbird, vocalist John Idan has lent his distinct voice to the band's sound since its reformation, as evidenced by the classic 2003 album "Birdland" with appearances by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash and Brian May.

The current lineup of top musicians is rounded out by guitarist Godfrey Townsend (John Entwistle, Alan Parsons, Todd Rundgren, Ann Wilson of Heart, Christopher Cross, Dave Mason and musical director of the Turtles' Happy Together Tour) and percussionist Kenny Aaronson (Bob Dylan, Billy Idol, Rick Derringer, Brian Setzer, Dave Edmonds and Joan Jett), harmonica and background vocals Myke Scavone (The Doughboys, Ram Jam), The current band (re-founded back in 2002 by McCarty) has always held the band's name high and, despite several lineup changes, has always lived up to the parent lineup and recently completed work on a forthcoming live album, "Mind the Gap."
Opening the evening will be Ticino's Hus-Band, born in 2023 in Lugano, composed of Matteo Bertini, Mattia Mantello, Federico and Riccardo Sicilia. Already active on the national scene, the four musicians give life to a genuine and straightforward project with fresh and fun classic rock, enriched by edgy and provocative lyrics.

Press Release (pdf)