There are several Rory Gallagher 'tribute bands', which keep the music of this extraordinary Irish guitarist alive. He is rightly considered one of the best guitarists of all time (if not ‘the best ever', according to Jimi Hendrix!). After about twenty albums of great quality, Rory Gallagher passed away on 14 June 1995, but his music lives on! The Band of Friends returns to Vallemaggia Magic Blues, which boasts bassist Gerry McAvoy in its ranks, who uninterruptedly shared the stage with Gallagher from 1971 (after the break-up of Rory's first band, the Taste) to 1991. After leaving The Nine Below Zero in 2011, Gerry McAvoy decided to go back on the road to pay tribute to his great friend Rory Gallagher and hired drummer Ted McKenna (with Gallagher from 1977 to 1981) and later Bredan O'Neill (with Gallagher from 1981 to 1991). At first, they played as a trio with Dutch guitarist Marcel Scherpenzell, while for some years now the Band of Friends has been a quartet with two excellent guitarists, Paul Rose and Jim Krikpatrick (one of the best British slide players), who give even more energy to their performances. For their third appearance at Vallemaggia Magic Blues, after 2012 and 2015, the band will also present songs of their own composition, taken from their albums, including the last two released in 2022 (one live and one studio).

The project 'The Hits' was born in 2022 on the initiative of Davide Delcò from Bellinzona with the intention of proposing to the Ticino audience great international hits known to most, with a personal and refined arranging touch. It is a journey through the music of the 70s/80s in which energy, involvement and lightheartedness are the ultimate goals towards the listener. With 30 concerts to their credit, 'The Hits' will be present at the 2024 edition of Vallemaggia Magic Blues in a new lineup composed ad hoc for the occasion with Davide Delcò, a guitar virtuoso who has been active for many years in Ticino with various groups and formations, Davide Gilardino, a vocalist capable of bestowing passion and intensity in his singing expression, Simone Morandotti on keyboards, the turn player and exceptional session man in formations of various genres, from rock to jazz Alberto Bollati on bass and Fabio Nasuelli on drums.