The first sounds of a harmonica, guitar riffs resonating through Spodek arena in Katowice (Poland), a crowd of true fans – this is Rawa Blues Festival, the most important blues event in Poland, which for over two decades has been an integral part of my life.
Rawa Blues Festival – Shemekia Copeland
My Story with Rawa Blues Festival
When I first crossed the threshold of Katowice’s Spodek arena at Rawa Blues, I didn’t know I was starting a tradition and lifelong passion that would last over 20 years. Back then, the festival attracted several thousand fans, the atmosphere was electrifying, and I – a metalhead – felt I had found a place where I belonged, even though I didn’t know it yet.
Since that moment, every early October has its place in my calendar. Rawa Blues isn’t just a concert – it’s an annual meeting with world blues legends, Polish masters of the genre, and – most importantly – with people.
Rawa Blues Festival – Tommy Castro and The Painkillers
Tradition and History of Rawa Blues
Rawa Blues Festival is the oldest and most prestigious blues event in Poland. Over the years, the greatest international stars have performed on Spodek’s stage: from Grammy winners to Blues Hall of Fame members. Robert Cray, Keb’ Mo’, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor – these are names you won’t hear on other Polish blues stages. This continuity and artistic quality ensure that each edition guarantees world-class musical experiences.
But Rawa Blues offers more than just main concerts – there’s also the Small Stage with a competition for young talents, a cultural melting pot with exhibitions and painting happenings in Spodek’s lobby, and formerly concerts at NOSPR as well. The festival is an all-day, multi-dimensional experience.
You can’t talk about Rawa Blues without mentioning Irek Dudek – the man who in 1981 fulfilled his dream of creating a blues festival in Poland. Back then, at the turn of April and May, during martial law, he decided to organize the 1st National Blues Meeting “Rawa Blues.” It was not only an act of passion but also of courage.
Rawa Blues Festival – Shakin’ Dudi
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Rawa Blues Festival – Sebastian Riedel, Shakin’ Dudi and Jan Chojnacki
Rawa Blues Festival – Mr. Sipp
Irek Dudek and Jan Chojnacki
Irek Dudek is not just the festival’s organizer and director (now strongly supported by his daughter, Agata Dudek) – he’s an outstanding Polish blues musician, a master harmonica player who performs at every edition of the festival. Over the years, I’ve seen him in various incarnations: with a big band, with the NOSPR symphony orchestra, in a duo with jazz legend James Blood Ulmer, as Shakin’ Dudi with his cult “Golden Record,” or solo with the album “Dudek Bluesy.” It’s thanks to his vision and determination that Rawa Blues has survived for over 40 years, becoming the most important blues festival in Poland and one of the most prestigious in the world.
Rawa Blues Festival – Irek Dudek, Dudek Super Harp
Rawa Blues Festival – Jan Chojnacki
Standing alongside Irek Dudek throughout the festival’s years is my beloved Jan Chojnacki – the Main Stage’s emcee, whose voice has accompanied me for years – formerly on Radio Trójka, now on Radio Baobab. He’s a master at warming up the crowd gathered in Spodek, hosting the evening final concerts and introducing the biggest stars of world blues to the stage. His energy, humor, way of presenting artists, anecdotes, and interaction with the audience are an integral part of the Rawa Blues experience.
Rawa Blues Festival – Shakin’ Dudi
Unique Atmosphere
Blues is honest music, full of emotions, telling stories about life without embellishment. Rawa Blues Festival captures this authenticity perfectly. In Spodek, despite being a huge arena, an intimate bond forms between artists and audience. You feel every note, every word, every emotion.
Rawa Blues Festival – Tommy Castro
Rawa Blues Festival – Shemekia Copeland
Community of Enthusiasts
Throughout all these years, I’ve met countless true lovers of the genre at Rawa Blues. These are people who – like me – understand that blues isn’t just music, it’s a way of expressing yourself, a philosophy of life.
Crowds of concertgoers in the lobby of Katowice’s Spodek Arena on Rawa Blues Festival
Rawa Blues Today – Between Tradition and Challenges
I won’t hide that I’m observing changes. Attendance at Rawa Blues Festival in recent years hasn’t been as impressive as it once was. Nevertheless, the old guard is holding on quite well, and the younger generation is growing very slowly, but growing nonetheless. I think this is thanks to the organizers’ efforts to ensure a family-friendly character. Hence we have free admission for children under 15 and people with disabilities, zones for the youngest, workshops – Rawa Blues cares about passing on the love of blues to future generations.
Lower attendance is somewhat worrying, but at the same time it makes each edition of Rawa Blues Festival more intimate. It’s no longer a mass event – it’s a gathering of true connoisseurs and fans.
Rawa Blues Festival – Eric Sardinas
Rawa Blues Festival – Dariusz Dusza on guitar
Rawa Blues Festival – Elvin Bishop
Rawa Blues Festival – Adam Kulisz Blues Session
Jam Session Until Dawn
One of the festival’s annual rituals is also the exceptional jam session at the Novotel hotel in Katowice. After the official concerts at Spodek, we gather in the hotel bar together with musicians from the Main and Small Stages and festival guests for spontaneous playing until the late night hours, and in good years it’s happened that we’ve gone until dawn. A deep bow here to the hotel director, Ms. Iwona Porwoł, who personally ensures even the smallest details of this event with great commitment.
This night jam session is the true soul of Rawa Blues, a place where boundaries between artists and fans blur, where blues is pure, unpolished, and absolutely authentic.
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
Rawa Blues Festival – Jam Session
My Commitment to the Blues
For over 20 years, I’ve been coming to Rawa Blues Festival because blues isn’t just music – it’s part of my identity. This festival showed me that you can be part of something bigger, a community of people who value authenticity above all else. Rawa Blues Festival is proof that in Poland there’s room for music that doesn’t chase commercial success, only truth and emotions.
Rawa Blues Festival – Concert stage and main board in Katowice Spodek Arena
Invitation to Rawa Blues Festival
If you’ve never been to Rawa Blues Festival, and you happen to be a lover of live guitar playing – come, make the trip. Experience what I’ve had the honor of experiencing for two decades. Join the unique community of true blues fans. And if you’ve already been there – you know what I’m talking about.
Rawa Blues is world-class. It’s a place where, as a blues fan, I feel I’m part of something truly great, something that matters not only in Poland but in the international blues community.
See you in October in Katowice, Poland at Rawa Blues Festival!
Rawa Blues Festival – Katowice Spodek Arena
PS Rawa Blues changes lives, my wife can confirm that ❤
