By Cliff Bellamy

cbellamy@heraldsun.com; 419-6744

Two years after Chicago blues guitarist Buddy Guy and rhythm and blues singer Percy Sledge stole the show at Durham Athletic Park, the Bull Durham Blues Festival returned to its old haunt for its 22nd festival Saturday.

Last year, the festival relocated to Durham Bulls Athletic Park to make way for DAP renovations.

This year, Dianne Pledger, president and CEO of the St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, which puts on the festival, announced, "We are christening the new ballpark today." Blues fans who attended Saturday's 12-hour marathon were treated to refurbished bleachers and bathrooms with glossy paint. The old standbys were there too: wine booths and -- what's a Blues Festival without it? -- two beer concession trailers.

Blues fans who attended the afternoon session said they were glad to be back at the DAP. Patricia White of Durham, who has only missed one festival, said she likes the atmosphere at the DAP. "People get here and have a good time," she said. "People get up and dance. I'm really glad it's back here."

Genie Gunn of Banner Elk, who has been to about eight festivals, said her favorite aspect of the festival was the friendliness of the crowd.

Della Harris of Newport News, Va., said the DAP represents "the history of the city ... We like the old buildings and parking is much more convenient," said Harris, who was attending her 10th festival with husband Robert.

"We just connect all over again," she said of the audience. "It's always so much fun."

"After coming here for 10 years, we have never seen an incident at this festival," Robert Harris said.

Several T-shirts worn by audience members echoed that spirit. "The blues'll make you happy, too," stated one audience member's shirt. Another shirt had this message: "I don't care if it's black or white, as long as it's the blues."

The spirit of Buddy Guy's Chicago style blues was well in evidence when Triangle-based band Valentino and the Piedmont Sheiks took the stage. The first performers played a rocking, electric Chicago style of blues. Daniel Valentino's wailing harmonica echoed across the ballpark, and soon couples could be seen dancing. His tune "Train Song," performed as a harmonica solo, used lots of distortion and echo effects to simulate the sound of a train.

Drummer Ed Mezynski said the festival marked a return for him. He played the 14th festival with Big Rick and the Bombers.

There was evidence that the blues are being passed to the next generation. Lauren Lehman, 12, and her sister Briana, 8, of Granville County, were making their first visit to a blues festival. They brought their guitars with them, and were hoping to play along by ear to some of the songs. Their mom, DaNita Lehman, said her daughters hear the blues at home, but cannot always hear the music outside the home because it is played in clubs. "This festival is great because kids can go," DaNita Lehman said.

Her daughters make up songs, and composed a birthday song for her on their guitars.

The duo call themselves "The Wild Angels." Lauren said the name comes from her love of wild horses and her sister's sweet nature. "So I put them together as The Wild Angels," Lauren said.

The Homemade Jamz Blues Band, the youngest performing professional blues ensemble, warmed the early evening crowd. The band is made up of siblings Ryan Perry, 16, on guitar; Kyle Perry, 14, on bass; and Tanya Perry, 10, on drums. Ryan Perry, whose playing evokes shades of B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, teased the crowd with his solo on the blues standard "Rock Me, Baby," to great applause.

Saturday's performances were held on a warm but temperate late summer day with cool breezes, ideal for an outdoor event. While the crowd at first was sparse, the area near the main stage slowly began to fill as the afternoon progressed.

Elvin Bishop, the headliner, was scheduled to take the stage very late Saturday night. Other performers who played in the afternoon were Roy Roberts and Delta Moon.