Opening concert SBF 2026: THE BONESHAKERS (USA) – TICKETS
Get ready for the opening concert of SBF 2026, brimming with funk, soul, and roots music at its finest – the iconic band led by Randy Jacobs, guitarist of Was (Not Was), will take the stage, along with phenomenal vocalist Jenny Langer. You’ll hear both the band’s greatest hits and tracks from their latest album, „Live To Be This” (2025), which gained international acclaim and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Blues Chart.
July 9, 2026, 8:00 PM
Andrzej Wajda Concert Hall, 5 Papieża Jana Pawła II St.
The band has performed and recorded with legends such as Bonnie Raitt, BB King, Buddy Guy, Seal, Keb Mo, Gov’t Mule, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Iggy Pop, and many others. Since the 1990s, they have consistently blended blues, soul, and funk into an energetic, motor-driven blend reminiscent of Motown. The group is co-founded by guitarist Randy Jacobs and vocalist Jenny Langer, whose soulful expression gives the band’s sound a unique strength and depth.
Jacobs is one of the most respected session guitarists on the American scene – as a sideman, he has collaborated and recorded with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan, and Elton John. His style – rooted in soul, funk, and blues – forms the foundation of The Boneshakers’ sound. The name The Boneshakers was coined by Bonnie Raitt, with whom Jacobs recorded two albums.
The band’s music draws from Detroit traditions—from classic Motown Records soul to modern blues-funk—yet remains fresh and dynamic. The Boneshakers have gained recognition on both the club and festival scenes, performing alongside legends and building a loyal following.
They have released several well-received albums, and their live shows are renowned for their liveliness, groove, and direct connection with the audience—pure American rhythm & blues at its finest.
The history of The Boneshakers dates back to Randy Jacobs’s first sessions in 1980, when he joined forces with charismatic vocalist Sweetpea Atkinson. Their journey together began with their experiences in Was (Not Was) and eventually evolved into a powerful new musical project. The band’s name was accidentally given to them by Bonnie Raitt while working on her album „Longing In Our Hearts.” Over the years, The Boneshakers have released albums such as:
Book of Spells (1997)
Shake the Planet (1998)
Pouring Gasoline (2001)
Put Some Booty On It, Vol. 1 & 2 (2002, 2006)
Live in Seattle (2017, with Mindi Abair)
After the tragic death of Sweetpei in 2020, the band’s future was in doubt until 2022 when phenomenal vocalist Jenny Langer, a Virginia Blues Hall of Fame inductee and winner of the 2020 International Blues Challenge, joined the group. With her, the band recorded a new album, One Foot In The Groove, which reached number one on the UK Blues Charts and the US Soul Blues Charts.
Their latest album, „Live To Be This” (2025, Gulf Coast Records), featuring special guests Bobby Rush, Charlie Musselwhite, Coco Montoya, Don Was, and Jimmy Carpenter, debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart and garnered international acclaim. Blues Magazine called it:
„An absolute must-have for any lover of soulful blues and rock.”
This is a concert not to be missed – over three decades of musical passion, masterful playing, and unparalleled stage energy in one event.