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In the pile of mail, both appropriate and inappropriate for this column, the band name that stands out most is I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. Nope, these five Austin, Texas musicians aren't a blues band, they're more indie rock...but that name is certainly a blues anthem unto itself! For actual new local blues bands names look first to Chris Paskell and Rick Baunach's The Backbeat Revival coming to a room near you. They've been woodshedding the new electric blues band project several monthes and are due to arrive on the gigging scene pretty soon.
Skylark's Hidden Cafe (1308-B 11th in Fairhaven, South Bellingham) actually is somewhat hidden! Seach it out so you know the way, then catch a wide variety of acoustic performers there in relaxed coffeehouse evening shows. They have open auditions (better call that an Open Mic) every Tuesday at 8pm which includes all sorts of music styles. It's a gratus situation, but the friendly atmosphere has drawn a number of seasoned performers like songwriter Misty Flowers and blues guy Andy Koch. (info. 360-715-3642)
In the true spirit of feast or famine, You have two different top-notch choices for your pleasure on Saturday, April 14th. Taj Mahal will appear at the Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Theatre with special guest Mavis Staples and further south in the USA, Guy Davis will perform at the Mount Vernon Lincoln Theatre.
Bar Blues? Well, it's pretty thin at the Wild Buffalo in April with the exception of the Red Hot Blues Sisters April 8th and the one year anniversary of the Buffalo Blues Invitational Jam on April 11th. The Oxford Saloon has a very full list of blues shows in April (check the Blueslamp Calender) , but so far in May (and the Oxford May schedule is not complete yet) it's looking mighty rock n' roll for next month. Thankfully, The Fairhaven has held onto Gypsy Lou's Thursday Electric Blues Jam. Rocko's Fireside Tavern in Everett, The Rockfish Grill in Anacortes and the Upstage in Port Townsend are still keeping a healthy amount of blues on their schedules. Poppe's Bistro at Bellingham's Lakeway Inn, with an old reputation for jazz, has begun bringing more blues in on weekends. The Green Frog Tavern seemed to kick off as Bellingham's acoustic music tavern but, perhaps because of the demise of The 3-B last winter, we're now seeing an increase of band action there...way too loud for the space but loads of fun for the performers. The Main Street Bar & Grill was bringing some occaisonal blues into Ferndale, but that appears to have run it's course. If you want lots of blues booked into the local venues you need to support those blues shows when they happen with your feet and, truthfully, your wallet.
What the Mr. Bear is seeing out and about are lot's of "crossover style" bands, blues and jazz, blues and rock, blues and rockabilly, blues and country, blues and reggae, blues and pop...The plan is to appeal to a wider range of audience tastes, sell more at the bar and therefore have sucessful events. Guess it's working, cause it's everywhere including the blues festivals. Though this scruffy bear still prefers them blues straight up, blues mixed with another style absolutely beats no blues at all.
Kurt Aemmer and Adrian Clarke are appearing here and there as an acoustic duo with lots of blues and lots of other music on their set list.
Best known as a roots drummer, Wedge Michaels has been working on his solo CD project (Yes, Skagit's Wedge sings, plays guitar and writes songs) at John Holmes studio in Mount Vernon. He just completed recording a tune which included Anna Schaad and Oscar de la Rosa. But Wedge has kept his night job, playing drums for popster Jim Basnight all over the Northwestern states.
Johnny Winter cancelled numerous shows over the past year or more due to his lingering hand injury and recovery. The legendary guitarist is out touring all over the country right now and has a one-nighter scheduled in Port Townsend at the Upstage on June 7th. His next nearest show will be at the Triple Door in Seattle on June 12th.
Bellingham's Nightlight Lounge has an interesting booking in late June. Ivan Neville (Yes, he's a full member of the famous Neville Brothers) is scheduled on Thursday, June 29th for an evening of his New Orleans Funk at 211 E. Chestnut. (info. 360-527-1531)
Keep those blues cards 'n letters rolling in! Mow, Row, Ba-Gow!
