Terry O'Halloran is down in Austin (I'm jealous, except for right now when my other Austin friends are bemoaning the influx of activity AND HELICOPTERS associated with the Formula One Race going on down there).... and TerryO is hard at work on his Las Vegas destination blues festival, which is now going by the name Sin City Soul & Blues Revival. It's happening September 15-17, 2013 at The Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. O'Halloran expects early-bird packages to be ready for sale in January.
You can like the Facebook page to get the latest updates, still operating as Facebook.com/LasVegasBluesVacation
to get regular updates. O'Halloran expects to offer up to 40 acts in a resort setting with only a limited number of tickets sold that will include hotel accommodation on the festival site.
With O'Halloran's world-class taste in music and the contacts he has developed as a club booker in Omaha and Vegas and as the president of The Blues Society of Omaha for over 11 years, I expected him to put together something special So far he is ahead of my expectations in bringing together "favorite" artists with some newer, accomplished talent. Aside from his "street cred" with his track record of booking venues in Omaha and Vegas, O'Halloran was has received industry honors including "The Keeping Blues Alive Award" for "Promoter of the Year" in 2007 from the International Blues Foundation. He was recognized by The Omaha Entertainment Awards in 2006 for "Best Musical Ambassador" and received the "Boehmer Award" in 2000 for his "support and promotion of the blues in Nebraska" from the Big Bottom Blues Festival.
Here's the latest on the line-up from TerryO:
Two excellent local bands have also been added to the line-up, giving a great showcase opportunity for our home-grown talent to get seen by some movers and shakers. Kris Lager Band and Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers are confirmed to perform.
Hoyer says that his new band Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers will have their first gig at The Zoo Bar Dec. 28. Given Hoyer's talent and taste in music and soulful grooves, this oughtta be very good stuff!
Mark your calendar now for the annual Lash LaRue's Toy Drive events to bring toys and some holiday hope to the children and families of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Things kick off this year with a CD listening party for this year's Vol. IV benefit CD on Thursday, Nov. 29 at The Waiting Room, 8 p.m. The CD is always a much-anticipated item filled with local musicians' specially written Christmas tunes, happy or sad. Then there is an acoustic show at The Side Door Lounge Friday, Nov. 30, a roots and rock show at The Waiting Room Saturday, Dec. 1 and the big Blues Society of Omaha show on Sunday, Dec. 2, featuring Grammy Award Winner Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. The following Sunday, Dec. 9, we will be back on the radio on KIWR The River from 8 a.m. till Noon (yes, me too), sharing songs from the benefit CDs I-IV and featuring some special in-studio performances. Check out all the details at toydriveforpineridge.com where you can also make an immediate donation via PayPal.
If you missed Lake Street Dive at Dean and Gary's moveable Sunday Roadhouse Concert Series at Slowdown last Sunday, you missed an exceptionally cool show. A bit of a divergence from Americana, but then again, the 60s-70s R&B/Soul/Pop complete with drop-dead-cool harmonies the Brooklyn band puts down is nothing but American Music (to quote Dave Alvin). Check them out, and be on the lookout for their next local appearance. A don't miss live show for music lovers. Think Davina meets Amy Winehouse at James Brown's house party in New Orleans....cool stuff.
Jon Dee Graham Countdown. Personal favorite Jon Dee Graham is coming back to the metro area for several shows including Sunday, Dec. 9, at The Side Door as a Sunday Roadhouse show. Graham will be touring in a solo-duo acoustic format with agent and singer-songwriter pal/sidekick Mike June. Both have new CDs out - Graham's is the wonderful Garage Sale and June's is the excellent Talkin' Revolution Blues, which was finished through a Kickstarter program that exceeded its set goal.
For audio sneak-peaks and digital downloads see
jondeegrahamco.bandcamp.com
reverbnation.com/mikejune/song/15078176-talkin-revolution-blues
Regional shows on the tour include
Dec. 8th Kansas City, MO Knuckleheads
Dec. 9th Omaha, NE Sunday Roadhouse at the Side Door http://sundayroadhouse.com/
Dec. 12th Sioux City, IA Vangard Arts
421 Pierce Sioux City, IA 51101
Dec. 12th Sioux City, IA Vangard Arts
421 Pierce Sioux City, IA 51101
Dec. 13th Manhattan, KS Auntie Mae's
http://www.auntiemaes.com/
There's lots of great music going this weekend in Linoma including the always super-bitchin' good boogie-blues of The Bel Airs tonight (Friday, Nov. 16) at Lincoln's Zoo Bar. If you're staying in Omaha, the Honeyboy Turner Band is at McKenna's.
Saturday night, Jerome Brich would sure like to see some new folks come out and check out his FolkHouse concert series. Saturday, Nov. 17, FolkHouse presents Greg Trooper, known for his mix of soul, twang and folk. Admission is a $20 donation that goes to the artist, but Brich says don't let the lack of $20 keep you from attending, any donation will be welcomed. The FolkHouse is in Brich's private home in central Omaha.
To reserve your seat and get directions
see
folkhouseconcerts.com/schedule.htm#trooper
Last Video Clip for Tonight...Springsteen show, which I missed...but there are already video clips up from last night's show on youtube....here's somebody's cell phone capture of Highway Patrolman from his iconic Nebraska disc, which he treated the Omaha crowd to six songs from during the three-plus hour show. The audio is pretty good....Everyone says it was the Boss' usual excellent throw-down. Gotta say the man respects The Music and The Audience.
Meanwhile the new column is online and on the street, with more music info including some preliminary, very cool musical "to dos" for Thanksgiving weekend. Check it here:
thereader.com/index.php/site/comments/the_chief_nightcats_magic/
The Chief, Nightcats & Magic
There are excellent touring shows coming up at The 21st Saloon, beginning with Alligator Records’ Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater this Thursday, Nov. 15. Born in Macon, Miss., in 1935, Clearwater is one of the creative guitarists who helped forge the distinctive West Side Chicago blues sound. Expect vintage rock, gospel and country blues too.
There is an early show Wednesday, Nov. 21, with Southern California harmonica player, singer and inventive songwriter Rick Estrin fronting The Nightcats for a Thanksgiving Eve gig. Estrin was the longtime vocalist for Little Charlie & the Nightcats. There is no show on Thursday, Nov. 22.
Winding up November is “Braille Blues Daddy” Bryan Lee Thursday, Nov. 29. The 21st has a slew of Hoodoo favorites in December, starting with Texas blues-rockers Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat Thursday, Dec. 6. Coco Montoya plugs in for a special show Tuesday, Dec. 11. Mark your calendar now for the Dec. 13 CD release party by Minneapolis’ Scottie Miller. Miller’s new disc, Rise Up, is excellent. It showcases his original music that mixes New Orleans keyboard funk, blues, rock and Americana. Miller’s “day job” is playing keys in Ruthie Foster’s band. The 21st Saloon blues shows happen 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Zoo Bar Blues
The Red Elvises shake up some high-octane rockabilly Thursday, Nov. 15, 6-9 p.m. The Bel Airs bring their boogie blues to town Friday, Nov. 16, 9 p.m. The Tijuana Gigolos play Saturday, Nov. 17, 9 p. m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Zoo hosts a singer-songwriter showcase with Josh Hoyer and Manny Coon featuring L.A.’s soulful David Vidal, one of Hoyer’s personal favorites. Jazzocracy plays Tuesday 6-9 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve it’s bluegrass with the Toasted Ponies 6-9 p.m. followed by honky-tonk & country with Lloyd McCarter’s band after 10 p.m. Magic Slim and friends perform at the Zoo Thanksgiving night, Nov. 22, after 9 p.m. Tommy Castro hits the stage Tuesday, Nov. 27, 6-9 p.m.
Hot Notes
Lawrence, Kansas, band Dumptruck Butterlips features Kris Lager Sunday, Nov. 18, 9 p.m., at The Hive and Monday, Nov. 19, 10 p.m., at the Zoo Bar. Matt Cox hosts his third annual Thanksgiving food drive at The Barley Street Tavern Wednesday, Nov. 21, 9 p.m. See mattcoxmusic.net. Honeyboy Turner gigs at McKenna’s Friday, Nov. 16. Lash LaRue’s Toy Drive is gearing up for another year, launching with the benefit CD release Nov. 29 at Waiting Room. See toydriveforpineridge.com. Jon Dee Graham returns for Sunday Roadhouse at the Side Door Lounge Sunday, Dec. 9.
