TerryO's Las Vegas Vacation, Dr. John and More

The New READER HOODOO column is online with details on TerryO's announcement of his destination Las Vegas Blues Vacation (Keep reading) and more including the great show the Zoo Bar and Bourbon Theatre are hosting at Lincoln's Bourbon Theatre tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 20) with two legends, Dr. John and the Blind Boys of Alabama...gonna be epic and magical.

If you are looking for something to do Friday night (Tonight), Rockin' Johnny Burgin from Chicago is in town playing with the Honeyboy Turner band at Havana Garage...after 9 p.m. tonight and tomorrow night. Check out Johnny's sound here
rockinjohnnyband.com  
Here's a nice home-town write-up of Johnny
chicagobluesguide.com/features/rockin-johnny/rockin-johnny-interview-page.html

Here's Johnny playing the title track from his new disc, Grim Reaper (Delmark).

Please check last week's blog for some thoughts on the sad passing of the great Nick Curran, who lost his battle with cancer...and a link to donate to Kid Ramos' medical fund. Kid was recently diagnosed with cancer and is getting treatment. Both are guitarists who are among the coolest, Nick still has a new disc coming out. There are a few videos posted to last week's blog also.
http://hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com/2012/10/friday-sequins-curtis-tommyhappy-oh-yes.html

Last week's Curtis Salgado, Tommy Castro, Joe Louis Walker show was epic, with music from 7:30 to after midnight for the $35 ticket... a great crowd, high-energy performances and Curtis came out and joined Joe Louis Walker and his band for a gospelish number and to play harp on another tune. Be on the lookout for details on the next Playing With Fire fundraiser, which will happen in Feb. 2013. 
Here's a little video interview from Portland with Curtis talking about his super-fine disc, Soul Shot (Alligator). It's soul based and got lots of great grooves, arrangements and flat-out soul-burnin' stuff...some of Curtis' best recorded work!

Here's a cut from the CD that Jackie Newman captured LIVE at the Slowdown last week....it's cell phone video but it gives you a little of the cool vibe that was goin' on that night.

and here's Curtis and the full band with horns and singers doing another track from the disc, Nobody But You!

Jeff Davis is hoping to pull enough funds together to do a "10 in 10" 10 year PWF Anniversary event, a three-day festival that would feature 10 headliners, likely taking place Thursday through Saturday, July 11-13, 2013.
If you are a business who would be interested in  helping fund the 2013 shows, check out playingwithfireomaha.net for details and contact info.

Also Kevin Coffey broke the news today that the beleaguered Red Sky Music Festival has called it quits, and will not be back for 2013. This year's event had even less to offer blues-oriented music fans than 2010, which did have some cool acts in the afternoon. See Kevin's comments at
omaha.com/article/20121019/GO/121019447

Here's this week's Reader column. We are lucky to have a lot of great entertainment hitting our metro area this fall, as TerryO likes to say, "Get out and get into it!"
thereader.com/index.php/site/comments/dr._john_the_blind_boys/

Dr. John & The Blind Boys

BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN

This Saturday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m., Lincoln’s Zoo Bar and Bourbon Theatre present two legends of American roots music: Dr. John and The Blind Boys of Alabama at the Bourbon Theatre. They will be performing together in what is billed as a “Spirituals to Funk” celebration of jazz, blues and gospel. Either act is a show-stopper on their own, together this promises to be a truly electrifying, don't miss night of music. See bourbontheatre.com or the Zoo Bar for tickets.

O’Halloran’s Blues Vacation
Longtime Omaha venue owner and former Blues Society of Omaha president Terry O’Halloran this week announced his new venture. It’s a three-day Las Vegas blues festival at the Rio All-Suites Hotel, Sept. 15-17, 2013. SeeFacebook.com/LasVegasBluesVacation. The hotel will host all the music on various stages with 20 bands planned.

O’Halloran told me, “huge fests can be pretty uncomfortable. Las Vegas Blues Vacation will be the opposite with hotel rooms an elevator ride away...it will be a mix of my favorite touring blues acts and bigger acts that play 3,000 plus [capacity concert halls]. We are going to limit attendance to 3,500, only selling tickets with hotel packages, so it will not be too crowded.”

O’Halloran’s excellent taste in music and long association with top-flight blues artists and agents is sure to mean a true world-class event. O’Halloran, who plans to continue living in Austin, was honored by the national Blues Foundation with the 2007 Keeping the Blues Alive Promoter of the Year Award.

Zoo Bar
Lincoln’s Zoo Bar has some great upcoming shows includingPete Watters' birthday celebration Thursday, Oct.18, 6-9 p.m. with Brad Cordle Band. East Coast jump-blues singerGina Sicilia is scheduled Monday, Oct. 22, 6-8 p.m., followed by the Zoo Bar House Band. Wednesday, Oct. 24,Larry Garner plays 6-9 p.m. Mark your calendar now forDave Gonzalez and his Stone River Boys Friday, Oct. 26, 9-11 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 27, in a special 3-6 p.m. show prior to the Husker game, which will be shown on the big screen. Kris Lager Band will play post-game.

Hot Notes
The 21st Saloon presents Oregon’s Too Slim & The Taildraggers Thursday, Oct. 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Louisiana bluesman Larry Garner plays Thursday, Oct. 25. Chicago’sRockin’ Johnny Burgin is gigging this weekend with theHoneyboy Turner Band. They play Friday, Oct. 19, at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar 5-7 p.m. and at Omaha’s Havana Garage Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 20, after 9 p.m. Seerockinjohnnyband.com.