Blues news and Mardi Gras gossip
NOW PLAYING | Tom Irwin
As you may have noticed, the famed party called Mardi Gras is a moveable feast. Basically it’s a big shindig called Carnival ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. The coming of Easter is a Christian holiday timed to moon phases and therefore the whole ordeal changes annually.
This week Dwayne Dopsie at Donnie’s Homespun on Saturday night is the closest thing to a real deal New Orleans style show, in town to celebrate the Mardi Gras weekend. Dwayne’s Rockin’ Dopsie lineage connects him to a tradition of Zydeco music that’s ideal for Mardi Gras. The St. Louis Soulard area hosts the finest American Mardi Gras happenings outside of New Orleans, and our Ozarks pal Michael “Supe” Granda plays the Venice Café with his longtime cohorts The Garbonzos on Saturday.
In a nice segue involving this week’s topics of blues and Mardi Gras, Robert Sampson and the Blues Gumbo Band (Lorrie Eden, Art Carey and Tom Lewis) play the Curve Inn from 5 to 9 on Saturday evening. Come to the club voted Illinois Time’s Best Live Music Venue for 2012 for the good blues music and stay for the free N’awlins-style chow of gumbo, crawfish, red beans and rice. Please say a belated happy birthday to the talented Robert Sampson and congratulate him for making the solo/duo finals at the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis last week. An amazing and welldeserved feat, this was Robert’s third IBC finals showing as a representative of Springfield’s Illinois Central Blues Club.
Speaking of the IBC, here’s a report on the other central Illinois bands that made the trek to attend the long-running, influential and inspiring competitive event involving hundreds of blues acts from all over the globe. Congratulations to Zack Fedor for Fedor and the Power Trio’s Youth Showcase performance as an ICBC representative. Zack is plain amazing and even more so because of his young age. In the blues band category, Back Pack Jones (Big Mike Wallace, Kirk Lonbom, Wendell Day, Mike Baier and Harvey Horton) represented the ICBC and Blue Expressions (Adrian Muex, Sr., Marcus Taylor, Archie Logan, Tony Young and C.L.) came from the Decatur Blues Society, with both groups making the semifinals. No small feat considering the intense competition, but unfortunately no area bands made the finals. Congratulations to all for getting there and having the great experience of performing and for righteously representing your respective clubs. Blues Expressions and Smoothtimes with Jackie Flinn and Charles Tiner, plus Heather Riley Watkins, all play this Friday night at Boondocks, and Back Pack Jones warms up the crowd for Jimmy Thackery on Mar. 2 for the ICBC Birthday Party at Knights of Columbus Council 364 Hall on Meadowbrook Road off Iles Ave. Please stop in and congratulate these worthy groups.
Check out “Fire Up February,” a blues show of top local acts this Sunday, Feb. 10 at the KC Hall. Sponsored by longtime ICBC supporter, past president and all around good guy Steve Truesdale, the proceeds benefit our ICBC. The Michael Taylor Duo (Double Bill) kicks it off at 2 p.m., and next Tombstone Bullet (2010 ICB semifinalists) plays a couple of sets, then world renowned bluesman James Armstrong closes out the night, and it’s all over at by 9.
On a personal note, this Friday, Donnie’s Homespun features A Family Affair: The Irwins and the Lowders. The Irwin clan goes from 6:30 to 8:30, then the Lowder kin take the stage around 9 to finish off the night. Of course it’s family friendly, with all ages welcomed, hopefully the first of many all ages shows.
Wear your beads and beat the blues.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com.
