July 2013

Hey All!

Hard to believe it’s not only summer, but the weekend is almost over already. As long as this last winter was, all we can hope for is that we get some extended fall, cause there sure was no spring, and so far not much summer like weather since Memorial Day. I had a guy telling me yesterday that though he was born and raised in the Chippewa Valley, if this is what it’s going to be like in the future here, he’s going to move. Life is too short! His words, don’t blame him though. Last year was unrelenting heat and drought, this year has been heavy wet snow in April & May, lots of rain and cool weather.  Just wait, mosquito/bug season is just arriving. Fun Stuff!

Tuesday Night Blues had to go inside for the first two weeks of the season, but finally got outside for week 3 with Bryan Lee & the Blues Power Band. Not as many folks attending as we’d expect but about 500 showed up for the show at Owen Park band shell for this Grammy nominated artist. We gave him a rousing Chippewa Valley welcome. The band said we have something really special goin’ on here. They loved it.

What? You say you have never been to Tuesday Night Blues? Sorry, you are missing one of the premiere concert series/fests in the country. We have artists from all over the country asking to be included in the schedule. Sorry, Guys, only 14 nights this summer. We have bands begging to be on the schedule, but still need some sponsors to help put on these shows. If you haven’t made it to Tuesday Night Blues yet, you can only kick yourself if/when it is only a memory. The final show of this season will be the 81st presented by the CVBS.

The difference between TNB and any of the other concert series going on in the Valley is we have always paid the bands a decent rate for a mid-week gig from 6:30-8:30 p.m.. It is important to Tuesday Night Blues to treat bands with professional respect. Tuesday Night Blues/CVBS is a not for profit entity with no other motivation than to bring entertainment to you, and give you some background/history of both the bands being presented, and of some blues legends and pioneers as well. Our reward is not financial, it is the thanks and appreciation received from both the bands that are playing and the awesome folks attending week in and week out. Tuesday Night Blues fans are the best in the world!!!

Coming up in July is an excellent lineup. Closing out June is Code Blue with Catya & Sue Orfield on June 25th. This band is full of awesome talent and plays over half their set in original tunes. July 2nd starts out the holiday week with one of the hottest blues and funk bands in Wisconsin, Left Wing Bourbon! If you haven’t heard this group, Shame On You! You only have yourself to blame when the kids ask if you ever heard them back in the day!

July 9th Charlie Parr will give us an encore appearance. It will be the first show he has done at Owen Park band shell. Last year he played our annual sojourn to Phoenix Park on the 1st Tuesday of August. Deepwater Reunion returns to TNB on July 16th. This hardest working blues show band will be making their 5th appearance at TNB, coming from all over the Badger state. They travel from Manitowoc, Eagle River, Wisconsin Rapids and Sun Prairie just for the chance to play their “Small Town Blues” for you!

July 23rd Steve Meyer and the True Heat Band will be back again to rock you socks off with their take on John Lee Hooker to Stevie Ray Vaughn. We’ll close out July with Ross William Perry and his band doing some awesome renditions of Jimmy Reed to Jimi Hendrix. These mud ducks know how to mix it up, man.

Blues On The Chippewa has a schedule taking shape. This will be a 3-day event for the 2nd year, with big names all 3 nights. I heard a rumor Sunday includes Lamont Cranston with Bruce McCabe. Keep checking back at http://www.bluesonthechippewa.org/  for more info.

Don’t forget to tune in to WHYS 96.3 Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. for Snapshot’s blues show.

Thanks for lending me an ear! We’ll be seein’ ya around.