Category Archives: Guest Blogs

October 21, 2012

Guest Blog: Concert To Help Raise The Roof for The Blues Hall of Fame

Back in July, I had the honor of Bernie Pearl Sitting On The Couch to discuss his career and his latest music.

We had a wonderful time as Bernie told story after story of the musicians he was able to meet, learn from and perform with during his late teens and early twenties.

A few weeks later, Bernie reached out to let me know he was going to be opening the main stage at The Biscuit on Friday and then he would be doing “Bridging The Blues” over the next two weeks, culminating in his appearance at the Bukka White Blues Festival and he had a few days open…would I be interested in his doing a live show in Memphis?

HELL YEAH!

After checking a few things, I decided to promote this special event myself. I partnered with Carson Lamm of Rum Boogie Cafe and we settled on Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall as the location for the event.

I arrived at Blues Hall at five to find Carson setting up the lights and making sure he had the cables needed.

Tim Thompson of Blackfoot Custom Amps arrived a short while later with a bass amp for Mike and two amps for Bernie to choose from. After some testing he selected the amp and began doing some warm-ups and sound check.

At 8pm, the show began and for the next four hours, Bernie and Mike transported us to the delta and shared their musical talents.

Mance Lipscomb, Lightnin Sam Hopkins, Muddy Waters and so many other great artists were honored by these two gentlemen with their musical selections. Bernie learned from and played with many of these great musicians, who he met at the Ash Grove Club in LA, which was owned by his brother.

Bernie moved between his old Mahogany acoustic (that he has played since he was 16), a National Resonator and an electric guitar that Bernie modified to a cross between a resonator and an electric.

Bernie interspersed the songs with bits of information on the artists he was playing, which added so much to the evening.

Throughout the evening, the patrons of Beale Street came in and listened and then a new group would come in and it happened throughout the evening.

Bernie and Mike have played together for some 20 years and it shows in their unspoken communications while on stage and through their constant banter and smiles throughout the evening.

Was the evening a success. Well, Carson (who has seen as many shows on Beale as anyone) stated: “It was hands down one of the best shows I have seen on Beale.” Many others who were there during the evening expressed their appreciation for the music and in the end, we raised some $300.00 which is being donated to the Blues Foundation to assist in the building of The Blues Hall Of Fame.

Was it as big as I dreamed…no…but I dream very BIG!

Never seen Bernie Pearl and Mike Barry play? Check the calendar on Bernie’s page and make sure you get to the next show close to you (hell, drive 2-3 hours, it is worth it!)

From Left:

Tim Thompson

Mike Barry

Vinny Bond Marini

Bernie Pearl

Carson Lamm

Note: Thank you Vinny Marini for sharing this report of a great event with us. I believe this could inspire others to do similar events. Terry VunCannon did a similar one in North Carolina earlier in the year, and I hope that I have missed some and they are a regular thing.

Until next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease
chefjimi
©Blues411.com 2012
Where Blues Thrives
Photos provided by Vinny Marini.

Share on Facebook

1 Comment

Filed under Blues, Charity, Entertainment, Guest Blogs, Music, Performance Review

Tagged as American Roots Music, Bernie Pearl, Betsie Brown, Bill Wax, Blues, Blues Hall of Fame, Blues411, Bukka white, Carson Lamm, Entertainment, IBC's, Lightnin' Hopkins, Memphis, Mr. Handy's Blues Hall, Raise The Roof Campaign, Rum Boogie Cafe, The Blues Foundation, Tony Colter, Vinny Marini, XM 70 Bluesville

June 14, 2012

The Kirsten Thien Band C 2 Shining C Tour: No Regrets

Life on the road can make or break you. There are long periods of monotonous driving, exhausted periods of sleep and al the pitfalls that we have all seen documented in the press and history.
What these road warrior artists need is a day to ‘chill’ and here are Ms. Thien’s reflections on such a day.

May 14th 2012
Town: Pray, MT
Venue: Day Off @ Chico Hot Springs Resort

TODAY’S “ADVENTURE”
Parsing out time between a beach towel on the front lawn, the Chico Hot Springs pool, the lovely Chico Resort “Espresso and Gift Shop”, and a bottle of light French blush wine in the sunshine. You can hear the birds making music all day (click on photo below for video snippet and turn up your volume). [Gallery not found]

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
Not turning on a computer, not using the Internet, enjoying the beauty around me and knowing that everything, including the gorgeous snow-capped mountain in front of me will be there to tackle tomorrow. Lyrics from the newest song in our set capture this a little: “…And when you need a rest, it’s time to heal. I know how you feel. I know how you feel. So say it out loud. Just say it out loud.”

TODAY’S REFLECTION
Today’s little 24-hour vacation in the mountains of Montana is one of the sweetest and most calming moments I’ve enjoyed in years. I think I’ve been moving constantly since the release of the record and, somehow, it has all led here – to this moment of reflection and some deep understanding that I am where I am supposed to be today. And the music has brought me here.

We didn’t know until about 1 a.m. yesterday we’d stay here today and tonight. We came to Pray, MT for last night’s show at the Chico Saloon (LOVE this venue!) and we are now passing through to head down the road for more gigs on the West Coast. As unexpected as this soothing day in the midst of such beauty is, I know that it was the months of preparation for this tour and the last five days of drive-gig-sleep-repeat that has made the day that much more precious. Just like the miles make the shows themselves more precious. I’ve been buying a lottery ticket in each state on our route, just for fun. (I’m up $4.) If one of those tickets hits big and all of a sudden I had tons of cash on my hands, I am sure that no amount of money could buy this feeling. Tomorrow, we’ll start the scurry again. But today we stand still. Just for a moment, I am content.

TODAY’S REGRET
Not a single one.

==================End May 14th

to be continued . . .

Other entries in Kirsten’s travel log can be viewed here: http://blues411.com/?p=4376
http://blues411.com/?p=4216
http://blues411.com/?p=4181
http://blues411.com/?p=4153
http://blues411.com/?p=4130

You should also check out her website at: http://kirstenthien.com/

Share on Facebook

1 Comment

Filed under Blues, Blues411, Entertainment, Guest Blogs, Opinion, Performance Review, Rock & Roll

Tagged as American Roots Music, Bill Wax, Blues, Blues411, Chefjimi, Dylan Wissing, Entertainment, Joseph A. Rosen, Kirsten Thien, Leslie K. Joseph, Rock & Roll, The Blues Foundation, Tony Colter, Touring, Travel, XM 70 Bluesville

June 3, 2012

THE KIRSTEN THIEN BAND “C2 Shining C Tour” True Grit, T-Rex and Shots of Jay-mo!

When we last encountered our heroine, she was sleeping with squirrels and other wildlife, Oh what dreams they must have been!
Answers to this and the latest adventures unfolds before us in her latest update from the road.

——————————————

May 12th 2012
Town: Scranton, ND
Venue: Buffalo Creek Saloon

TODAY’S REFLECTION
There are times when it’s required to push through, even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. My voice is feeling very tired tonight and I slept horribly last night. It was my first night in a taxidermist’s home, so no wonder…city girl.

There is no time to rest before the gig, and I can barely get warmed up enough to sing a C above middle C without feeling like I will faint from all the air sneaking through my usually clear vocal tone. I drag myself from my little cabin (right behind the venue, thankfully) through the club’s back entrance and to the stage. After the first song, I want to faint. After the 2nd song, I am not sure I’ll survive three sets and 36 or so songs to sing. Pushing back waves of fear, I have a hundred thoughts going through my head – mostly negative. All the self doubt, getting pissed at myself for small missteps that contributed to me being so tired right now, getting pissed at other people (anyone I can blame for the shape I’m in). And then this is the one thought I have to hold onto. “Kirsten, you didn’t drive all this way and drag these guys here and ‘sleep’ in a bunk bed at the taxidermist’s house last night just to ‘suffer through’ this gig tonight. You came here to rock, and so did the people of North Dakota – cowboy hats and all! Find that source, listen to the lyrics you labored over, and for the next three hours, do what you came to do.”

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
Sitting back and watching my band play the Cissy Strut before I join them for our 3rd set. I am so privileged to work with these guys. When I’m on stage with these guys I feel fully supported, like falling back in one of those trust-building games. I can be 100% free with my own expression, and I can take chances every night because these guys have my back. We have grown together over time, and this instrumental segment tonight has afforded me a moment to revel in the talent I’m surrounded by. Dylan Wissing on Drums. David Patterson on Guitar. Erik Boyd on Bass. There is a certain stride we’ve hit tonight. Sitting back for a minute and being able to just listen to the band, pumping it out here in the plains of North Dakota in a real western honky-tonk, I feel very proud and honored. I dance!

TODAY’S “ADVENTURE”
Today I learned a lot about what’s going on in North Dakota. It’s an oil boom! It’s kinda crazy. Before the tour, I’d read a little bit about the effects of the boom, and tonight, on breaks and after the set, Erik and Jim (the club owner) and I talked and talked about real estate (his other fulltime business), oil findings, land prices, and T-Rex fossil discoveries. All of a sudden, some of the folks of ND who’ve struggled keeping farms going for years are hitting the lottery with land that has been in the family for years and which, now, is worth millions because of oil.

The three of us talk and talk, and share more and more Jameson as the evening progresses. Somewhere in my mind is a foggy recollection of Jim assuring me that all this money didn’t make any the good people of North Dakota “happier”. That is, unless they did something like the woman who pledged $6000/year to every town graduate who goes to college – thirty-five (or so) and counting.

TODAY’S REGRET
That last shot of Jameson with the club owner. Maybe even the second-to-last-one too.