Tag Archives: Tab Benoit

So here we be about at the “Ides of March”* on the calendar and just want to check in on where we have been and ask where have you gone to support your pledge to make 2013 the Year of Live Music.

With the late December post we, challenged everyone, including ourselves, to make a concerted effort to support live music in 2013, even including a printable calendar to help you keep track on. So here is our meager effort along those lines.

January started with a quick trip to Chicago accompanying radio promotion mega-star Frank Roszak, and spent some quality time at Rosa’s Lounge. Then hit the high seas for some Blues cruisin’ with Roger Naber and the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise family, which is always a delight and test of one’s fortitude.

As January faded into February we got ourselves to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge. This is an amazing event where you can enjoy artists from around the world displaying their talents in open competition (which is somewhat at odds to the profession) and should be on any music lovers bucket list.

Later in February to alleviate some winter time malaise we hit the road to Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall, to see Tab Benoit bring some Swamp boogie ‘n’ blues to Western NY.  One nice surprise that occurred a short while later was a visit from Michael Cloeren, all around music impresario and host of the Pennsylvania Blues Festival amongst other great music events. So he was travelling back from a Folk Symposium in Toronto, Canada and stopped by for some homemade chili and brought two of his friends with him. As it turned out one cat was John Francis a very talented singer songwriter. This guitar playing young man – who treated us to a ‘house concert’ – is out of Nashville where I seem to be finding more and more great blues artists these days.

Ah, back to March. I am hoping to get to the Dinosaur BBQ on the 20^th, for the fabulous Samantha Fish and her band. Then jump an airliner for the West Coast where I will host the Earl Thomas Raise The Roof Benefit Concert for the Blues Hall of Fame. This event will take place March 24, at 1pm PST. It will feature a cavalcade of stars, and be broadcast as a Pay Per View event by VenMundi  from Club Fox  in Redwood City, California.

The cost of a PPV ticket is $15, with half of the money going directly to the Raise the Roof fund, it is a great opportunity for fans to accomplish three things (at least) at once. Support the Blues Hall of Fame, see great live music and support  The Year of Live Music pledge. How cool is that.  For tix to the webcast show go to http://bit.ly/V28cxD or for tix to the live in person show go to http://clubfoxrwc.com/.

So that’s where we stand here at Blues411 in regard to the Live Music pledge, where are you at? Let us know by commenting on the post here or going to the Blues411 page on Facebook and share with all of us.

Look for updates as we thaw our way into the Spring and Summer Festival Season and any other surprises we come across.

*In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C.E. Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The group included 60 other co-conspirators according to Plutarch. Another point which arises is Shakespeare’s use of the Ides of March and (the lack of doubt in) Marcus Brutus’ decision to assassinate Caesar to portray an atmosphere of madness, pleasure, and pandemonium. It is said that on ides of March the sea succumbs to chaos and the full moon brings high tides. All these points give the Ides of March a very mysterious quality.

Love, Peace & Chicken Grease

chefjimi
©Blues411.com 2013
Where Blues Thrives
Photos: Leslie K. Joseph, Blues411

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