Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

                So, I’m sittin’ on the deck at The Big Chill back in September chatting with JP Soars and Joe Whitmer, the sounds of 2blu & The Lucky Stiffs and Dayton Waters drifting out the doors and hanging over us like wisps of cloud. The Hot Springs Blues Festival had just been put to bed for another year and we were finally unwinding and letting the evening drift away with every sip of our drinks.
                Whitmer, one of the vital cogs in the Blues Foundation, looks over at me and says… “Can I tell you how you can get some major promotion for your blues festival?” I’m all ears as I give him a nod. “Be a venue coordinator for me at the next International Blues Challenge.”
                Fast forward to Thursday evening, January 21, 2010, in Memphis, Tennessee. I’m sitting inside the Old Daisy Theater on Beale Street checking in bands as they prepare to play the first night of the 2010 International Blues Challenge. This is a much different perspective of the IBC for yours truly. For the past six years I’ve been on the outside looking in, roaming from venue to venue, checking any and all acts that I thought might be fun to listen to and covering the Arkansas acts for this particular paper.
                This year’s IBC would prove to be quite different for me. As the venue coordinator for the Old Daisy I was charged with checking in the bands, making sure all the right and appropriate members were on site, assisting with any stage or sound issues and answering any questions that might arise over the course of the evening. Armed with a competition program and a radio I mounted the stage to introduce the first band and off we charged, headfirst into the blues.
It’s a much different vantage being in the venue rather than being able to roam around Beale Street during the evening. The way the IBC operates is acts compete in the same venue on Thursday and Friday evenings with the top over-all act from said venues advancing to the Saturday evening finals. Instead of being able to see a variety of acts, I was tied to the venue for two nights meaning I’d be seeing the same ten bands again. I have to admit I wasn’t sure I was going to like being stuck in one spot for two nights listening to the same acts do their thing another time. As it turned out…it was a unique experience. Not only did I get to hear some of the finest blues in the world, literally, I got meet and hang out with some truly wonderful souls over the course of my two evenings.
The bands in the Old Daisy were quite good. In fact, in my humble opinion, the majority of them could have competed well in the finals. That statement speaks to the level of talent that participated in this year’s IBC. In visiting with other venue coordinators and blues fans, each of them echoed that statement, indicating this year’s IBC was one of the most talented gatherings in recent memory.
Acts play a 25 minute set each of the first two nights with limited time in between acts to get off and on the stage. It is mass confusion sprinkled with chaos and infused with nervous energy. No time for sound checks or broken strings. No time to worry if your hair is out of place or if your fly is open. Have your stuff together and be ready to play when the clock starts.
The bands lined up in the Old Daisy were a nice cross section of the various styles of blues music. Stan Budzynski & 3rd Degree, representing the Capital Area Blues Society from Michigan, provided listeners with straight ahead, shuffling blues. The band played their new song, ‘Michigan Blues’, a reflection of the times that commented on the collapse of the automotive industry.
Throwing out some more contemporary blues with a splash of R&B were South Side Cindy and the Sliptones from the Illinois Blues Coalition. I enjoyed getting to visit with the band’s lead singer, Cindy Youngren, who managed to tell me a few dirty jokes while waiting to take the stage. I love a woman with a sense of humor!
From Hot Springs and representing the Arkansas River Blues Society was Unseen Eye. Unseen Eye were spot on for their performances both nights as they paid homage to the Spa City and St. Thomas Jenkins with ‘Hot Springs Blues’.
One of the hottest acts in the venue was the Little Ivory Blues Band, tapped by the Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania for the trip to Beale Street. The year before, LIBB was playing in the Blues Foundation’s first Youth Showcase. This year, this group of 16 and 17 year old were in it to win it. With the energy of a hurricane and the musical chops to go with it, these cats were by far the most exciting band in the venue. The blues world needs to watch out for this next generation of the blues.
The Leff Rogers Band, led by their guitar playing front man, sported one of the cleanest sounds of all the bands. Rogers had originally formed the Deluxe Swing Band with Kim Wilson of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame. The band combined some Southern rock grooves with tasty blues guitar to throw out a solid set of music.
Dick & the Roadmasters brought a traditional blues sound to the stage. From the Kentuckiana Blues Society, this band was solid, adding its own flavor to some traditional blues and mixing in some very choice original music. My favorite quote from the entire IBC was provided by frontman Dick Buchholz who, after introducing the Roadmasters made the comment “…and I’m the Dick in the equation.”
One of the bands that I enjoyed the most were finalists in the 2009 competition. From the Phoenix Blues Society, The Sugar Thieves delivered an over the top, bawdy performance, that had the house shakin’. With a barrel house sound, gravelly vocals and a sax player who could blow two sax at the same time, The Sugar Thieves delivered a great set both nights. I’m still humming the chorus to their tune ‘Flaming Mamie’.
My favorite act from the Old Daisy was a three piece acoustic group from Germany representing the German Blues Alliance called Hootin’ The Blues. Playing guitar, harp and banjo/dobro, these cats delivered one of the best performances of the two days. At one point they exited the stage while playing their instruments and singing, and proceeded to the middle of the Old Daisy where they climbed up on tables and chairs and finished their song. They were a fun group to watch and just as much fun getting to know.
The band that made it out of the Old Daisy and into the finals was Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers. Representing the Baltimore Blues Society this band put on a great show both nights. With Ms. Jackie on vocals and the amazing keyboard work of Tommie Fisher the band brought it to the table. My favorite part of their set was when Ms. Jackie let loose with the song “How Much Woman Can You Stand?” I got to talk quite a bit with Jackie Scott outside the venue and found her to be a wonderful person with a sweet soul who sang the blues because it was what called her. Ain’t that how it’s supposed to be?
From the Suncoast Blues Society, the Walker Smith Group mixed southern blues and old school funk. Smith sang original songs about growing up with his grandpa and about his experiences at the race track with the dogs and ponies. A very smooth delivery and quality musicianship made these guys fun to watch.
                Working the venue was fun but make no mistake about it…it was work. From making sure the bands got on and off the stage in a timely manner to getting equipment replaced when it went out to making sure the score sheets were delivered to any number of other things. I’ve got to give a nod to two folks from the Spa City Blues Society who made the trip to Memphis to help out with the work in the venue. Rob Pratt and Bill McSorley rolled in with me and helped keep the time, run the score sheets and any other number of things that needed to be done. Many kudos and attaboys to those two for giving up their personal time to help.
                In spite of the work, this was one of the most fun IBC’s I’ve been to. I was able to visit with each of the acts over the course of those two days and get a little insight into who they are and where they came from. If nothing else, just getting to know those folks made it worth the time. Without doubt, I made some new friends, heard some great music and got to hang out in one of the coolest old venues around.
                Oh yeah, that thing I mentioned earlier about getting to promote the Hot Springs Blues Festival… Giving me a microphone and a reasonably captive audience is not a good mix. Part of my duties were to read off a page full of announcements, sponsors and the like. Mixed in with that at every opportunity was me shouting out about Hot Springs in general and our blues festival in particular. Hey, shameless self-promotion is where it’s at.

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