Festival season has blossomed and around here that means a LOT of blues! Add to that the clubs and venues and what a week we have! Just check it out for yourself! Monday Clark Ashton is at Blind Willie’s and The Larry Griffith Band is at Fat Matt’s. The Blues Jam is hosted by Lola […]
When the SweetWater420 Fest in Atlanta and The Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw show up in the schedule, you know it’s Spring! And with the weather starting to fall in line, mostly, get out and enjoy live music, whether it’s at a festival or at a club! The blues are everywhere! Friday Southern Avenue is at […]
What a week again for the blues and, indeed, for music in general with the festivals in and around town! There’s Sweetwater420 at Olympic Park and the Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw adding to the general merriment, so choose your indoor or outdoor pleasure and support live music! Monday Mudcat is at Blind Willie’s and The Larry Griffith Band […]
So many people were packed into Darwin’s in Sandy Springs, GA Saturday night. Most of us knew each other, so there was lots of hugging and .chattering. All of us were there for the incredible night of music, and it was all to honor Sean Costello. Sean was a fantastic bluesman, and songwriter who died at the age […]
What a great week! John Nemeth and Ally Venable and The Celebration of Sean Costello with Jason Ricci and some of Atlanta’s best! The ABS meeting! And more! Choose your pleasure but don’t stay home. Get out and support live music! Friday John Nemeth and The Blue Dreamers are at Blind Willie’s and The Ally Venable Band […]
RIP Deborah Coleman 10/3/56-4/12/18 From Rick Booth: Very sad to get a call tonight from Billy Crawford, longtime guitarist for Deborah Coleman telling me she had passed away today around 5pm from complications brought on by bronchitis and pneumonia. Deborah was a client of Intrepid Artists International in our early years in mid and late […]
The Markey Blue Ric Latina Project was at Darwin’s Saturday night and thrilled old fans and new with their usual powerful, energetic show. they professed to be exhausted, having left Florida and headed for Atlanta in the cold rain for what turned out to be an 8 hour trip due to traffic. They got in […]
It’s time for another great week of indie blues in Atlanta, full of great local talent, some major visitors like Jimmie Vaughn and John Nemeth and one major event, The Celebration of Sean Costello, in which we celebrate his brief but beautiful life with some fantastic musicians including Jason Ricci and Little Gee Weevil plus Sean’s […]
What a great weekend for Indie Blues and Blues! We have Ms. Beverly Watkins’ birthday party, Sugar Ray Rayford,, Marcia Ball, Markey Blue and Ric Latina, Big Bill Morganfield and so much more blues! Just check the list below! Friday Sugar Ray Rayford comes to the Vista Room in Decatur. Houserocker Johnson & The Shadows are at Blind […]
The Jeff Jensen Band came to the new location of Darwin’s for the second time Saturday night. They had played the former location a number of times, and I believe my husband and I have seen them every time. So seeing Jeff Jensen, Bill Ruffino, and David “Alibaminal” Green combined the thrill of seeing my favorite group […]
Happy Easter! That means only two things I know of on Sunday but Friday and Saturday are packed! Check out the listings below! Friday The Jess Goggans Band is at Darwin’s and Blind Willie’s celebrates its 32nd Anniversary Weekend with Sparky & Rhonda Rucker, Steve James, and The Shadows. Mudcat and the Atlanta Horns are […]
It’s the first of the month and the news is a little scarce. For instance, I don’t yet know who is at Fat Matt’s and only one night for Blind Willie’s. Still, these shows give you some choices and by the weekend I will know more. If your favorite club is not listed, call them directly […]
by Rhetta Akamatsu Photos by Takesi Ken Akamatsu Every year for 10 years now, Northside Tavern has hosted the Chicken Raid, a gathering of musicians and friends that honors the memory of Mr. Frank Edwards, a bluesman who died in 2002. The money raised at the event benefits the “mentors,” older musicians like Beverly”Guitar” Watkins, Eddie Tigner,and […]
What a week! You will notice it is packed, except for Sunday. Sunday is the first of the month and Easter, so there is not a lot happening in the blues. But as for the rest of it…well, just look for yourself! Monday Ron Roper is at Blind Willie’s. The Pork Bellys are at Fat […]
What a big weekend! The Chicken Raid, The Jeff Jensen Band, Damon Fowler, and all this tremendous talent everywhere! Pick your venues and have fun with live Indie Blues! Friday The 24th St. Wailers are at Darwin’s and Damon Fowler is at Blind Willie’s. Lola is at Northside Tavern. Sana Blues are at Fat Matt’s and Turnstile […]
by Rhetta Akamatsu For almost a decade, The Cazanovas have been my choice for best Atlanta blues group, Despite some new, tough competition, they still hold that position. Saturday night at Darwin’s in Sandy Springs, they demonstrated why. Harmonica virtuoso and vocalist Maurice Nazarro and guitar wizard Danny Vinson have always been part of the […]
by Rhetta Akamatsu I’ll be singing the birthday blues on Wednesday with mixed emotions, but happy as a clam Saturday with Chicken Raid AND The Jeff Jensen Band! Chicken Raid continues Sunday, too, and the whole week is packed with blues goodness@ Check it out: Monday Bill Sheffield is at Blind Willie’s. The Pork Bellys […]
The weekend is packed with great choices all over Atlanta and Metro, including a number of St. Patrick’s Day parties, so take your pick and Slainte! Friday The Randall Bramblett Band comes to the Vista Room in Decatur. Kate Van Dorn & ThunderGypsy are at Darwin’s and George Hughley and the Shadows are at Blind Willie’s.Stoney […]
The week is filled with loads of the best local blues acts plus Los Lonely Boys and an Atlanta Blues Society meeting. If you are not a member. come check it out and join! Just look at all the great shows all over Metro and in the city! Monday Mudcat is at Blind Willie’s. The […]
Heather Luttrell and the Possumden are as entertaining as a show can be. For Heather’s Birthday Make-Up Show (3 months late,) she is playing with her entire Possunden – her daddy Ralph Lutrell on dobro and guitar, her uncle on bass, and Craig Henderson on drums. Things started off with a short opening set from […]
Friday The Little G Weevil Band comes to the Vista Room in Decatur. Runway 27 is at Darwin’s and Houserocker Johnson and the Shadows are at Blind Willie’s. Bill Sheffield is at Northside Tavern. Sly Dog is at Fat Matt’s Michael Preston is at Nik’s Place. Frankie’s Blues Mission is at Maxwell’s Cigar Bar in […]
It’s another blues-packed week, with one very special event I’d like to call your attention to. Atlanta Blues Society President George Klein and his wife Betty are celebrating their 50th Anniversary at Blind Willie’s on Thursday with The Larry Griffith Band! Congratulations, George and Betty! Elsewhere, you have a lot to choose from, so check it out […]
SUNCOAST BLUES FESTIVAL – 3/3/18 James Armstrong is an American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who born to play the blues. His songs have been used in the soundtracks of three films; Speechless, Hear No Evil, and The Florentine. “Old Man in The Morning (Young Man at Night)” includes the lyric […]
So much information cane in since I prepared the This Week article on Friday. What was already an exciting weekend exploded into a feast of blues delights! Don’t ask me how you’re going to decide. Just dive in and do your best! Friday Tab Benoit visits City Winery. Victor Wainwright & The Train come to the […]
The Rainmen were something new and different for us at Darwin’s Saturday night. ! This band plays rock ‘n roll from the 60;s and early 70’s, not blues but there was a lot of great music in that era, and The Rainmen capture the feel-good mood perfectly. The capacity crowd certainly thought so, with a lot of dancing […]
So much blues is happening all around Atlanta. Tab Benoit, Victor Wainwright & The Train, NMike Zito and Jonn Del Toro Richardson are in town among others. The Bad Ash Guitar Heroes Jam takes place and while not really blues, WRFG’s Americana in the Park supports our local blues source on the radio. Check it out: Monday Bob Page […]
For the most part, it’s a week full of local blues goodness. We are blessed with so much talent and so many hardworking musicians. Now is the time to go listen, or go to one of the many jams and show what you can do! Check it out Monday John Paul Barry is at Blind […]
There’s a lot going on this weekend! You can see The Bridget Kelly Band, The Ghost Town Band, Delbert McClinton and Casey James., as well as our usual wide range of blues artists. Come on out! Friday The Bridget Kelly Band is at Darwin’s and Beverly “Guitar” Watkins is at Blind Willie’s. Blue Roads are at Fat Matt’s. […]
There’s a lot of blues going on this week, and in honor of Mardi Gras, I’ve listed a bit of Cajun, too! Blind Willie’s will have King Cake and Will Scruggs celebrates Fat Tuesday on the real Fat Tuesday this time! It’s time to laissez les bon temps roulez (let the good times roll) wherever you go this week!’ […]
I’ve filled in a few blanks from The Week Ahead as information filters in. There’s so much good stuff going on. We get to celebrate Lisa’s birthday and Zydefunk has King Cake! And there’s a mess of tasty blues all around town, so go get your fill from the list below -Rhetta Friday Little G […]
by Rhetta Akamatsu Originally published in Rhetta’s Rambles When my husband and I walked into Darwin’s about an hour early Saturday night, Mick Kolassa was sitting at the bar. He stood up when he saw us and greeted me with a hug. “Your husband will have to excuse us for hugging like this,” laughed Mick, reaching […]
Welcome to a week full of blues! It’s the first of the month and some of my info is missing. If you don’t see your favorite club listed, please contact them to find out who’s is playing. But I do know about a lot of good stuff, listed below! Monday Bill Sheffield is at Blind […]
Peter Karp is a compelling figure. He is a tall man. Dressed in a well-tailored suit with a white shirt, he dominated the stage, even with Tom Gray as his guest to his right. Gray is the well-loved lead singer and lap steel and guitar player for Delta moon, a very popular Georgia group. It turns out […]
Delta Moon, BIg BIll Morganfield, The Taylor Made Blues Band, and so much more for your entertainment this week! Just check the list below to find all the blues you can use! Friday Delta Moon is at Blind Willie’s. Donna Hopkins is at Darwin’s and Little Joey’s Jumpin’ Jive is at Northside Tavern. The Barry […]
Lots of blues all around town this week! Some of the special events include Peter Karp IN Decatur, Delta Moon at Blind Willie’s, and The Taylor Made Blues Band at Darwin’s. Monday Bob Page is at Blind Willie’s and Larry Griffith is at Fat Matt’s. The Blues Jam is hosted by Lola st Northside Tavern […]
Lots of good stuff this weekend, including Monkeyjunk all the way from Canada in Duluth Friday! Notice the Atlanta Blues Society meeting Sunday, as well as two benefits for great causes! Get out and participate! Friday The Mar-Tans are at Darwin’s and House Rocker Johnson and The Shadows are at Blind Willie’s. Swap Raw Deal […]
Not only do we have all the fine local talent we expect this week, but Jonny Lang is coming to town and Forrest McDonald brings his band to visit too! Come out for them and a lot more great blues in all these places: Monday Jonny Lang comes to Center Stage Theater. Matt Pendrick is […]
it’s time to shake your fist at the weather, get out of the house and party in Atlanta with some hot blues in warm environments! Here;s where you can find the live blues this weekend: Friday The Heather Gillis Band is at Darwin’s and The Chris O’Leary Band is at Blind Willie’s. J.T. Speed is at […]
There is never a lack of good music in Atlanta, and blues lovers are particularly blessed. Here is where to find the shows this week. Monday Mudcat is at Blind Willie’s. Larry Griffith is at Fat Matt’s, and the Blues Jam is hosted by Lola st Northside Tavern. There’s a jam with Mike Watson & Friends […]
Allow me to introduce to you Laith Al-Saadi By Adam Signore But first let’s get this out of the way right now. Go see the indie Blues artist Laith Al-Saadi first chance you get. OK now that that is out of the way, here’s the skinny on Laith’s beginnings: Laith started singing at four years […]
The Blues Foundation is very excited to announce the nominees for the 39th Blues Music Awards. Congratulations to all musicians, producers, engineers, and record labels for making such stellar music this past year! The BMA Ballot will be sent to all Blues Foundation members on January 23, 2018. Voting closes on March 1, 2018. Join […]
Come in from the cold and wrap yourself in the blues at these great shows! It is mostly locals, which gives us a chance to rejoice that our locals are so spectacular! Monday Brandon Reeves is at Blind Willie’s. Larry Griffith is at Fat Matt’s, and the Blues Jam is hosted by Lola st Northside […]
The Blues Foundation has modified it’s Rules for the International Blues Challenge in an effort to insure a fair competition and to allow for the greatest diversity. The International Blues Challenge is the largest gathering of the Blues Industry with both professional and amateur blues artists from around the world. Each year the these Blues artists […]
It’s the first weekend of 2018 and that;s a fantastic reason to go out and hear some great blues in an awesome club! Here are some choices for you: Friday he Colin Alvarez Band is at Darwin’s and Watermelon Slim is at Blind Willie’s.Tyler Neal is at Fat Matt’s and Eric Gales entertains at Terminal […]
A Brief History of the International Blues Challenge by: Mick Kolassa “You don’t have to win the IBC, all you have to do is be in the game, and there’s no telling what good things can happen to you, because they happened to me.” Watermelon Slim What do Teeny Tucker , Jarekus Singleton, Shakura S’Aida […]
Let’s talk about Cody Matlock. There he is, on the stage at Darwin’s. two days after his 22nd birthday. He’s already a seasoned performer. His dad hauled him around to play Atlanta clubs when he was 13 We first saw him at 16, when he seemed shy on stage and didn’t sing much, just letting […]
Goodbye to 2017! It’s the last weekend of the year and Sunday at midnight we get to welcome in 2018. The blues was good to us this year and we can count on them in the year to come! Choose your venue and see the year out right! Friday Eli Cook is at Eddie’s Attic. […]
What better way to see one year out and another in than with the blues? Here’s where to find them: Monday Most of the clubs, like Darwin’s, Blind Willie’s and Fat Matt’s, are closed for Christmas.The Blues Jam hosted by Lola at Northside Tavern still takes place. Tuesday Poverty Level is at Darwin’s and Mudcat […]
Here are the weekend’s blues offerings! Remember to celebrate responsibly on this holiday weekend! Friday The Joe Gransden & Francine Reed Christmas Special is at Eddie’s Attic for 2 shows. Royal Johnson has a CD Release Party with the Natchez Tracers Darwin’s and Houserocker Johnson & The Shadows are at Blind Willie’s. Willy Jackson is […]
Victor Wainwright and The Train came to Darwin’s in Sandy Springs Friday night. He is a man of many titles, like “The Piano from Savannah,” and “the Ayatollah of Rock”n Rolla.”. Add to that the awards he has earned. He has been the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year three times, including in 2017, […]
