The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Venues reopen, bands schedule new gigs
The blues continues to grow as people find more ways to present it. Optimism is in the air, and concerts that were cancelled in 2020 plan on a comeback for 2021. BlackEyed Sally's Southern Kitchen & Bar is fixing to reopen around Labor Day. Stay tuned for details.
Friday, Dr. G and the Believers are at Filomena's. Join 60 Cycle Hum Blues this Saturday at 5 p.m. as they get the party going. Also, Franco's Comedy For Your Causes presents Blues and Laughs from a distance at Bozrah Farmer's Market.
Sunday blues continues with David Stoltz at The Flying Monkey Grill. Slim & St. George are at the Mattabesett Canoe Club on Sunday.
Terrapin is back in action, heading to the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, for a live stream event Thursday benefiting the theater. Terrapin is grateful to Wall Street Theater for support in the early days, and now it's time to come together again. This is a national live stream available through ROKU, Apple TV and Wallstreettheater.live
Also on Thursday, The Chicago Dawgs Duo have an outdoor show at The Stand in Branford. See The
Chicago Dawgs Duo, Mark Zaretsky and Tom Crivellone, 5-8 p.m. They will be playing the blues, with feeling, out on the deck, just a stone's throw from the shore.
Saturday, Richie & The Birchwood Trio will Party on the Patio at The Hungry Tiger Cafe and Restaurant from 6-9 p.m.
Saturday, The Auditorium at Whitneyville Cultural Commons in New Haven has three films: "Carrying The Torch", reflections from Joey Witkowski;
"Givin' It All I Got: The Charlie Karp Story", and "The Rock Lottery" follows five bands in the 2018 edition.
Dan Stevens’ weekly Pickin' Party is outside, weather permitting, in the yard next to Nightingale's Acoustic Cafe at 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme, Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. The band is following all guidelines regarding social distancing, masks, etc. The public is invited to come and enjoy the music. Bring lawn chairs; if you would like to participate musically, bring an instrument of any kind and sit in the circle.
Fairfield Theatre Company continues with its poster auctions. This week it is The Who, Cow Palace, San Francisco, 1973. It is a rare professionally framed and matted poster, designed by: David Singer.
In 1973, The Who opened up their Quadrophenia tour at the Cow Palace. After taking the stage late, Keith Moon played for just over an hour before passing out on his drums twice, clearly too incapacitated to perform. Pete Townshend asked the audience for a capable drummer, and one 19-year old boy from Muscatine, Iowa named Scott Halpin emerged from the crowd, took the reins, and played the final three songs of the show with The Who.
Daryl's House Club has a number of events. Vanessa Collier is doing a live stream concert on Friday. Then, from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Adam Falcon presents Live Music on the Porch. Thusday, check out Marshall Crenshaw & The Bottle Rockets.
Chris “Bad News” Barnes and Scott Sebastian of The House of The Rising Pun have put together a soon- to-be-released Zoom concert featuring Bette Sussman, David Stoltz, Tyger MacNeal, and Michael
St George.
From the The Blues Foundation: Under normal circumstances, members would have heard from them a few weeks ago with a nomination form and request for you to let them know who should be considered for the Keeping the Blues Alive Award. They have been holding off on asking for nominations while monitoring the coronavirus pandemic both in our home base of Memphis and worldwide.
The newest KBA recipients are celebrated during the week of the International Blues Challenge. At present, The Blues Foundation leadership, both staff and board, are considering what the IBC might look like for 2021 in the midst of a pandemic. Until we have a clear plan of action for IBC Week, we have decided to hold off on asking for recommendations for the 2021 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards. They will be making decisions about IBC week, to include the KBAs, in the next few months and will circle back around to you then to share more information. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out directly to the Blues Foundation.
The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise sent out a reminder that Open Cabin Sales have launched for the January cruise 2022.
Music Maker is excited to offer supporters an exclusive opportunity to purchase Freeman Vines' new book “Hanging Tree Guitars.” The book features the instruments and words of sculptor and Music Maker partner a rtist Freeman Vines, alongside the tintype photography of Music Maker founder Timothy Duffy. They are offering a chance to preorder, for e-newsletter subscribers only. Additionally, subscribers can purchase the book, signed by Freeman Vines, that includes a free advance copy of the “Hanging Tree Guitars” album. It features 12 songs, three of which were previously unreleased. Signed copies of the book are very limited, so please order quickly.
Last week marked the passing of Robert Johnson, one of the most influential blues artist and a blues legend. He is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He was a Delta blues, singer-songwriter, blues harp and guitarist who has had a great influence on later musicians to this day. His songs have been used by numerous bands.