The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Hash Brown’s homecoming jam at Pine Loft
As we approach Christmas, the blues schedule slows down a bit — but there are plenty of shows out there to keep you busy and entertained.
Sunday, the Connecticut Blues Society presents Hash Brown’s Annual Holiday Homecoming Jam. The CTBS All-Stars will be backing featured guest Texas Blues great, Brian “Hash Brown” Calway.
Hash is originally from Connecticut, but has called Dallas home for many years, making a name for himself on both the Texas and national blues scenes. Showtime is from 1-5 p.m. at the Pine Loft. Musicians, bring your instruments. Amps, drums, keyboard and a PA are provided.
Hash Brown is at Theodores’ BBQ on Saturday.
Big Al Anderson continues his visit to the state Saturday with a stop at FTC StageOne. Anderson and the Floor Models have two Infinity Hall stops around FTC. Friday, he is in Hartford and Sunday in Norfolk.
CT Grateful Dead AllStars are performing Thursday at the FTC The Warehouse. No other group like the Grateful Dead united so many strains of American music, from rock to blues to country to jazz to psychedelia, so comprehensively, so singularly, and for so long. Luckily, connecting with the Dead’s music has never been easier. A collection of local musicians with Matt McNulty up front, come together to celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead.
Sunday Park City Music
Hall will have GA-20 with The Suitcase Junket. You can expect some heavy blues from this trio of Pat Faherty, Matthew Stubbs and Tim Carman. Born out of a mutual love of heavy traditional 50s-60s era blues, R&B and rock and roll.
Retro blues-wailers GA-20 was formed by Faherty and Stubbs (Charlie Musselwhite Band) after bonding over legendary artists. Now a trio featuring two lead guitars, vocals and drums the music is raw, passionate and honest.
On Saturday it is the Grand Opening of The
Barn in Groton. The show will feature five bands: Kurt & Helen Band at noon, F & B Blues Band at 2 p.m.; The Night Shakers at 4 p.m.; Wooly Mammoth at 6 p.m.; and 5 Card Draw at 8 p.m. There will be provisions and food trucks on site.
Friday, O’Neill’s in Norwalk has The B-Side, and The Tipping Chair hosts Jamie’s Junk Show.
Friday, Eric Ducoff Band Plays The Stomping Ground.
Saturday, the Jonny Chapman Trio is at Notch 8. Also Dr. G and the Believers are at The Lyme Tavern on Saturday and
Johnny & Carolyn Acoustic Duo play The Parrott Delaney Tavern.
Also Saturday, Elle Sera is at the StationHouse Wine Bar & Grill and Phoenix Tree plays Sugar Hollow Taproom.
The Club London has the Ratzo Blues Trio, while Ace & Friends are at Old Greenwich Social.
The Dan Stevens’ acoustic blues tour has a Sunday visit to High Nine Brewing.
Around the region, Ed Peabody and the Big Blue Thang have a Friday visit to Theodores’ BBQ and then Saturday they move over to Cady’s Tavern.
Saturday, The New Incredible Amplifires play pre-game(6pm) at Springfield Thunderbirds; and the Stanhope House has a Christmas Bash with Billy Hector, joined by the Midnight Horns. Also on Saturday, the Brunch at Daryl’s House has Muddy Ruckus.
Friday, Daryl’s House brings in Donna The Buffalo. This is not just a band, but a lifestyle for its members and audiences. Since 1989, the roots rockers have played thousands of shows and countless festivals. They also toured with Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen to help raise awareness about increased corporate spending in politics. In 2016, GrassRoots Culture Camp was introduced in Trumansburg, New York as four days of music, art, dance and movement workshops, including nightly dinners and dances.
Friday, proper respect is given to the melodic masters in the iconic venue The Capitol Theater where they impacted the world forever. The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World is headlined by two of the defining artists of the era: singer, songwriter, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jackson Browne and Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna guitarist and frontman Jorma Kaukonen. Amy Helm will also be there.
Wednesday, Holiday Party with /Sugar Ray, Sax Gordon and Johnny Blue Horn at the Pub on Park.
Into the gift giving season, remember the clubs and musicians who made it through the pandemic. Tickets also make a great holiday present. Tickets to the North Atlantic Blues Festival, July 16-17, make a nice gift. It’s held on the Public Landing in Rockland, Maine. There’s also the White Mountain Boogie N Blues in 2022.
Mike Law’s choice is another great Christmas record, Roomful of Christmas. Law says, “Not many blues singers can pull these songs off like Sugar Ray Norcia.”
If you have a reader on the gift list a new book “The Legendary Toad’s Place” has arrived.
Put Music Maker’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide includes two caps with a happening new logo. Get one for yourself, and outfit all the cap wearers in your family with Music Maker gear.
Consider shopping your friendly neighborhood CAT HEAD Mississippi. Use the web store 24/7 at www.cathead.biz.
Stop by the new, updated website for the latest Alligator CDs, LPs, DVDs, blurays, books, T-shirts and more. The Alligator Records Christmas Collection is an original holiday blues album featuring 14 past and present members of the Alligator family, each giving their own bluesy take on the holiday season. Performances by Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop, Saffire — The Uppity Blues Women, Charlie Musselwhite, and more were recorded exclusively for this album.