Sir Hook's Traveling Medicine Show has taken me and my metal steed to some interesting venues over the past two weeks. Combining a little business with a lot of pleasure...I have been fortunate to also make this a Magical Musical tour!
First stop was Nashville, TN. After some business, and the obligatory tours of seedy Honky Tonks on Broadway...we took in a fantastic concert headlined by Coldplay! We had awesome seats for an awesome show! Opening for the Tattered Uniform English Crew were two great bands in their own right...The Howling Bells and Snow Patrol.
After a a couple of days of R&R back at the ranch, I fired up the metal steed for the 6 hour trip up north to Chicago. I attending a medical convention by day and as many music venues as possible by night. I was fortunate to have the Chicago Blues Festival going on at the same time in Grant Park.
You haven't lived yet until you hear a Eastern European band play the blues! Especially Anna Popovich and her Belgrade band mates! I had the fortune of seeing Anna at last year's WC Handy Bar B Que and Blues Festival at Henderson, KY, just across the Ohio River from my house.
Anna is hot in looks, guitar playing capability and music selection! The Sexy Cold War Trifecta!
I went up the north side of Chicago on Saturday night to Schuba's to take in an acoustic set by Alice Peacock and Anne Harris. Alice has a beautiful voice that matches her Nordic Minnesota Blond Goddess looks. Accompanied by her writing partner from Nashville, it was an unplugged version of her best.
I went to see Alice; however, the Hooka Smoking Worm on the Mushroom had something else in store for me in Wonderland...and it wasn't Alice! It was a Nubian Princess version of Charlie Daniels wailing away on her fiddle. Ann Harris!
Anne is a combination of blues, celtic-bluegrass and reggae mixed with folk rock and topped off with a spicy sauce! Awesome stuff! She's playing in St. Louis after we get back from England. Already on my calendar!
Back Home Again in Indiana...I headed for a Ohio River sunset and the WC Handy Blues and Bar B Que Festival, held on the Riverfront in downtown Henderson, KY.
Named after WC Handy, who is known as the founding father of the modern blues back in the late 1890's. WC was born in Alabama, lived in St. Louis, and then moved to Evansville. He met his wife at a Bar B Que Festival in Henderson, thus the name.
It's a week long free concert and eating extravaganza, blessed with up and coming stars in the blues world. Like I said, Anna Popovich played here last year. Now she's doing the Chicago Blues Festival with Buddy Guy and BB King.
Last night I had the fortune to hear Lil' Dave with his band...Big Love...shred his guitar in the 90 degree sunset heat! Lil' Dave comes from the bread basket of blues...Mississippi.
A more complex texture of blues with a dash of R&B soul and a gospel twist is the music of Eric Bibb. Another interesting thing about Eric is his British connection.
His manger is a strapping Brit lass, who hails from Salisbury. Eric also has a song, Shine On, that is used as the theme song to a popular BBC television series, Sea of Souls. BBC2 radio also airs a lot of his music, features live interviews, and has supported him playing the Glastonbury Festival.
We enjoyed discussing the common language of music, the blues and favorite spots to visit in England. Oxford was his...of course Salisbury was hers!
I close with this quote from Eric in the liners of his "Get Onboard" CD:
"I feel I'm getting closer to the core of my mission as a troubadour. For me, it's always been more than a matter of providing musical entertainment. Above all, I enjoy spreading a message of unity and connected-ness. In these times of global strive, when our very survival seems to be in question, music reminds me that only love is real."
Obviously only a Knight of Moleskine, Spirit and Ale can speak about these things so eloquently. So, join me in welcoming Sir Eric of York!
Sir Hook the Troubadour of Warrick
6 comments:
Sir Hook,
A beer in your hand
Music playing in in your soul
Spreading the Kingdom...
Of Knights of Moleskine, Spirit, and Ale.
Not too far in the future, I can see the first ever Wells/Knights Music Fest on the river in Newburgh.
Get toasted and jam.
Sir Bowie "off to visit Louisville and Indy areas of Greenbriar
Funny you say that...because I was having a beer the other day with a guy who puts on music cruises.
My thought was getting Sir D's help in booking some bands and selling a KMSA Music Cruise. We just get to go for free!
Sir Hook Who's Always Thinking With His Dip Stick Jimmy of Warrick
I'll have to try and find that Charlie Daniels side of Ms harris as i can't find it on myspace..
Eric sounds real laid back....good summer sounds Niiice...
So you want to start losing your hair by promoting shows huh?...lol....how do you think i lost mine.. been at it a couple of decades...and i haven't had an easy one yet..
suggestion:. Start off with a local fest and ask the organiser if you can put up a small tented stage area. call it the KMSA tent..... get a local promoter involved with a good PA and do it for charity....so you won't have to pay anyone. Either that or find a local venue and get to know the soundman and ask the bar if you can put on 2 band, 3 band nights for the KMSA Charity..
get to know all the local acts especially the ones with big fanbases. there are hundreds of acts with no fans...so you want two acts with fans and one without...so they get a leg up and people get introduced to them...
Over time you get a reputuation etc.....if you get out there 7 nights a week networking ( its how i lost my nineties).
if you try putting on tooooo big event instead of piggybacking someone elses fest you'll hit big licensing and saftey issues...well you do in the UK....so i can't see it being anyless in the US...
anyway...its a big world..promoting. ( too big to tackle in a comment box )..and thats even before you get let down by the bands cos the drummer breaks his arm skateboarding or something.. lol... ( been there, got the Tshirt )
Sir Dayvd (a member of the "kill bands who show up late" group ) of Oxfordshire
You have to see Anne Harris live to get the possessed fiddle player!
As for bands and shows...I know, been on both sides plenty of times. Toured once as one of the guitarist for B.J. Thomas. Don't ever want to hear Rain Drops Keep Fallin' on My Head Again....aaarrrrr!
One of the most talented guitar players I know is helping me produce and play on my originals, which has been 5 years in the making....mainly because of his perfect "musician time table!" LOL!
Went to see his wife perform last night at the Freedom Festival at Casino Aztar. Awesome voice. Little White Girl with the Spirit of Janis Joplin. She's singing backups on my music too.
I haven't done as many festivals as you...obviously...but it is a headache that I would welcome as I wind down on the marketing stage.
As Rachel said last night..."It's hard to get the performing on stage gene out of your system!"
Face it...I'm still a performer...I just wail away on my advertising & marketing axe to adoring fans (clients) who will pay to see me play!
Sir Hook Who Will Out Rock His Front Porch Rocker Some Day of Warrick
Always enjoy your posts, Sir Hook. I would like to join you one day on one of your musical journeys. Just let me know in advance. Thanks, too, for introducing me to Eric Bibb. Went on Amazon to listen to some samples; I like! Give my best to your Ladye.
Sir John of the Rangeline
Good to hear from Cousin Sir John! I'm glad you liked Eric Bibb...very talented and gifted man.
We'll get our calendars together soon. First England and you...Amsterdam.
Sir Hook of Warrick
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