Vacaville Represents at Sac IBC
Mick Martin’s Birthday Party
Northern California Blues Festival
Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival - 8/23/08
It couldn't have been a better day for this festival located in the historic little town of Bodega, just inland from Bodega Bay. The little town is mostly known as home to the old church where much of the Alfred Hitchcock classic movie thriller "The Birds" was filmed. However, on Saturday, August 23rd, in a cow pasture on the edge of town the Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival was the place to be. The weather was beautiful, the food was excellent, the wine was flowing and yes, the blues were blaring through the countryside.
"Bo-dega, we've never been here but we love how it sounds. Bo-dega". With that opening from Tommy Castro the TCB was off and running. If you are a TCB fan then you know you always get a good show when they come to town. This sunny day was no exception as he put on yet another enthusiastic, rockin performance that had the crowd on its feet from beginning to end. Tommy is a great stage performer with amazing charisma and knows well how to work a crowd. If you are a blues guitar fan as I am then this is a band that definitely needs to be on your "must see" list. At one point Tommy wandered down into the crowd, across the dance floor, climbed up on a hay bale, and all the while his Strat was on fire. He played all the good stuff, including my all time favorite, "Nasty Habits" as well as Mike Schermer penned "Big Sisters Radio" and Albert Collins' "A Good Fool Is Hard to Find". In addition to Tommy's legendary guitar skills, sax wonder-man Keith Crossan was on hand to add his hot, soulful touch to the band. Keith has been with the TCB since the beginning in 1991 and his sax work is fantastic. Add trumpet man Tom Poole and you end up on your feet dancing and just can't seem to stop. I always enjoy seeing this band and this was no exception as they were fantastic.
Tommy Castro is like a throwback to the old school hey-days of the blues and you can easily imagine him in an era with Wilson Picket, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, BB King and others. After a few of Tommy's shows you realize that the blues are in very good hands. Tommy is currently on the top of the heap in the blues world, notably winning the "Contemporary Blues Album of the Year" for his "Painkiller" release as well as the "BB King Entertainer of the Year" at this year's 2008 Blues Music Awards held by The Blues Foundation. You can't get much better than that. The TCB has made the big time and now tours all over the place. We are lucky he is from Northern California so he gets home occasionally to give us our fix.
For me, the nice thing about festivals is not just the great headliners but also seeing other acts that I haven't seen before. One of the opening acts this day was a Marin County wild rockin bluegrass band called Poor-man's Whiskey. What an excellent show this five piece group put on. They played mostly original tunes that were lively, fun and had you toe stompin as you sat on the hay bales provided as seats. Tunes like "Lake County Lady" and "Flight of the Unicorn" . Another excellent original song was "Easy Come, Easy Go", telling the story of a hitchhiker taking a wayward adventure through Nor-Cal. This tune was actually very well done, with smooth vocals and lots of harmony. Most of the band members played several instruments ~ guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins, keyboards and a kazoo they found in the ocean on a diving trip that looks like a trumpet. This they appropriately called a Kazumpet. Crazy stuff. They ended the show playing a wild unplugged tune in front of the stage on the crowded dance floor with the drummer playing percussion with a guitar pick and a suitcase. These guys really were very talented and put on an exciting and fun show. I guarantee you'll have a good time if you catch one of their shows. As a matter of fact we are seeing them again in three weeks. That's about the best recommendation I can give.
Overall, it was a great weekend spent with great friends at a festival with great music. What a life!
"Keep your eyes and ears open, the Blues are alive in Northern California!"
B.B. is still the King of the Blues
Mr. December at Constable Jack's - 5/9/08
Cole Fonseca at the Torch Club - 3/28/08
Blues Blowout at Cache Creek - 2/1/08
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