Vacaville Represents at Sac IBC
Two blues bands from Vacaville were crowd favorites at the International Blues Challenge sponsored by the Sacramento Blues Society on Sunday at the Clarion Hotel Ballroom.
Vacaville’s Used Blues Band featuring lead singer Gary Mendoza and Harmonica player Sean McGroarty put on a fabulous performance and came in second place overall after a tie breaker decided by the judges. For this they will play at the Sacramento Blues Society membership show in December. The rest of the band includes Joe Brainard and Gary Clontz on guitar, Dan Weber on Bass and Dante Carasco on drums. Their set included original tunes, “The Used Blues Boogie”, a fast paced instrumental wonder and “Boy From California”, a tale Gary wrote about how he’s paid his dues to be a bluesman even though he has paid them all in California. The Band played and energetic set and received much appreciation form the audience, many of whom were die hard blues aficionados’ and know a good blues band when they see one.
Another local blues group, The Matty T Band, came to play and lit the place on fire. Matty Taynton, who just happens to run the Tweed Hut Music store here in Vacaville, is a guitar wizard with incredible blues talent. His power trio also includes Keith Vaughn on drums and Jim Papesh on Bass. They gave it their all and more as Matty, in usual fashion, climbed up on chairs and cruised through the dance floor area, all the while smoking up and down the fret board of his Fender Stratocaster. These guys can really play and even though they didn’t fair quite as well as they had hoped, they made an influence on several of the judges and gained the respect of the area blues fans.
The winning Singles/Duo act were my friends Jimmy Pailer and Lou Fratis. The winning band was The Aces from Santa Rosa. Both acts will have the opportunity to represent Sacramento at the IBC in Memphis next February. Tho not winners, this years IBC was a great showcase for Vacaville blues bands, an outing that is guaranteed to render more notice and better booking opportunities for the Gary Mendoza and theUsed Blues Band and the Matty T Band as well. Keep an eye out for these bands if you like the blues, you’ll be amazed at the talent we have right here at home.
"Keep your eyes and ears open, the Blues are alive in northern California!"
Northern California Blues Festival
Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival - 8/23/08
B.B. is still the King of the Blues
Nitecry... SF Blues excellence
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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