Illbotz' reunion show is set for Sunday at Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Here, Stevie D. waxes goofy -- so goofy, in fact, that it took me a long time to edit the 'cast. Due to some technical snafu, I can't get Big Perm and DJ Samson's casts on this entry -- just look over to your upper right, and there you'll find them. Bonus: Samson gets all "Entertainment Tonight" on Stevie D.
More from last week's Marginal Arts Festival. Here's the kickoff show, from the Roanoke Libraries' Emerging Artists Series, courtesy of River Laker. For more information on The Bastards of Fate, check the band's myspace page.
Doug Cheatwood live, EMERGING ARTISTS series from EMERGING ARTISTS on Vimeo.
Bogguss, of "Letting Go" fame, recently collaborated with Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson, who it just so happens helped us out with this podcast.
Get more info on Bogguss at http://www.suzybogguss.com/
Show is 7:30 p.m. April 17th. Tickets are $30.
The new Studio Roanoke is planning to host music events. The joint will primarily be for theater, but the studio's Todd Ristau says that it will be available to a variety of performers. Find out more about the new spot at myspace.com/studioroanoke, or e-mail the space via info@studioroanoke.org
Here's this week's column, about a rough Sunday night for a great band. We've already got a good conversation going about this topic at http://blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/cutnscratch/2009/02/23/question-of-the-week-deadest-show-ever/, so jump over there and tell us about killer shows that didn't get the audience they deserved.
Here's another column, in which I revisit my news obit of phenomenal fingerpicking guitarist Buster B. Jones. I meant to post this link sooner, but other work just ate up my time.
The story is here. I focused on program director/disc jockey Jay Prater and his father, Bart Prater -- who was program director/disc jockey at the old WROV-AM. But I spent some time with Steve “Cannon” Curtiss and J.D. Sutphin, and I wanted to write a bit about them, too.
It's 7 p.m. April 5, at The Sun Music Hall, Floyd. (Thanks, Paul.)
Wesley and the JBs were James Brown's backing band during his heyday. Check out the band's music at its myspace.com page. Trying to get word on whether Maceo Parker and/or Pee Wee Ellis will be on the show. Either way, should be hot.
Opening act Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, from Asheville, N.C., features one of our old friends, Debrissa McKinney. McKinney, from Botetourt County, sings harmonies and plays sax.
According to DLP Concerts, which is presenting the show:
>Tickets for Fred Wesley & The New JBs are $22 in Advance and $25 Day of Show, and are available through the DLP Concerts box office at (540) 745-6643, Harvest Moon in Floyd, Rocket Music in Blacksburg, Fret Mill Music in Roanoke, or online at www.dlpconcerts.com.
Red Clay River live at Dumas Center (2) from EMERGING ARTISTS on Vimeo.
Some Roanoke originals here. Get more info about the band at www.myspace.com/redclayriver
Jeff Hofmann and B. Bagby have been performing and teaching as Einstein's Monkey for a while now. Recently, the pair put out a CD, "banana yellow," which mines rockabilly, post-punk, new wave, 80s funk and pop, then marries those styles about impending bedtimes, bumps on the head, cool toys and other subjects appropriate for children ages 4-8.
The idea is to make music "that won't make you want to throw your kid's CD out the car window!" according to the Roanoke-based duo's Web site, http://www.einsteinsmonkey.com/.
The music is fun, and it sounds like a good way for kids and their parents to bond over the same music -- at least until the kids get old enough to start digging stuff that frightens their parents.
Hofmann tells me that Einstein's Monkey will be out playing some shows soon, so watch for that. These guys are really good players, with a good sense of humor about what they're doing.
From news release:
>Roanoke, Va. — Bluegrass mandolin legend Herschel Sizemore will host a day-long mandolin workshop on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the Roanoke Holiday Inn, 3315 Ordway Drive.
>Topics covered will include learning to play melody, how to play with good tone, tune introductions & endings, "Less is More", and much more.
Questions about the workshop may be directed to herschelsizemore@aol.com.
