Bluesfest: Day Nine

Since this was Bluesfest, I thought I might go and see some actual blues music. The Electro-Fi Records Hoodoo Review set up shop at the Blues Til Dusk Stage, and I dropped by to catch a couple of its acts: Curley Bridges and Finis Tasby. They shared a backing band and knocked out some old style blues in fine style.

Curley laid down some serious scatting.



Finis can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. David Rotundo at left.



Then I went by the Main Stage to watch The Ms. This lady was playing some energetic piano-soul-blues concoction when I arrived. I think she's Kelley Hunt, filling in for the New Amsterdams, but I'm not sure.



As for the Ms, I liked their soulful indie rock; I might have put them in company with My Morning Jacket. They're current tourmates for Wilco, and one can see how they suit the role.



I zipped home for dinner, zipped back for some Roseanne Cash. I miscalculated and showed up for Martin Sexton's set. I snapped a few photos from afar, decided he wasn't my cup of tea and went off to the Blues Til Dusk stage to listen to Junior Brown.



Brown's performance on the guit-steel made me think of The Sadies' combination of country, surf and rock'n'roll, and he has a robust voice.



Once that was done, I went back to the Main Stage to see Cash. Good solid country rock from Johnny's daughter. Her right hand man, John Leventhal, is at left.



The big draw for Saturday was Wilco, but I just can't get into a show with such a huge crowd. The thought of standing for another three hours was unappealing as well. So I went to where I new the crowd would be small and the chairs plentiful: The Avant-Garde Bar, to see Tetuzi Akiyama and Harris Newman.

Newman arpeggios in silhouette.



As theorized, Akiyama started with an acoustic set, and finished with his "boogie" set.





Also, I had some cheesecake.