Saturday smorgasbord

There was a lot to see at Bluesfest on the final Saturday, but not a whole lot that really grabbed my interest. Thus, you get a big ol' rundown and not a post-per-performer. Nothing was bad or dull, but nothing that was really my cup of tea either with the exception of The Ms. I did however get the chance to see some actual blues music (a bit of a rare commodity at Bluesfest nowadays, some might say). This was courtesy of the Electro-Fi Records showcase at The Blues Til Dusk stage.

Curley Bridges - the gent at the piano - and Finis Tasby shared a backing band.



Mr. Tasby has been singin' the blues in L.A. for about three decades now, if not more.



Chris Whiteley on guitar (I think), and David Rotundo on harp.





I never did precisely identify the next act I saw at the Main Stage, but I'm presuming it was indeed Kelley Hunt, with her timeslot switched with the New Amsterdams. She was a bit AOR for my tastes, but a vibrant performer.









Next up, The Ms. They were on tour with Wilco, who were appearing later that day. They sounded pretty good, but there's something about watching four people on a titanic stage a stone's throw away that leads to a certain emotional detachment. At the time they made me think of a spaced out My Morning Jacket. I've heard more of their music since, and they have a fuzzier, poppier sound on record.



They had a strong vocal presence.



I wish I'd gotten some better drummer photos - distant stages are as hard on my photography as they are on my enjoyment of the music.



Handclaps ... you see 'em at every festival.



Lunging action!



I'd love to see them in a club. I slogged of for some dinner, and returned to find Martin Sexton on stage. He attracted a larger and more passionate crowd, but didn't fascinate me, so I went off to watch Junior Brown, who was kind of cool even if his "guit-steel" does strike me as a pointless gimmick. I came back for Roseanne Cash who was entertaining.



She's big on the gesticulation.



I secretly covet a Danelectro Longhorn bass. Blame Troy Gregory.









The sun began to go down ...



I could have stuck around for Wilco, who put on an amazing show at the Capital Music Hall and apparently were even better this time around, but I didn't feel like standing up for another two hours, and had a serious hankering for cheesecake and weird music, so I went off to the Avant-Garde Bar to see Tetuzi Akiyama and Harris Newman.

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.