Not to get too meditative but it was a quiet enough weekend to be , okay, mellow. I hate to use that word. It's so...70's.  Anyway, I was not able to get to see Kerry Kearney and I almost got to the city to see Ms Betti but I only made it as far as Queens...

     Saturday night I actually danced at the Pan American Hotel in Queens. (Dukes). Astoria, I think. That is the most multi-ethnic nightclub I have ever seen and it was a wild beat. I happened to be with some women who dance and they were busy the whole night. There was a live latin group and the place was huge and it jumped. Quite a scene. I missed my blues but when you travel with two women it is hard to make a case for blues when we were so close to that dance mecca and it is not bad to burn some calories on occasion when drinking...I have found.

     I made my last weeks journey's on Tuesday as I mentioned in an earlier post and I was pleasently surprised by the jam at Rail House in Lindenhurst. However(!), I found out, that night, that my friend Dawn (who bartended on Wednesday nights at Lefty's) was cut loose by the brain trust (loosely chosen words) at Lefty's. I will no longer have my good and sexy friend at my regular Wednesday night place. I have to say that that opens the door to do some roaming. I take my loyalties seriously and it isn't easy to find such comfort. I hope these people know this. So, anyone out there needing a good soul for a Wednesday night gig look up Dawn.

   Thanks for stopping by.

bill

    I hope you like the sounds I have added here on Billfoolery. I am trying to add more to the other pages and more here but I am having some technical difficulties with files. Can anyone out there help!!?? 

    As for entertainment...lot's going on:  Tonight, for all you Stevie Ray Vaughn fans there's Direct Drive (a SRV cover band) at Lefty's. Good show and if you tell them Billfoolery sent you you get 2 for 1 tix at the door. Make me look good...bring a crowd. Those "cover" bands get $7 and more at the door these days.  

      Also,Big Daddy is at Tailgaiters in Patchogue. Thats a show and a half. Joe Vicino and the Smokedaddy's is at a place called Jessie's in Merrick and, check this out, Sweet Suzi is at Giacomo's in Amityville. 

     I looked for Kerry Kearney and Pamela Betti and they are both doing private parties this weekend...Damn, how do I get invited to those events...

   Well, we the "uninvited" will have our own fun...Let me know what else you find out there and thanks for stopping by...

bill

    Well, what a treat I had last night. I thought I was going to be grounded by circumstances last night (Saturday). I was flattened by the prospect of not getting out since I did not get to see any blues on Friday.  I got a reprieve at midnight and even with some decent options locally (south shore) I headed up to Chesterfields for some Pamela Betti and her Bluebloods('Bloodhounds" is more like it, they play some rough stuff and it's all good). I had not seen her with her "boys" in a while. Frankly I was expecting a lot. I needed some serious blues to meet me all the way down where I was feeling...hence the trek to the top of Huntington (second floor no less).

     I caught the entire second set and it took me all the way home at at least one point in every song. Jim Moran on lead is better than ever...at least since I have known him. He takes just about any song to deep bluesy places...last night it was Pamela doing Janis Joplin (with a full set of balls) and Morans strings were a fitting balance for the VOICE of Betti. Maybe it was the late hour, maybe she is in good "shape" from the recent blues fest, maybe she always sings that good nowdays...don't know. I do know she leaned back a few times, found the notes, and brought them out in aural beauty...I could have cried a few times...no kidding. I know I'm relatively new to the blues scene but I have been hearing a lot in recent years. I know what moves me and she did.

Don't tell anyone but I think I'm in a blue's crush. That is a woman who can express some real emotion with some rich sounds. I might also ad that she has Tim Smith playing bass. I used to see Tim singing lead vocals with Misspent Youth and he was a fairly soulful, fairly skilled Irish dude. He did a good job on bass with the bloodhounds and I like the concoction of Betti, Moran, Smith and Mr. Hat on drums. He is a perfect fit. These guys are on top of their game. I'll try to keep you posted on their whereabouts and whats up for the coming week. Thanks again for stopping by.

bill

    It was my virgin voyage to the Riverhead Blues Festival to be perfectly honest. My interest in local blues is only a year or so old. Last year I could not make it and felt cheated all year. This year I made it today, Sunday, and it was as much fun as I had hoped.

    I had caught many of the acts at the Little Buster tribute a month or so ago but at that show I missed Kerry Kearney. Today I caught his whole show and it was truly fun and the music was moving. The guy can make some penetrating music. KK seems to feel it from all the way down deep inside to all the way up to the sky and he knows how to hit every nerve along the way.

    The place was festive, the weather could not have been nicer, the crowd was a perfect blend of people of all ages which would have made anyone feel welcome and in good company. The music was rich. I think I have found an my milieu...a place to feel comfortable, at home, in touch with my "feelings"...if thats not too metaphysical fer ya....

   To get back to some solid ground let me tell you about Miss Riverhead. While bending some bluesy chords onstage Kerry Kearney keenly eyed an enthusiastic young "CBGB type" groupie girl in the crowd. He only began asking her to come up and dance onstage and she was there bobbing her pink/purple hair and gyrating to his blues/rock jam. The crowd was taking it in the humorous vein in which it was intended and all were having fun. At one point KK  christened the young head banger(Marie) "Miss Riverhead" and it was a fitting title. I found myself laughing.

    I made sure to get some titles so I can refer to the great tunes I was hearing. I tapped  the shoulder of just the right person in front of me and Eve, from station 90.1 (a real fan) gave me the 411. Eve is a  DJ AT 90.1 on alternate Wed mornings 7 to 9(starting again in August). Her radio show is called  White Room. I will check her out. Eve was a sweetheart and knowledgeable of her blues musicians.

     Kerry Kearneys tunes that I have to get on CD are World Train and Memphis High. He completely rocked and gave a show I'll remember for a long time.

    I will keep you posted on where I see him playing.

    I also caught Little Cliff and the Cliffhangers before the KK show. Little Cliff and the gang are all real pros and every instrument was enjoyable. I heard "Chump Change" and "Spank that Monkey"(referring to a "job at a zoo" apparently). The man has some top notch vocals. I really enjoyed these guys too.

    The show was really well done from the space provided, to the music, to the availability of creature comforts to the low cost of admission ($5). I look forward to the 9th annual event next year.

    Thanks for coming to bfly.

bill