post japan benefit show details...

so the big event i had been working on for the last 8 weeks has come and gone. i have to start out by thanking all the bands on the bill for the great performances they graced the stage with. i want to start out by saying thank you to the bands. i genuinely feel as if i walked away from this show with a lot of 'fire' for the blues scene. just to be in the same room as these performers, sharing a stage - made me feel like i was very lucky!

Jook Joint blew they entire room away with the amazingly polished and slick arrangements. truth be told - they had my attention from the moment they had started sound check! a small contingency of my family was at the show and was very interested in Jook Joint's set.

we [Damon Reeves & The Love Thieves] played the second slot of the night - played a mix of tunes we have been playing regularly but snuck in two or three new tunes we had been working on. we had Andy Soles playing harp with us, adding some different flavor. it was nice and seemed well received by the folks in the audience.

Dynamite Johnny played the middle slot. i had been introduced to this band but Damon and had checked them out online - after seeing the performance i told D how much i could see what he dug so much about them. when they played "lock me up" (which they played on Mass Appeal earlier in the week) i was singing along with the chorus after only hearing the song one time - that's the sign of some good original music!

Wildcat O'halloran took the stage next with his band actually bringing the level of showmanship up to a completely other level. his interaction with the crowd during guitar solos absolutely broke the wall between the stage and the room. his use of guest vocals was amazing - providing a new element to the set and continuing to build on the entertainment value of the performance. This guy is the real deal! i confirmed this buy listening to his CD on the way home from the show. if you are from western mass and have not gone to see Wildcat do his thing on stage, well you owe yourself the chance to witness this live for yourself! i - for one am looking forward to playing more gigs with these guys in the future!

rounding the night out was Tokyo Tramps. before tonight my only actual exposure to the group was through word of mouth and watching the live vids on you-tube. seriously, this does not begin to do this trio any justice when compared to seeing them live. they played a couple songs then the drummer (who completely knocked my socks off to begin with) takes this solo that left me with my jaw on the floor. i'm not a big fan of over the top solos - i'm a groove guy, but this blew me away. the rest of the set was full of killer vocal harmonies, showmanship that would rival the biggest entertainer out there. i feel  that people who missed the show for whatever reason - had really missed out on an opportunity to see some really top notch artists in what i would consider one of the premier venues in our backyard - for an amazing cause.

at the end of the night we had done a good deed, made some new friends and learned a lot for future events. i'm really satisfied with how the show went down - i only wish that the crowd have been larger. that being said - these things are common in this business. all i can do is learn and grow from it!