Part two from Bob Dorr
OK, so where were we? Porky's. I'm gonna miss that place...But where are we goin'? Clear Lake! I'm excited to get the chance to return to The Surf Ballroom. It's been years. We've been invited to be part of the Hobie Cat Sailing Regatta awards celebration. I'm told that people from around the world will be sailing the lake and ready to party TONIGHT (Friday) The cool thing is that the regatta is opening the doors to the Surf for this show to the public FOR FREE!! This is their posting on our chat page: Hey Blue Band Fanatics! Come to Clear Lake's Surf Ballroom on Friday, Sept. 12th for a FREE to the Public Bob Dorr & the Blue Band Concert! With the purchase of a Raffle Ticket, Donation of a Good Quality Used Winter Coat, or a Sack Full of Non-perishable food, you get admission to see the Legendary Band! Miller Lite, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, & Hobie Fleet 10 are proud to sponsor this great event. Raffle ticket proceeds go to support the Parkersburg Relief Fund, Girl Scout Camp Tanglefoot, and the Clear Lake Sailing School! Even your ticket purchase goes to a 501 (C) 3 Organization...so you could possibly deduct the ticket purchase...see your accountant on that one! We are hoping to pack the house! Doors open at 8:00 PM, band starts at 9:00 PM! Need I say more? BE THERE!! (bringing CAKE is optional)...
Saturday night we're going to FB & Co, on the bank of the Wapsipinicon River in Waubeek IA (about 20 minutes NE of Cedar Rapids) This is kind of a make-up date for the Memorial Day weekend postponement (The day the F5 tornado cut it's path of destruction across our state) and an attempt to raise some funds for FB & Co (it's literally on the bank of the Wapsi. Flood damage was everywhere) and raise some money for Tim Kula, who owns the place and suffered a stroke in the early part of the year. He's really been hit with the Double Eyed Whammy. Help us generate some $$ for him and his fabled place. It's an early evening gig, 7-10p, and will definitely happen, rain or shine (we'll go inside the bar if it rains) and we're scheduled to have the full 6 piece band with us...
I'm really tickled (!) with how this week's Backtracks rock'n'roll history radio show turned out. It's comprised of two boxes of 45 RPM records that I bought at an auction this summer for a grand total of $13! You can listen to it on your way out to Waubeek at 90.9 FM, you can listen to it anywhere on the planet at www.iowapublicradio.org the show airs 7-10pm...
And speaking of radio shows, in addition to my regular weekend shows, I'll be the host of Night Music, next Tues. and Wed. night (9/16-17, 7-10p) and the host of The Exchange (talk radio) Friday morning (9/19-10am)...
Heath had an ATV accident that resulted in X-Rays on his foot/heel/achilles tendon, which so far have been negative as far as any breaks are concerned. He also suffered a cut on his thumb that went to the bone. He insist he's ok to play the date at the Surf, but if he's sitting down, you know why. Maybe bringing CAKE would cheer him up!...
Famous Dave's in Minneapolis has undergone some management changes. Hopefully this won't interfere with our scheduled Nov. 22 date there. Minnesotans, don't hesitate to call Dave's (612) 822-9900 and let 'em know you're looking forward to our visit!...
And speaking of Fall/Winter work, WE NEED SOME! We've got LOTS (too many) of open dates starting Halloween weekend and running thru the end of the year. YIKES! Let your office party planners know about us...
I'm beat. There's more yawns than words. I gotta go. See ya on the Blue Highway (USE YER DAMN TURN SIGNALS!) keep rubbin' that washboard, pray for a Cubs/White Sox World Series and always remember we love you... Bob Dorr & The Blue Band
Hey Blues Fans,
It was quite a Blues party as we were treated to some real Blues from Chicago harmonica ace Bill Lupkin. Bill is the real deal and his latest CD Hard Pill To Swallow in on the Blue Bella label. To make it even better Bill brought along Atlanta Bluesman Felix Reyes on guitar.
Nikki's West Coast Report
Serbian guitarist/vocalist Ana Popovic was first to get on stage, delivering wah-wah and slide-driven blues-rock solos in line with Hendrix and Stevie Ray. As a guitar player, she is very competent and can definitely hang with the best of players, so her next big challenge would be to cultivate a unique signature “voice” on the instrument. Her band’s enthusiasm and love for the music is genuine, although they addressed the crowd as if they were at a rock arena concert. 
Blues Blast also spotted another terrific guitarist and local artist in the festival crowd - Laurie Morvan, hanging out with friends and checking out the bands. 
Right next to the main stage, the festival had set up an additional smaller platform for local and up-and-coming blues and R&B talent playing in between the main sets. We got to hear Hendrix-flavored blues from Dennis Jones Band and more straight-ahead, rugged sounds from The Average Johnsons. The greatest crowd response went to New York-singer Arielle Verinis and her band –a young group of soul fans, who played a really fine R&B set. They included Prince’s “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore,” where Verinis sounded like an earthier Joss Stone.
Harp maestro and singer Charlie Musselwhite was in a great mood, taking us from R&B back to the blues with a cool set full of raw Chicago-style and electric country 12-bar gems.
They gave us “Green Onions” pretty early in the set, as well as other sweet Hammond soul instrumentals. Booker T told us about his first meeting with Bill Withers, who anxiously had wondered if his latest song was any good. This tune turned out to be “Ain’t No Sunshine.” The crowd also went nuts when he casually mentioned another song he wrote for Albert King, and then went into “Born Under A Bad Sign.” 
Always a man who loves to perform and give back to the blues community, Taj Mahal and his band ended the night and the festival with his typically spirited set of folky, shamanistic blues. One of the most prominent figures in contemporary blues, his role in renewing this genre, especially the acoustic tradition, can’t be emphasized enough. Being kind of a musicologist, he explores his own African heritage by bringing the blues into the sonic worlds of gospel, R&B, jazz, Latin, Zydeco and West African music, and then back home to country blues again.
Big River International Blues And Jazz Festival - Belfast, Northern Ireland 
Friday night kicked off with Steve Cropper and The Animals at Mandela Hall. Steve was in great form, even though an airport security official in London had confiscated his guitar strings just in case he garroted a fellow passenger. I've always rated Michael Powers as a steady axeman, and he proved to be just that throughout the festival, pleasing crowds everywhere he played. I do hope he meant it when he said he'd be back for sure.
Sunday evening was the most awesome night ever. My band, The Pontiax, were playing The Rotterdam, one of Belfast's oldest and most iconic bars. A two hour slot turned into seven and a half hours when former British Blues harmonica champion, The Reverend Doc turned up without his band. Rev Doc and The Congregation are a superb Blues band with a big following t
hroughout the UK and the pressure was on when The Pontiax were asked to step in. We did our best and the Doc had the audience hanging by a thread with a blistering performance. We would have played all night long but the bar had to close. My left hand is still aching but we made a lot of new friends that night including Rev Doc. 
It's not too often that I get up to Bill's Blues in Evanston, but Osee Anderson was to record a live show and that would be worth the trip. Evanston is a North suburb of Chicago. It is nestled between Chicago on the South and the Artic circle on the north. Bill Gilmore provides my favorite type of blues venue; a blues bar. The cozy bar is a short walk from the Davis Street stop of the metra and purple line. An additional retro touch was the poor reception on the television, in spite of the rabbit ear antenna. I guess I'm spoiled now by the clear flat panel televisions that have become commonplace. 
Jazz is blues, that went to college. I didn't mean it as a compliment, but that's how he took it, so all is good. If you get a chance to view the pictures from this gig, check out Condon's big smile on a jazzy blues tune. 
Monica Dupont - Life Goes On
Webb Wilder - Live at The Highdive
Usually playing in some smoke-choked gut bucket, like The Olde Horsehoe Road Inn, Webb Wilder welcomed this smoke-free Illinois venue because he knew fresh air might just blow the stink off his string bending, fret sliding, and drum smashing demons: Bob Williams – guitar, Tom Comet – bass, and Jimmy Lester – drums.
2008 Blues Blast Music Awards 
Irma Thomas - Simply Grand
Experience Hendrix DVD
Watermelon Slim and the Workers - No Paid Holidays
