Review
of The 2001 Big Ben Blues FestivalShannon Gordon Scott - 8/29/2001
Editors Note: This story was originally handed to me on Saturday, July 28, 2001 but due to summer vacation and other factors, the story is just getting posted. My appologies - Matt Toledo
The weather was perfect for a blues festival: cloudy with intermittent rain and grey all over. For low down dirty blues doesn't it have to be dreary?
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Weather aside, the Pomeroy Blues and Jazz Society put together a really nice event for those who braved the weather to hear the blues. For the low price tag of 5 bones, listeners were treated to a bevy of local and regional acts in addition to arts and crafts, and vendors galore.
Let's get to the music.
The line-up looked like this:
Dale Kulchar
Blitzkrieg
TV
Yellow
Adam
Schlenker
Teddy
Morgan & The Pistolas
Kelly
Richey Band
We arrived around 2 when Blitzkrieg was playing. I could hear the sound three blocks away. The mix was very good, especially compared to the Marietta Blues Festival. By their own admission Blitzkrieg is not a blues band. The lead singer did however make the point that Rock is just the illegitimate child of the blues.
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While they were certainly not a blues band, very apparent from the leather, bandanas, and glove wearing drummer, Blitzkrieg did their own thing pretty well. They are a five piece with drums, rhythm guitar, lead guitar/vocals, and bass/vocals/keys. I am pretty sure that the audience was flashing back to the 80's while Bliztkrieg was playing, what with the screaming vocals and squealing guitar solos. They displayed some nice harmony between sweep picking and thumping bass lines. The crowd was sparse but because of the massive volume and because Blitzkrieg was having so much fun doing their 80's thing, people couldn't help but pay attention. With song titles like "Rock-n-Roll Criminal" who wouldn't have fun?
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Next up was TV Yellow. I had seen TV Yellow a couple of times before at Pawpurrs when they would swing into Athens. The Smokehouse Recording artist had a different line-up from when I had seen them last. Former guitar player Drew Phillips has moved to bass due to the departure of Nate Greicius. To replace Drew and Jeff Perholtz on guitars the band has Zach Thomas and Bryce Grammar. Their website reads that the former line-up had been together for five years. The website also notes that TV Yellow has the rare makeup of twin brothers handling the rhythm section. On lead vocals is the talented Shawn Scott.
TV Yellow was SOL-ID! They took the now growing crowd and put them in their palms with their radio ready tunes and strong delivery. They started like gang busters and just did not stop until people were near the stage and dancing. I am sure there are some wondering if the new line-up has what it takes but there were no doubts for those in attendance.
It just has to be noted that while TV Yellow is a good band, they have a great singer. Shawn's range was huge and there was strength in his voice at both ends. It is not only his vocal talent though, he fronts the band and he shows a confidence and swagger on stage that is inviting to the audience. Trying to get an audience to sing along is rarely tried unless a band's songs are extremely popular but Shawn almost got it going by soulfully singing the line "she believes in a heaven above" in a very high pitch.
For over an hour TV Yellow poured it on and when they were finished they drew a standing ovation from a very appreciative crowd.
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Next on the bill was the Adam Schlenker Band. I got turned on to Adam by Mike Lindskold of the Court Street Grill, who loaned me his CD effort 'Easy Access'. For those of you who like SRV, be advised that Reese Wynans of Double Trouble fame played keys on Easy Access. His website has the band as a trio but Adam was accompanied by not only bass and drums but also keys and sax. The band was very quick to set up and just laid into it. Adam can really play fast and furious and he doesn't mind playing speedy licks between tunes. He is not the whole band though, evidence by the tune 'These Days', where he left the soloing to keys and sax. Along with the speedy licks effortlessly coming from his fingers there was also massive volume coming from his Marshall and Matchless amps. In fact there was so much volume that people began to move away from the stage.
While there is definitely a blues overtone to the Adam Schlenker Band some might have drawn comparisons to acts such as Dave Matthews Band, oddly enough. Probably because of the very long songs with extended jamming and very nifty sax work throughout. Throwing in 'All Along the Watchtower' into the set makes the comparisons legitimate. All comparisons aside, Mr. Schlenker is a guitar slinger though and through and the crowd knew it. Maybe the volume pushed them back but the guitar playing kept them from getting too far.
When the Adam Schlenker Band was toward the end of their set the rain started coming down hard and heavy, prompting many, including myself, to head out. Odds are that Teddy Morgan and Kelly Richey kept the fires burning till the midnight hour, leaving spectators spent.
They have a really nice thing going on in Pomeroy with Mike Lindskold and Jackie Welker bringing flat-out, huge blues names to the Court Street Grill and hopefully the Big Ben Blues Festival will become an annual event. If you haven't yet, you should head to Pomeroy, the city of opportunity, for blues.
