Wheeling Blues Festival Weekend

First off, I wanna thank Pittsburgh Jeff for sending me a text Friday afternoon, letting me know that John Hiatt had to cancel in Pittsburgh on Sunday due to a death in the family.  I would have never known, and missed a killer line up in Wheeling on Sunday.....thanks buddy..... 

I'll be honest, I really wasn't expecting a whole lot out of this festival, simply because it was in Wheeling.....and Wheeling is a ghost town.....

And when I got there Friday afternoon, I kinda figured my expectations were realistic.  There had been a major water main break earlier in the day.....no water at the hotel, buckled pavement and backhoes on Main St., and detours up the.....well, there were a lot of detours.....got lost every freakin' night comin' back from breakfast.....

But the venue was like another world.  It was held at the marina on the Ohio River, and it was perfect.....nice big amphitheater that slopes down to the stage on the water.  I stayed up at the top the whole time.....I figured if I went down to the bottom, I'd have to climb back up at some point.  But to me, somethin' like this is as much about meetin' different people as it is watchin' an act on stage.  So, I made a lot of new friends over the 3 days.....

And another 3 days of perfect weather.....the world must be off it's axis.....

OK, I'm gonna try to do justice to the performers, but there's a lot to cover:

Friday opened with Debbie Davies, and she got everyone in the right frame of mind.....the girl is good, and has a ton of fun on top of it.  There weren't many encores that weekend, but she had one of 'em.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KVCMYG390o

Next up was Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets w/ James Harmon.  I wasn't familiar with them, but came away seriously impressed.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxFEAtqwofs

Sugar Blue is the real deal.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iPKBEUEnJ8

Delta Guitarslingers.....Michael Burks, Sherman Robertson, and Carl Weathersby.  I was a little disappointed when I found out Michael wasn't playin' by himself, but he did half the show on his own, then called his boys up.  And these cats cooked.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6uwkj1bOsU

That was the line-up Friday, then off to the McClure Hotel for the after gig party 'til 3:30.  Rumor had it that MB was gonna show up.....that didn't happen.  But the house band, a group from Pittsburgh.....Billy the Kid and the Regulators (great name...), tore the roof off the joint.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV20yYZVNhw

Saturday I missed Lionel Young at noon, but he played at the party afterwards.....I love this kid.....

http://www.lionelyoung.net/audio/preview.html

Barbara Blue kicked it up.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgD3MiF7zTU

Blue Bella Revue w/ Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, Bill Lupkin, and Kilborn Alley.....sweet as hell.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s69epcaC3II

Watermelon Slim.....first time I've seen him, and I wasn't sure what to expect.....I'm thoroughly impressed.  He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  And then, about half way through the set, he plays taps on the harp for all American armed forces personel that have given there all for the rest of us.  Nothing political, not in the least.  Just respect.  And you coulda heard a pin drop in the middle of 5000 people.....vendors stopped sellin', everyone's hat came off, nobody spoke.....it really was somethin' special.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeMRIu43qjg

Ana Popovic..............sorry, where was I?  Oh yeah.....she wowed 'em REAL good.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPS40OZYpnc

The Mannish Boys.....always a good time.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxUw3MVy3fI

Then back to the McClure Hotel for another 4 hours of jams.  Watermelon Slim played, and had a blast.....and of course, Billy The Kid.  Just a great, great time.....

Sunday I missed the first two acts.....cuz gettin' in at 6 AM two days in a row was takin' a toll.....but I made sure I got there for Tinsley Ellis.....always been a favorite of mine.  And he was on his "A" game.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3rFfZhxcCs

Deanna Bogart was up next, and I just love this woman.....called me her cruisin' buddy.....damn baby.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8VLKiO … re=related

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials.....this cat is a GAS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Emph2W … re=related

And finally.....Johnny Winter and James Cotton.  I'm happy to report that Johnny hasn't looked better in years.  He did sit through the performance, but he walked up the steps and onto the stage under his own power.  Supposedly, his new manager got him cleaned up.  God Bless his new manager.....

Anyway, he sounded great, and was obviously diggin' it.  And seein' him with James Cotton was just one of those thangs that I'll never forget.  Seein' him do Mojo Boogie and Johnny Guitar made me feel like I was 18 again.  And at this stage of the game, that ain't all that easy to do.....

And I just found this little nugget.....nice that somebody got it up so fast.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSASJjFvDBQ

Back to the McClure.....Deanna Bogart played, as did Lionel Young.....Lil Ed showed up.....and Billy the Kid did it again, just tore it up.....

It was announced that there were people from 22 states and 3 countries at this festival, and I can see why.  It was just absolutely perfect.....

The only thang that coulda made it any better woulda been a Vicodin tent at the venue.  I feel like I got hit by a freakin' truck.....but I'm still smilin'.....