Got Lucky Blues Tour: Bearly's, Halifax, NS

Friday, September 20, 2013

Bearly's, Halifax, NS

A real fun night in Halifax, NS. Libby Rae Watson and I played Bearly's- one of the east coast's most storied venues. Forty Harley-Davidson choppers lined up outside to blast up a little welcome as we loaded in. The bike set supports the blues in these parts, and I'd seen some of these riders before at my Halifax shows. Thursday night at Bearly's has belonged to Morgan Davis for many years. He very kindly offered this one up to us- and sat in for large portions of the evening.

Good sound, good food! Bev Lamb came down from CKDU to visit with us. One of Canada's hot young blues acts, the 24th Street Wailers, also came to visit. They look as good as they sound, but somehow we failed to get a photo with them! Joe Murphy and Monkey Junk were also in town, but picked up a gig elsewhere- woulda been fun... but work is work.

Libby Rae and I had a ball. A good looking stage here, typical of our set up.

Morgan Davis and I played a little mini set together to finish up. I love playing harp with Morgan- especially with the Darren Brown, DB Customs cigar box guitar! It's a great sound- at least I think so. Morgan and I will tour again next fall. Meanwhile, Libby Rae and I have got three more shows in this region.

Friday is an East Coast Blues Society house concert in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Saturday we'll be at the Marigold Theatre in Truro, NS, and Sunday we'll be in Hubbard's NS for our closing show at the Trellis. It's been really fun. We've brought some pretty unique music to Atlantic Canada, and Libby Rae has won new fans everywhere we have visited. I'm pretty sure she'll be back sooner than later! Anybody in the region who hasn't caught the show yet- last call!! Next week I'll be continuing solo across the continent. I'll miss her- but we'll do this again.

2 comments:

UnknownSeptember 24, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Morgan Davis is one talented fella! Sure was nice to hear you two together! I'd like to be fly on the wall when you two tour together!
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UnknownSeptember 24, 2013 at 8:13 PM
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National Steel "Got Lucky" Blues Tour

Doc MacLean has had his share of good luck and bad. Doc's world was shaken by a spectacular car crash on last year's Tour. But this delta songster celebrates more good luck than bad. True to the music and culture which has shaped his life, he picked himself up, stomped down those troubles, and moved forward down the Blues Highway. This fall that highway will once again wind it's way across 9 Canadian provinces.

Riding on this year's "Got Lucky" theme, Doc MacLean's annual, National Steel Blues Tour will comprise more than 100 back to back shows. Mississippi's own Libby Rae Watson will join the Tour for three weeks in the Maritimes, while other special guests will join him for select shows in other territories. The National Steel, Canada's "biggest little blues tour," is an all acoustic, songs and stories adventure known for it's "no place too large, too small, too grand or too humble" approach to performance. This season will be no exception, with a wide variety of venues including festivals, theatres, casinos, pubs, cafes and house concerts on the schedule.

Doc MacLean has spent over 40 years travelling America's blue highways, performing and recording with a who's who of the blues. Building his career on hard travel and performance, he typically plays over 200 shows annually. For the last 8 years his National Steel Blues Tour has touched nearly every part of Canada- every year. It’s not about flashy new guitars and tour buses. It’s about bringing the Blues to Your Town. He’s a blues vagabond, writing from the dark side of the highway. Doc explored and resided in the rural south at a time when it was much less visited than it is today, and had mentors like Son House, Peg Leg Sam, and Sam Chatmon. This year the Tour has even more to do with the rural south and Sam Chatmon-

Libby Rae Watson grew up in Mississippi a few blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. Not exactly the heart of the Delta and the delta blues, but pretty close- only a couple of hours drive. Captivated by the music, she became deeply involved with the Delta in the 1970's, searching, exploring, documenting, meeting and playing with all the blues artists she could find. People like Big Joe Williams, Furry Lewis, Johnny Woods, Son Thomas and many more. Legends and obscurities. But it was her friendship with Hollandale’s Sam Chatmon that influenced her the most. They became fast friends from day one and remained that way until his death in 1983, where Libby Rae performed "Sitting On Top Of The World" at his funeral. Now, after years of staying close to home with her band, The Liberaetors, Libby Rae has come back to the old delta Blues where she started! And back to the road.

Doc MacLean and Libby Rae Watson met at Sam Chatmon’s funeral in 1983. Doc is very pleased to welcome Libby Rae to her first Canadian Tour, and is thrilled that “Sam’s kids” are finally getting some road time. “Folks are gonna like this gal.” Her decision to tour will be welcomed by blues and folk fans alike, and by anyone with an interest in the delta before Disney. Real deal.

The developing schedule for fall, 2013, may be seen below. Links to full bios, audio samples, pics, reviews will also be seen below.

Tour Schedule

National Steel "Got Lucky" Blues Tour

(developing schedule 28/10/13)

* with Libby Rae Watson

Some dates/places may be subject to change where contracts have not yet been confirmed. This schedule will be updated as changes take place.

Thurs Sept 5 Charlos Cove, NS*

Fri Sept 6 Antigonish, NS*

Sat Sept 7 Centerville, NS*

Sun Sept 8 Halifax, NS*

Wed Sept 11 Alma, NB*

Thurs Sept 12 Fredericton, NB*

Fri Sept 13 Fredericton, NB* (Long & McQuade)

Sat Sept 14 Fredericton, NB*

Mon Sept 16 Moncton, NB*

Tues Sept 17 Oxford, NS*

Wed Sept 18 Fall River, NS*

Thurs Sept 19 Halifax, NS*

Fri Sept 20 Bedford, NS*

Sat Sept 21 Truro, NS*

Sun Sept 22 Hubbards, NS*

Wed Sept 25 Tyne Valley, PE

Thurs Sept 26 Mermaid, PE NOT

Fri Sept 27 Mount Stewart, PE

Sat Sept 28 Charlottetown, PE (Long & McQuade)

Sat Sept 28 Breadalbane, PE

Wed Oct 2 Souris, PE

Thurs Oct 3 Moncton, NB

Fri Oct 4 Amherst, NS

Sat Oct 5 Windsor, NS

Tues Oct 8 Montreal, QC

Wed Oct 9 Ottawa, ON

Thurs Oct 10 Kingston, ON

Fri Oct 11 Ottawa, ON

Sat Oct 12 Peterborough, ON

Tues Oct 15 Orillia, ON

Wed Oct 16 Sudbury, ON

Thurs Oct 17 Rossport, ON

Fri Oct 18 Thunder Bay, ON

Sat Oct 19 Pass Lake, ON

Wed Oct 23 Fort Frances, ON

Thur Oct 24 Kenora, ON

Fri Oct 25 Winnipeg, MB

Sat Oct 26 Regina, SK cancelled

Sun Oct 27 Moose Jaw, SK

Mon Oct 28 Kelvington, SK

Tues Oct 29 Fill This Date!!

Wed Oct 30 Saskatoon, SK

Thurs Oct 31 Lloydminster SK

Nov Dates SK, AB, BC, TBA

Fri Nov 1 Jasper, AB

Sat Nov 2 Edmonton, AB

Mon Nov 4 Edmonton, AB

Tues Nov 5 Edmonton, AB

Wed Nov 6 Coleman, AB

Thur Nov 7 Silverton, BC

Fri Nov 8 Enderby, BC

Sat Nov 9 Spences Bridge, BC

Wed Nov 13 New Westminster, BC

Thur Nov 14 Vancouver, BC

Fri Nov 15 Duncan, BC

Sat Nov 16 Courtenay, BC

Sun Nov 17 Cedar, BC

Tues Nov 19 Victoria, BC

Wed Nov 20 Travel- Inland Passage Ferry

Thurs Nov 21 Prince Rupert, BC

Fri Nov 22 New Hazelton, BC

Sat Nov 23 Prince George, BC

Tues Nov 26 Banff, AB

Wed Nov 27 Calgary, AB

Thurs Nov 28 Calgary, AB

Friday, Nov 29 Lethbridge, AB

Sat Nov 30 Medicine Hat, AB

Dec Dates: AB, SK, MB, ON, TBA

Tues Dec 3 Winnipeg, MB TBC

Fri Dec 6 Kenora, ON TBC

Sat Dec 7 Wabigoon, ON

Sun Dec 8 Thunder Bay, ON

Next National Steel Tour: 2014 w. Morgan Davis