Urbana Blues, Brews, & BBQ Day 2

Urbana Blues, Brews, & BBQ
Downtown Urbana, IL
June 26, 2009

It was a humid, June morning I set off on my 200 mile trek to the great city of Urbana. Known for its good local live music scene and home of the Kilborn Alley Blues Band, the second annual Urbana Blues, Brews, & BBQ was set to be a day of firsts for me. Temperatures were a scorching 93+ degrees and the humidity was around 90% or more, making for a pretty miserable state of affairs.
First on the ticket was local favorite The Impalas. Featuring a line-up of great local talent including Bruce "Bruiser" Rummenie and vocalist Dawna Nelson; the crew breezed through some cool crisp originals and versions of "Got Love If You Want It" and "Green Onions." The few and the brave stepped out on to the hot asphalt of Main Street and danced some swing in the heat, generating some breeze for the close by spectators.
Gina Sicilia, who was featured on JJS a week back for her show at the Dragon's Dome, brought the same band with her to the Urbana stage. Sicilia, even though it was smokin' hot, unleashed a furious of some of the most unabashed blues shouting I've heard out of the young lady. Belting out much of the same setlist from her Dragon's Dome set from earlier in the week, unleashed some more rousing versions of "Hound Dog" and "Cherry Red Wine," as well as a smoking version of the title track to her first album "Allow Me to Confess." Matt Hill again wowed the crowd with his bulky handle on the guitar, jumping and jerking every ounce of the notes out of both his slide work and fretted guitar. VizzTone Label Group co-owner Bob Margolin popped on stage and joined the group of new bloods for two numbers before ducking in the back to cool off for his own set.
Bob Margolin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Stroger then took the stage as a trio rolling through some tough, hard-earned Chicago blues favorites and some from Margolin's extensive back catalog of songwriting. Matt Hill, who often joins Bob Margolin on many dates told me back stage it was the first he had seen Willie "Big Eyes" Smith drum in many months. It was great catching all these pillars of the blues in rare form, despite the heat. Margolin prowled the stage with commanding presence being a well spring of some of his former boss Muddy Waters' classic hits like "I'm Ready" and "Mannish Boy," as well as hits from other big hitters in blues including Jimmy Reed's "Big Boss Man." The old dogs even recalled Gina Sicilia and Matt Hill back to the stage for two more numbers to close their rousing set of authentic blues.
If you weren't hot enough, the heat got worse as the day wore on. The thing that made it all worth it was the music was still amazing. The already hot stage got warmed up for Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater. Clearwater's band warmed up the stage led by guitarist Shoji Naito who's guitar playing in the authentic Chicago Blues vein is just as good as any I've heard around these days. This young man is a great sideman but watch out when he steps to the front for a solo. He can burn. Not to be outdone, "The Chief" strolled out and burned down the house with many songs from his latest album on Alligator West Side Strut. With his colorful attire and commanding guitar attack, Clearwater roused the faithful braving the heat to dance and clap their hands.
Next, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith's band took the stage burning through many of the songs off of Smith's new disc Born In Arkansas. Smith had effectively taken a wardrobe change as well as laid down the drum sticks for his now signature harp attack. Margolin again accompanied on guitar as well as "Willie's adopted son" Little Frank Krakowski and veteran Chicago-based drummer Jimmy Mays. The final three songs of the set they were joined by the legendary Pinetop Perkins. Perkins sang and played on the tunes "How Long," his autobiographical "Born In Mississippi," and the set closer "Got My Mojo Workin'." As the sun had gone down, more people had flocked to the front and were now huddled in the cool of the evening and cheering on these great blues heroes.
Lightning from an incoming storm could be seen flashing in the distance, as a state of unease set in on whether the final performer Buckwheat Zydeco would get to play. After several sound issues with the huge 7-piece band were finally cleared up, they hit the stage hard with horns, organ, and guitar. Veteran Louisiana guitar slinger Paul Senegal opened up the stage with some funky blues numbers, capsizing with a rousing burn into "The Thrill is Gone." They were playing so good that the amp to the PA blew midway through the song and all stopped for ten minutes as the sound issues were once again resolved. Picking back up where they were abruptly cut off, the band sunk their teeth into the final half of the song. With his signature silver accordion in hand, Zydeco stormed the stage with his Cajun flavorings, giving ruckus performances of new and old material including his own styling of Hank Williams, Sr.'s "Hey, Good Lookin'." As soon as Zydeco's set finished the rain set in and many in the crowd made their way two blocks over to the all night jam session hosted by local favorite and 2-time BMA nominated group Kilborn Alley, who rocked the blues on into the night.