BLIND LEMON PEEL “POP-UP BLUES FESTIVAL”

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Joseph Timmons in Artist / Musician, Concerts, Other News // 0 Comments

ANNOUNCING THE BLIND LEMON PEEL “POP-UP BLUES FESTIVAL”

DEBUTING AT HARVELLE’S IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Thursday, June 9 – Doors 8pm/Showtime: 9 pm

Announcing the Blind Lemon Peel “Pop-Up Blues Festival,” making it’s debut on Thursday, June 9 at Harvelles Blues Club, 201 E. Broadway.

Showtime: 9 pm. $10. Info: (562) 239-3700, or http://longbeach.harvelles.com/; alsohttps://www.facebook.com/The-Blind-Lemon-Peel-Pop-Up-Blues-Festival.

In addition to the bands, there will be a variety of vendors selling arts and crafts, music memorabilia, etc. at each Pop-Up Festival.

Rising Long Beach R&B/blues/soul vocalist-singer-songwriter Shy But Flyy (pictured) performs at the first Blind Lemon Peel Pop-Up Blues Festival on Thursday, June 9.

Performing on June 9: Long Beach-based music acts, Shy But Flyy(r&b/blues/soul vocalist); The Regular Guys (blues); and the Blind Lemon Peel Blues All-Stars.

Subsequent Pop-Up Blues Festivals are scheduled for Harvelle’s/Long Beach (July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17,December 15); Rusty’s Surf Ranch in Santa Monica (July 8); and the Blue Beet in Newport Beach (July 7, August 4, September 1, October 6,November 3, December 1).

“The Pop-Up Blues Festival is to promote, feature, and give exposure to local artists. We had been offered to do a monthly third-Thursday at Harvelle’s in Long Beach, which I didn’t want to be just about (our band), explains Blind Lemon Peel front-man David Hale, on how the Pop-Up Blues Festival concept was conceived. “I saw it as an opportunity to really reach and focus on local musicians and give them the opportunity to play on that stage. That, to me, was my dream come true. When I mentioned it to my publicist, he said, “why don’t you position it as a pop-up blues festival? You can tweak it around and it can pop up in different places.” Confirmed to perform at upcoming Pop-Up Blues Festivals: New Blues Revolution; Bluespower; SoCal Blues Club; Betty Rose; Mark Wein; The Hurricanes; BullDawg Band; Celso Salim; Shure Thing Band; and more.

Blind Lemon Peel All-Stars put on a high-octane blues show second to none.

Blind Lemon Peel All-Stars: Some Background

“This ain’t no sittin’ around cryin in your beer blues band”, insists front-man/lead vocalist, Blind Lemon Peel. “We’re a kick-a**, funky, get up and shake your love thang, boogie-woogie blues machine”. Blind Lemon Peel All-Stars have recently headlined some of the top blues rooms in L.A., including Harvelle’s, Catalina Jazz Club, and The Mint.

The sextet consists of the aforementioned Blind Lemon Peel, self-described as “an old black man trapped in an ever older white man’s body”, a brawny-voiced blues shouter in the same tradition as his heroes, Big Joe Turner and Howlin’ Wolf. Bassist Ray Brundidge toured for eight years with the legendary James Brown and, says Peel, “is the glue that holds it all together. He puts the bass in its place and the jump start in your soul”. Guitarist Lucky Lloyd plays a Detroit/Chicago style of blues, with a taste of Mississippi thrown in.

Lloyd attributes his music style to the influences of Albert king, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and BB King, among others. “His live performances and killer vocals are authentic and energized”, says Peel. “Lucky is an All-Star among All-Stars”. Renowned drummer Craig Kimbrough “brews up his own blend of magic while keeping the beat with his fatback grooves”, asserts Peel. Kimbrough has played with greats including Solomon Burke, Swamp Dogg, Jimmy McCracken, and Lowell Fulson, to name a few. Lead guitarist D.J. Ison is “the masters of guitar stylings – some Stevie Ray Vaughn here, a little Billy Gibbons there, a pinch of BB King for spicin’ and a whole lotta his bad old self all over the place”, explains Peel. “You never heard nuthin’ like D.J. before; doubt you ever will again”.

Regarding vocalist Alyssa Baron, Peel says, “this little fireball brings the stage to life, embodying influences such as Etta James and Janis Joplin. Don’t let her size fool you – she may be petite, but her voice is like a hard right jab to your solar plexus”.