When? Sat 23/02/2008
Where? Partycentrum Het Dak
Stichting Blues ’89 at least another 20 years!
Twenty years of blues in Leerdam, Henk de Ruiten (Bluesblasters) and myself had to be there according to upright bass player Nico de Stigter (Motel Kingz). So we left at the end of the afternoon of February 23rd all the way from up North to Leerdam. A wonderful complex, Partycentre Het Dak, three halls with blues, countryblues, bluesrock and sing/songwriters. You understand that we ran from room to room to see a little of everything.
The organization had a full schedule, which was organized very tightly (compliments). The Bluescrowns open the festival in the St. Louis hall. For us it’s the first time we see frontman Daan Prevoo’s band. Wonderful jump and swing blues, we are already enjoying ourselves. After a few songs we decide to take a look at Nico de Stigter’s band in the Chicago hall. We are very curious to see what the Leerdam based band is up to playing a home match. The room is quite full, we decide to take position behind the house mix and at the bar we buy our first beer to the music of the Motel Kingz. The audience is treated to a big sound. Full of fire the guys play mainly West Coast, Chicago and jump & swing blues. Daniel Derksen signaling the breaks in an original way. A quick look over his shoulder, waving his arm or looking at the drummer, followed by a solo or the end of a song. As mentioned the organization was on a tight schedule, but this left room for the Motel Kingz to do an encore. After that they cleared the stage for the evening’s first headliner Ian Siegal.
We quickly went to the Memphis hall, where Willy B and The Blue Sparrow were playing. This is a duo that plays the blues like it used to be. Guitar and harp perfectly matched, I am imagining a Juke Joint. Except for the cd playing during the band switch out of the Chicago hall, the audience is as quiet as a mouse, listening to this duo. Rightfully so, you don’t hear the blues played like this much anymore. I move back to the Chicago hall, curious to see what’s going on there. We see the guys setting up their own gear, where you would expect the roadies to do that, well think again… Ian Siegal – guitar, Adny Graham – bass and Nikolaj Bjerre –drums set up their own stuff and do a sound check afterwards. In the opening song Ian acts like a sort of ‘ Reverend’. He manages to enthuse the entire hall for the complete set, especially his voice, I sometimes feel like it’s Howlin’ Wolf on stage, great! During Ian’s gig we quickly stopped by Willy B and The Blue Sparrow.
Next we went to the St. Louis haal to see T-99 play. Thay have already started in beautiful authentic fifties outfits they play a tight excerpt from their repertoire, their latest cd ‘ Vagabonds’ being a common source for the setlist. Between 22.30 and 24.00 we move from hall to hall, we can’t choose where we want to be most. In the meantime we run into familiar faces such as a.o. Nico Bluezy Bravenboer, Nico de Stigter, Dusty C. and a journalist that interviews us Northern folks. We are now close to the St. Louis hall and decide to go see Tee, Marc Thijs’ band. Marc just finished his task as producer of Rusty Roots’ recordings. What do we see, sitting behind the drums is non other than Willy Maze (The Electric Kings). From the start we are treated to the familiar ‘Tee sound’, blues with a wonderful bass and Hammond. Music with a drive, which puts me as a listener on a completely different musical track.
In the meantime Danny Bryant’s RedEyeBand is playing, we quickly go see and listen to him. We are immediately treated to a thundering blues rock train. The hall is packed. We go back to enjoy Tee and decide to end the night there. The organization must have aimed to please everyone and this edition they certainly succeeded. A first time for us, great organization and perfect atmosphere! Thanks Hein Derksen, Ben van Slooten, Aart Roza and all volunteers.
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