Shotts fired?-update

UPDATE-New management/ownership is in place and the name has been changed to Legends
Rumor has it the Great "Petta’" has again had to leave town. Boisee heard that his Sports pub in the Spectrum plaza has changed ownership with Shott still owing some rent. A sign on the door speaks of a “management” change and that no coupons etc. will be honored. sports pub-web.jpg It is a good bet he hasn’t paid for radio ads that ran this fall either. Hopefully this is Petta's last Shott.
”Bon Apetit” indeed.

Memphis-Lori B!'s take

Here is The INTERNATIONAL BLUES CONTEST from Lori's perspective and one more photo of the B! Brigade. B!'s Take on Memphis.

Well, we made it home everyone!  What a trip!  We got into Memphis Wednesday afternoon.  Went down on Beale St. Wed, night and partied it up.  We ended up at the Rum Boogie Club and there was a little club next door that had an AWESOME band called Delta Highway who got Nathan and I on the stage.  The next morning, I had people coming up to me asking if I was the one singing the night before.  It was VERY cool.   We didn't realize that we would play more than one time.  Our venue was Alfred's and we played Thursday and Friday night for different Judges each night.  On Thursday, we had one of the Judges come up and say that we were one of the best bands he has heard.  I am not sure if Judges are supposed to do that, but HOW COOL WAS THAT???!!!   Friday morning, Rex (keys), Bob (drummer) and I were standing in the lobby and Don Wilcock from the Blues Review Magazine and Promoter asked for our Band Bio because he wants to book us for some Blues Festivals this summer, one I think in New York!  We also had another promoter and a couple Blues Societies ask for our info to book us for their venues also.  KILLER CONTACTS!!!!!    We played again Friday night and rocked Alfreds again.  They asked us to come back and play Saturday night for the Quarter Finals.  The B! Brigade-web.jpg       The competition was fierce!!  We went up against band that had been playing/touring for years.  There was another band that had brought there tour van and was leaving Memphis to go on tour. (Don, that was Lara Price, they didn't make the finals).  The bands that did make the finals were incredible.  There was one band that had a family of three kids in it. Homemade Jamz. The singer was 14 (he), bass player 12 (he), drummer 9 (she was so cute!).  They will go far.  Sean Carney Band.  They have backed Christine Kittrell, Jimmy "T-99" Nelson, Joe Weaver, Big Joe Duskin and Teeny Tucker.  Carney performed at the Paris Jazz Festival with Hall "Cornbread" singer in July 2006 and will begin his second tour of Canada in Feb 2007.  They will tour Europe in October 2007.  YIKES!!  So, I don't feel so bad that our little band from Boise who wrote our originals and got ready in 2 months didn't make it this time.  We learned a lot from this and we will work really hard this year, get more originals, get our sets down and be totally prepared for next year.    We will keep you posted on our year, CD and other cool stuff.  Thank you all again for your support, love and donations.  We couldn't have done it without all of you. 

Go to boiseblues.org to see where we are playing and we will see you all at Fat Tuesday on Feb. 20th at the 127.  Look for the lineup coming soon.   HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Lori B!

Beale Street

Like the old Johnny Cash song “I've been everywhere, man. ” Work and play have taken me to some of America’s greatest places lately. Broadway, Waikiki, Venice Beach,The Vegas Strip, Pikes Market, Fisherman's Wharf, The Boston Commons, Boise’s 8th street-all cool. No street in America beats Beale street in Memphis Tennessee. Why? A stroll down Memphis’s Beale is an almost overwhelming sensory experience. An intoxicating voodoo brew. Music, food, history, liquor, smiles, commerce, and neon mix like nowhere else in america.

Just up from the Mississippi you begin at the magnificent former vaudeville theater The Orpheum. As you head past Elvis and the garishly lit horse drawn carriages you hear the sound of live hand crafted Blues.

carriage-web.jpgIt pours out of doors and windows as you pass by the famous B B Kings. Further down you move by historic Handy’s Blues Hall and then roll down towards Alfred's. The Blues seems to warm the air even on an the unusually cold and snowy Memphis night.

Could it be the smell of slow cooked pork ribs that sets Beale street apart? Sure New York has it hot dog vendors, and nothing compares to the sweet-spicy and earthy scent of a big city Chinatown, or the fishy, salty, coffee allure of Seattle's Pike Street. Me? Give me the southern fried taste of Beale.

In Vegas and Times Square the neon blinds you. Mile high slots, and building sized Nike ads. This weeks celebrity smiles down from above, hoping to entice you into a shop or casino. It Memphis the signal is often an old hand painted and neon sign. The colors more subtle and muted with time. The reds and blues a softer and more powerful message. eat drink-web.jpg

Most of America’s big cities have become like sunburned malls. In New York, Vegas, or Honolulu, the tourist traps and chain stores have taken over. Food Courts with parking meters. Every town has a TGIF, a Bubba Gumps and a couple of Mic D’s. Each with that glossy, perfect commercial look that is so jarring. Nike, Starbucks, Channel, Ripley's Believe It or Not, all line up like good capitalists shoulder to shoulder. Cheerfully there totake your money.

In Memphis, there is almost none of that. Even the Hard Rock hosted the Blues contest this week. In " The home of the Blues",, they great you with a smile and a Hi, ya all, where all ya from” Even the pan handlers are polite, offering up tips on the best BBQ or music. blues hall juke web.jpg

Memphis is a full body experience that should not be missed. You should to go soon, it is too good to be true. The fat cat corporations can’t be far behind to screw it up. memphis night web.jpg

Memphis-Nathan Jay's take

Here is a recap of the Memphis experiance from Nathan. The photos are from Mellisa"Click" Larson. Hey everyone!

Lori B! and the Boys returned home from Memphis! We didn't make the finals but we were in the quarter finals. 94 Bands, 10 made the finals and 9 from the remaining 84 were selected for the quarter finals. Very stiff competition and tons of great music. We gave it our best shot performing against some acts that have been together for over 20 years. Our 2 month old all original set was definitely a hit, however not enough to take us all the way. Being one of the top 19 bands out of 94 ........... I will take as a personal victory for us, especially with all the talent I witnessed this last week. Our flights home were delayed, our luggage lost but it has definitely been a trip I will never forget. Thanks to Lori B! for ....well just being her and putting all her effort into this. If we go back next year we'll win it for you baby! Special thanks to Troy Thomas, David Day, Jo Fryberger, and everyone else from Boise that came to support and help. Between all of us I am sure we took 1,000 photos so I will try to send more out. Playing the famous Beale St. has become a dream come true for all of us and even though we did not win, we made a lot of great contacts and will be doing some great events this year.......one I am particularly looking forward to will be a Blues Fest in New York. Stay tuned for details. Thanks again and here are some pics from our Friday Night performance at the famous Alfred's on Beale St. : : : : : : :

Nathan Jay Mem.JPGMem 6.JPGMem 5.JPGMem 4.JPGMem 3.JPG

Monday Funnies-Rules To Enter Idaho ...

Hi all, made it back. More on B!-Boys-Graceland and Memphis in a day or two. For now all I have the energy for is a bit of fun. . . enjoy The following list of rules applies to each person as they enter Idaho. Learn 'em & remember 'em. * Pull up your droopy pants. You look like an idiot.

* Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road". I drive a pickup truck because I need to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it, park it, or get out of the way.

* They are horses, cattle & sheep and that's what they smell like. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-84 goes east and west, I-95 goes north and south. Pick one.

* So you have a $60,000 dollar car. We're impressed. We have quarter-million dollar air conditioned tractors that we drive 3 weeks a year.

* Yes, every person in every pickup waves. It's being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

* If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

* Yeah, we eat walleye & rainbow trout. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

* The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

* We open doors for women regardless of age.

* No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.

* When we set out the spread on a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and A-1. Plus Kechup if there are potatoes.

* You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice.

* You bring "Mary Jane" into my house and she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

* High School Football is as important here as the Vikings or the Seattle Seahawks and a dang site more fun to watch.

* Yeah, we have golf courses. Don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.

* Colleges? Try Boise State University. Graduates come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays.

* We have more folks per capita in the Navy, Army, Marines, and Air Force than any other state, so "Don't Mess with Idaho."

If you do, prepare to get your fanny kicked by the best. Thanks M3

Memphis Update-Surprise

it’s already happening. Lori B! & the Boys were chosen to perform on historic Beale Street tonight (Saturday). The bands on stage tonight were the best of the non finalists. In Memphis the B! has the Buzz.

Oh, and we are going to Graceland

Memphis Update-Call the Blues Police, there has been a robbery

Someone stole the International Blues Judges good taste. Lori and the Boys did not make the finals! However they played their hearts out and made an HUGE impression on Memphis and the International Blue Competition. B! and the Boys loss to a good band from France is no defeat. Everywhere anyone associated with Lori went this week we were commended on her and the bands style, grace and talent. Big things are ahead for this band. Managers, publicists and a whole troup of new were fans have been knocked out by the B!

Is it like American Idol where the judges chose wrong? Taylor Hicks won, but Jennifer Hudson has the Golden Globe Award!

There is no shame in the performance of this band. They played their best and the judges got it wrong. Period.

Thanks to Boise Blues Society, Lori, the Boys the rest and the ever growing B!Brigade.

Let’s go to Graceland.

Memphis-update

Quick update, not sure how long I will have a signal. B! is kicking ass. They played so well stoic bassman Cory almost smiled on stage.

memphis cory web.jpg
Lot's of the folks down here think the band will make the finals and play Saturday night at the famous Orpiheum theater-man oh man! Although technical problems snuck into last nights gig, the band handled sound and equipment hassles with a professionalism that speaks volumes of there experience and talent. The adoring audience never even noticed and packed the dance floor.alfriedslve web.jpg

Hopefully more when I get a better wireless connection.

Memphis

Beale street at dusk in the snow.

memphis bar music web.jpg
Don't need much more!

Can you see Elvis?

Pengilly's-update

From Rick Overtonto Boisee.com 9:59 am 2.01.07 The Statesman reported that the Pengilly's sale is done, with Allen Ireland the majority partner and minority stakes held by Curtis Stigers and some other guy. The first thing they're gonna do is ban smoking, then clean it up and get better beer, but the staff is intact and changes are alleged to stop there.

Can't believe no smoking will work at Pete's, guess we will see.

Thanks Rick!

Eat Drink Boogie Repeat

stax web.jpgIn Memphis, the B! Blues Brigade left the hotel and wandered toward the famous Beale St. As expected, we soon heard music. The Rum Boogie Cafe we just what we wanted. The band up front was good. Played a mostly pop set with lots of Elvis and the like. Sitting at the bar with a plate of fried Catfish in front of me, I kept hearing a whaling harp player. Every time the the secret passage like door opened behind me I could hear a great band. blueshall sign web.jpgThrough this wall was the Blues Hall The Juke Joint. We stepped through and the party was ON. blueshall web.jpg

The Delta Highway band was intense. The harp player, had a John Nemeth like style back when John was still “Fat.” Traditional blues with a edge and verve that had this old Juke Joint a rockin’. As you would expect, soon Lori and Nathan found the stage. Let’s just say they owned Beale Street! If they can bring it as well tonight, we got us a contender.Blues hall b! web.jpg

The Scotch gods willing-more soon.

Deja Vu Again

Mac & Charles(formerly the Hanger) was apparently issued a citation for serving a minor this weekend! Several other bars including China Blue were also cited for various violations.

Pat in Belise

My old friend and roommate Pat Mahonney made it to Belise.Here is a picture and a post from his traveling partner Joe Hi all, We made it to Dangriga. We have rented a small house and are trying to get moved in. We still don't have a phone yet and Internet at home will be a ways off. There is a place downtown where I can plug in my lap top so I hope to be back in touch now. The Internet here is sort of slow, so please refrain from sending me big files right now. The house is not too small but it doesn't have hot water or AC which is OK because it doesn't have windows either. We kinda' get 1 TV channel but it goes off the air at midnight. The geckos help keep us entertained though. All is well with us and I'll try to get out more info as time goes by.belise.jpg Well Happy Trails, Joe & Patrick

Graffitti

grafitti-web.jpgMany of my best photos are of Boise and it’s beautiful buildings. I love old hand painted signs, alleyways and old landscapes. Lately many of these classic vistas have been “tagged.” Graffiti is slowly taking over the city. Since it is unchecked you can only expect it to get worse. Instead of working so hard on giving a poor secretary a DUI for have an extra wine. Maybe Boise City can spend a little more time busting these vandals. Seems as if two cops and spotlight would catch the lot in a night ot two.