Fool for the City

Charlie Huhn from Foghat, Humble Pie, and Ted Nugent, 
with Doug McGrew on drums

Donny Evola's Pink Floyd tribute "Echoes"

I’m constantly amazed at the wealth of local music talent here in the Puget Sound area. Some nights I just can’t believe what I’m hearing! And many of these musicians are not just locally well-known, but world-renowned!

Last Friday at the King Cat Theater (one of the best venues in town for concert-quality live music) we all experienced some truly fine rock musicianship. World-famous lead guitarist and vocalist Charlie Huhn, who played for years with legendary bands such as Humble Pie and Ted Nugent, and who is currently touring with Foghat, cranked it up a few levels with excellent Donny Evola and his band Echoes (the best Pink Floyd tribute band I’ve ever heard).

The rhythm section pounded a very tightly-wound “rotary perception,” a term Charles Mingus coined to define the center of each beat, and how different musicians zero in on that center in a way unique to their own style. Our own Doug McGrew blasted the Traps with such Keith Moon-like power and artistry that the entire audience, as well as Charlie and the rest of the band, roared with applause.

Some upcoming shows you won’t want to miss:

Jam Night & Blues To Do TV featuring Power Cell (Lynn Sorensen, Doug McGrew, Michael Johnson) and Special Guests, at 88 Keys in Pioneer Square
Wednesdays, TV taping 6-8pm, Jam 8pm – midnight

Jam Night featuring Power Cell and Special Guests at Oddfellows Grill in Redmond
Thursdays 9pm

Geoffrey Castle, fantastic electric violin, at Club Sur in SODO
Friday, April 22 at 9pm

Fabulous Johnsons (Lynn Sorensen on bass, Jeff Kathan on drums, Michael Johnson on lead guitar) at J&M Cafe in Seattle
Friday, April 29 9pm

Riverbend with Klover Jane (featuring the very talented Rane Stone) and 1Wish, at Hard Rock Café in Seattle
Friday, April 29 at 9pm

Chris Cornell at the Moore Theater in Seattle
Sunday, May 1 at 8pm

No Quarter (top-notch Led Zeppelin Tribute) at Big Daddy's in Woodinville
Friday, May 6 at 8:30pm

Soul Stripper (Howard Comfort’s excellent AC/DC Tribute) at R&R Sports Bar in Graham, WA
Saturday, May 14 at 9pm

Poodle Bomb (with Mark Fluegel on bass) at J&M Cafe in Seattle
Thursday, May 19 at 8pm

Magic Bus at Tulalip Casino Canoes Lounge
Friday, June 3 at 9:30pm

Local Live Music

Time to rock!
The next few weeks are brimming with live music from a constellation of talented local musicians. My picks:

JAM NIGHT at 88 Keys in Seattle hosted by Power Cell
Wednesdays at 8:00pm

Magic Bus at Tulalip Casino-Canoes Cabaret Lounge
Friday, January 14 at 9:00pm

Cory Wilds Band at Williams Ave Sports Bar in Renton
Friday, January 14 9:00pm

JAM NIGHT at The Barrel in Burien hosted by Doug McGrew
Tuesdays at 8:00pm

Magic Bus at Tulalip Casino-Canoes Cabaret Lounge
Wednesday, January 19 at 9:30pm

Cory Wilds Band at Salty’s Redondo in Des Moines, WA
Friday and Saturday, January 21 & 22 at 8:00pm

Guy Johnson at J&M Café in Seattle
Saturday, January 22 at 9:00pm

NSANE at Collectors’ Choice in Snohomish
Friday, January 28 at 9:00pm

Power Cell at Tulalip Casino-Canoes Cabaret Lounge
Saturday, January 29 at 5:00-8:00pm

Randy Hansen with Special Guest Menace at Jazzbones in Tacoma
Saturday, January 29 at 9:00pm

No Quarter (Led Zeppelin tribute) at Tulalip Casino-Canoes Cabaret Lounge
Sunday, January 30 at 8:00pm

Dudley Taft at the Hard Rock in Seattle
Friday, February 4 at 5:00-8:00pm

Echos (Pink Floyd tribute) with Randy Hansen at King Cat Theater in Seattle
Saturday, February 5 at 7:30pm

No Quarter (Led Zeppelin tribute) at The Central Saloon in Seattle
Saturday, February 5 at 9:00pm – 1:00am

Heartless (Heart tribute) at Tulalip Casino-Canoes Cabaret Lounge
Sunday, February 6 at 9:00pm

Jamming Eight Days a Week (Almost)

One of the best ways to experience live music is by attending any of the many Jam Nights around town. You'll see seasoned musicians, young upstarts, and people who just want to play. Surprising combinations of players can spark magic when you least expect it. It's truly humbling to witness the wealth of talent right here in front of us.

For a robust list of jam nights around Puget Sound, visit http://openmikes.org

Some of my favorites:

SUNDAYS
Blues Night Jam, hosted by Tommy Wall, featuring Andrew Cloutier on drums. Each week features a special guest guitarist. 7-10 PM
Raging River Cafe, Fall City
33723 Redmond-Fall City Rd.
Fall City, WA 98024
425-222-6669

Open Mic Jam, 8pm
Lighthouse Bar, Des Moines
22239 Marine View S
Des Moines, WA
206-824-4920

TUESDAYS
Open Mic Night, hosted by Tim Turner Band, 9pm
Wilde Rover Irish Pub & Restaurant, Kirkland
111 Central Way
Kirkland , WA 98033
425-822-8940

Open Mic, 8pm
Barrel Tavern, Burien
11051 1st Ave S.
Burien, WA
206-244-7390

WEDNESDAYS
Jam Night, hosted by Powercell (Lynn Sorensen), 8pm
Oddfellows Grill, Redmond
7979 Leary Way NE
Redmond, WA 98052
425-882-7800