J_Bark
63 posts
May 30, 2015
6:43 AM
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I went down to The Midway Tavern last night to see Sugar Blue. I had never been to this place before and I would rate it as an old school blues joint/beer bar. No frills in this place, I would say it struck me as being like the Dan Lynch bar that A.G. describes in his book, blues, characters and liquor but not much else.
Sugar Blue played two sets, starting at 9 and ending just after midnight. His playing was terrifically skillful and at times I thought truly inspired, or at least inspiring to me. But often he was just playing so much that the music became second to his licks. When he dialed it back just a bit he sounded amazing. He also played acoustically through his vocal mic a time or two and his acoustic tone was IMO fabulous. His rig appeared to be a high impedance bullet mic, wireless mic system of some sort, two pedals that he set and left alone, all run through a mesa boogie amp.
His band is composed of great musicians but I got the feeling that they were there to back up SB and not to play music if you get my drift. They did play a blistering version of Messin' With the Kid where the band locked in, SB held back and let them have the moment, and they flat tore it up. They closed with a cool version of Miss You, a Rolling Stones song the SB played on, it was kind of popular once so you might have heard it before???
I also found it odd that he was introduced as "two time grammy award winner Sugar Blue" four times over the course of two sets. Nothing wrong with being proud of winning two Grammies, but really? Four times?
I would go see him again if he is in my neighborhood, a fun night all in all.
Jerry
Last Edited by J_Bark on May 30, 2015 6:44 AM
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ted burke
247 posts
May 30, 2015
7:06 AM
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Wish he'd come to my town. I saw him at a San Diego blues Bar Blind Melon's ten years ago and he , as you said, "tore it up". Overbearing with the soloing, yes, but over all simply astounding. I didn't play harmonica for a few days after the show.
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Ted Burke
__________________
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tburke4@san.rr.com
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JInx
1028 posts
May 30, 2015
10:28 AM
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Did he do any of his angry, you white folks don't know nothing bout the blues, routine?
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atty1chgo
1256 posts
May 30, 2015
12:18 PM
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"His band is composed of great musicians but I got the feeling that they were there to back up SB and not to play music if you get my drift."
-- Um, its his band. But to your point, I find it hard to believe that guitarist Rico McFarland isn't there to "play music". How about the warmup songs before Blue comes on, where Rico usually tears it up in an incredible way? I will admit that he flutters around more than a bit with excessive notes, but once I got past that and listened to what he was doing with the notes, I was in awe.
He plays through an Astatic JT-30, element unknown, and uses Hohner Special 20 harps.His remote setup is hands down the most clear I have ever heard.
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ted burke
248 posts
May 30, 2015
12:50 PM
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@Jinx: Not when I saw him. I talked to him between sets briefly and he was a friendly guy.Not humble, by any means, but amiable. I could be mistaken, but I doubt it. As regards his band, he gave his mates plenty of room to do their thing.
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Ted Burke
__________________
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tburke4@san.rr.com
Last Edited by ted burke on May 31, 2015 7:06 AM
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Sarge
463 posts
May 30, 2015
1:22 PM
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I've seen him a couple of times and both times was a great show and like Ted says he is a friendly guy.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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hvyj
2689 posts
May 30, 2015
10:45 PM
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Just got home from seeing Sugar Blue at Callahan's in Auburn Hills, Michigan. WOW!!! Best performance from him that I've ever seen. He was in great voice and there were some new arrangements of older tunes. The band was exceptionally tight, and SB gave the guitar and keys quite a bit of room to solo. The guitar player was Corey Dennison and he was smokin' hot.
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Ilaria was telling me that they still use Rico, but he was not available for this trip. They are at Wilbert's in Clevland on Monday.
@jinx: I spoke with SB between sets and I've spoken with him on several other occasions at other performances . I wouldn't necessarily say that he's naturally friendly or that he never has a bad attitude, but I've never had him be anything but cordial and courteous to me. He is married to Ilaria Lantieri, his bass player, who is Italian and they have a very cute 1 year old child. Including Ilaria, the band was white except for SB and the drummer. I don't get a racist vibe from SB at all.
Last Edited by hvyj on Jun 01, 2015 9:44 AM
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J_Bark
64 posts
May 31, 2015
6:16 AM
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"-- Um, its his band." Yes it is, and I think they played like "his band" rather than "a band" if that helps to clarify my thoughts.
" But to your point, I find it hard to believe that guitarist Rico McFarland isn't there to "play music". How about the warmup songs before Blue comes on, where Rico usually tears it up in an incredible way?" They did not do any "warm up" songs, they started the show at 9 with Sugar Blue playing I'm Burning Up one of my favorites off of his recent album "LIVE."
as hvyj commented, Corey Dennison was on guitar for this show and he is a heck of a good player. Hvyj also mentioned that the band "was exceptionally tight," so maybe they just had an off night on Friday. They flat tore it up at the end of the show, earlier not so much IMO.
" I will admit that he flutters around more than a bit with excessive notes, but once I got past that and listened to what he was doing with the notes, I was in awe." We are 100% in agreement here, in awe of what he can do.
Cheers,
Jerry
Last Edited by J_Bark on May 31, 2015 6:20 AM
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marine1896
192 posts
May 31, 2015
7:03 AM
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I have to say this, I've met SB a few times here in the UK the last time was at a festival and he actually remembered me walked straight up to ME and shook my hand! Now, I have a pretty unapologetic, ribald sense of humour that did not put him off from shooting the shit with me...so I'd say he is pretty friendly and I think very genuine!
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"Those British boys want to play the blues real bad, and they do"
Last Edited by marine1896 on May 31, 2015 8:25 AM
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Thievin' Heathen
534 posts
May 31, 2015
7:47 AM
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So, I went to his website to see when he might be in my area and found it is just not to be. I find it interesting that he is playing a lot of in Chicago bars.
It is probably not for the money. I don't know if he is keeping his chops tight, giving back to the community or just hanging out with friends in Chicago, but you guys up there are damn lucky.
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Goldbrick
1020 posts
May 31, 2015
1:59 PM
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probably to keep tour costs low. hard to break even out on the road these days
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Philosofy
701 posts
May 31, 2015
7:56 PM
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Damn, I forgot about the show. I had plans for Friday that fell through, and when they did, I forgot about this show.
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JInx
1029 posts
May 31, 2015
8:03 PM
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He'll always be an ungrateful, condescending 2nd rate performer in my book. Maybe he's singing a new tune, age will do that..
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HarpNinja
4091 posts
Jun 01, 2015
7:59 AM
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I recently got my wood mic from Greg updated with his new element. I am trying to dial in a direct to PA sound after having done so with a SM58 or 57 for the entirety of my career.
Sugar's live sound would be killer. Haven't got it figured out yet, but I am hoping I can get there with my current gear.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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tmf714
2750 posts
Jun 01, 2015
9:02 AM
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Dig this Mike-
I heard Sugar puts an SM57/58 element in his bullet shell-
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HarpNinja
4092 posts
Jun 01, 2015
9:18 AM
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I heard that too! I think Pat Ramsey has a dynamic element too.
I've wanted one like that, but I am told it is hard to do. THE from Greg sounds pretty close to a SM57.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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hvyj
2690 posts
Jun 01, 2015
9:31 AM
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@HarpNinja: When I saw him on Saturday, SB had his usual bullet mic hard wired to a wireless transmitter on his belt, the Wire less receiver was on top of a Mesa Boogie Mark series amp. No pedals or rack mount effects that I could see. His tone had a little more treble edge or bite to it than when I've heard him on other occasions. He used to have a very slight defune or flange timbre which I assumed was from the mic, but may have been from his previous wireless rig. I dunno.
When I first saw Blue around '91 he was playing through a wood finished Mesa Boogie Mark that was a gift from Keith Richards. He had a rack mounted Alessis Quadra Verb, and a rack mounted preamp on top of the amp. Also an Digitech or Boss octave pedal on top of the rack gear that I never saw him use. He was playing wireless. He also appeared to be on something, but when I talked to him after the show he was cordial.
The next time I saw him was many years later at Wilbert's and he had a black or dark gray tolex Mark and a wireless with an antenna. According to Rico, the rig I first saw him with had been stolen. SB was no longer on anything but towards the end of the night he had a pretty shitty attitude about the size of the audience or lack thereof. But, again, he was cordial. That was the first time I met Ilaria who is really nice, very down to earth, and always pleasant to chat with.
The next couple of times I saw SB he had the same wireless and a smaller black tolex Mark that I'm told he was borrowing from Rico who had bought it on eBay. The amp he had Saturday looked like the same amp, but the wireless was different. No effects.
What struck me on Saturday was the showmanship and stage presence of SB and the band which was much more disciplined and polished than I've ever seen before. And the musical delivery was incredibly tight and precise. Superior to anything I'd seen from them previously and very impressive when combined with the high energy level of the show.
The drummer is from Ronnie Baker Brooks' touring band and one of the musicians I went to the show with knew him from being on the same bill with RBB last year. Very nice guy.
Does anyone know when SB got his second Grammy and what is was for?
Last Edited by hvyj on Jun 01, 2015 9:49 AM
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Frank101
88 posts
Jun 01, 2015
10:50 AM
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per his website:
"He received the 1985 Grammy Award for his work on the Atlantic album 'Blues Explosion' ... He recorded on Dixon's Grammy-winning 'Hidden Charms' album in 1989."
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