Big Head Todd and the Monsters along with special guests formed the Big Head Blues Club, kicked off the start of the six week tour ‘Blues at the Crossroads – A tribute to Robert Johnson’, at the Regency Ballroom Friday night in San Francisco, CA.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect tonight but the names of the great blues musicians such as David “Honeyboy” Edwards and Hubert Sumlin, ensured that is would not be the Big Head Todd that I had known in the past. The night was a coming together of musicians celebrating what would have been Robert Johnson’s 100th Birthday. Johnson was poisoned to death at the age of 27 by the husband of the woman he was “flirting” with – a tragedy that has “blues” written all over it. Joining Monsters’ Todd Park Mohr, Brian Nevin and Jeremy Lawton were Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Lightnin’ Malcolm lit up the stage (pun totally intended) as his feet danced along with the music making it nearly impossible to focus anywhere else – you couldn’t help but be drawn to him. That is until Hubert Sumlin came out as the first guest. Playing for over 50 years, the former Howlin’ Wolf guitarist commanded the stage without a word. “Honeyboy” Edwards, who was a friend of Johnson’s had the appearance of a man who has ‘seen it all’. At 95 he is the 2nd oldest living blues musician – his soulful voice silenced the audience. The climax of the evening was when both legends took the stage together. The mere sight of them sitting side by side with their guitars lead the crowd to their feet as Sumlin reached over for Honeyboy’s hand at the end of their performance – an image that is worth a thousand words.
The Regency Ballroom was a great setting for the evening. Recently re-vamped and detailed, the venue provided an intimate feel for the birthday celebration – an evening between mentors, musicians and friends. The Big Head Blues Club will making its way across the US over the next month and a half. If you get a chance to check it out it is a great way to get reaquainted with this seminal Blues artist.
Jan. 31 Santa Barbara, CA Campbell Hall / UCSB
Feb. 04 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre
Feb. 05 Dallas, TX Lakewood Theatre
Feb. 10 Ann Arbor, MI Hill Auditorium / U of M
Feb. 11 Chicago, IL Orchestra Hall
Feb. 12 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre
Feb. 13 Meridian, MS Riley Center / MSU
Feb. 16 Chapel Hill, NC Memorial Hall / UNC Chapel Hill
Feb. 17 North Bethesda, MD The Music Center at Strathmore
Feb. 18 Boston, MA Berklee School of Music
Feb. 24 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
Feb. 25 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theatre
Feb. 26 Blue Bell, PA Montgomery County Community College
Feb. 27 New Bedford, MA Zeiterion Theater
March 4 Milwaukee, WI Potowatomi Casino
March 5 Omaha, NE Holland Performing Arts Center
March 6 Minneapolis, MN Orchestra Hall
March 8 Urbana, IL Krannert Center – Tyrone Festival Theatre
So happy you covered this. So wanted to go, but was at another show in Santa Cruz. Excellent pix, Tom!