Dave Armstrong sitting in at
the Run
photo by ©John
Blair
June 28-29th--The Elephant
Run--Tulsa, Oklahoma--It's summertime and it's hot, but the Elephant
Run is cool. Way cool. I'm talking mainly about the
staff. They are so appreciative of our music and remain as
hospitable as they come. It was Ken's birthday this weekend and a
grand time was had by all. We were joined on stage by local bass
man, Dave Armstrong, who led us through a few standards. In a town
rich with quality musicians, Tulsa has a gem in this great bass
player/singer. John and Sandy Blair joined us once again as we
made the now ceremonial pilgrimage to the Mexicali Border Cafe on
Saturday. John, our Authorized Midwest Photographer was snapping
away with his keen eye and busy camera. All of the
"quality" photos on this site are courtesy of John
Blair. Look for pictures of you on our photos pages...Also at the
show this weekend was Gary's lovely wife, Camy, who joins us back at a
show after a year and a half or so. You see, she was a little
busy...having a baby. Er...Macy Gail to be exact. I'll try
to swing some current photos of the little darling for next entry.
In the mean time, here's Camy and Gary's oldest daughter, Jordan having
a time:
Camy and Jordan
photo by ©John
Blair
June 22nd--The ByPass--Joplin,
Missouri--Whew! What a game...what a season! Nathan and
I appreciate Don and the band for letting me be a part of a wonderful
experience with my son. Saturday night was HOT...and HUMID!
Ugh... The ByPass, as has been stated many times, is a premier
venue for us. In the summertime, the band gets to perform out back
on the really neat deck. Problem is...the deck is sandwiched
between two city buildings and the cool summer breeze has a hard time
finding its way to the stage. Can't dampen our groove,
though. When Brian kicks off that Rock Me Baby groove, the
chill down my spine could cool off the Amazon River Basin.
Special
Insert--June 21st--The Kitchen Pass--Parsons, Kansas--As
always we look forward to playing the Kitchen Pass in Parsons, not only
for the great food but because of the great fans. These include
patrons and employees alike. Dave, Darwin and the crew always take
care of us so well. This Friday night would be different, but not
like you might think... Stephen our trooper drummer for over three
years now asked for his first night off since coming to work with us so
long ago. His son Nathan had finished his baseball season
undefeated and was in the City Championship Finals and dad need to be
there to witness the victory. Congratulations to Nathan and all
his teammates on finishing their dream season.
Stephen's son heading for
Third
...Back to the gig, our old friend and former Oreo drummer Don "Thunderfoot"
Orrell stepped in to help us out and he hasn't lost a step. Don
knew the new songs from Ten Down better than we did I think and helped
put on a stellar performance. Don is definitely one of the best
showman around and it was no different that night. Don sang,
played tremendously well, performed a stellar drum solo, did the
gunfighter duo with Gary and brought up a guessed drummer Miss Brigett
to play simultaneously with him. Other than that he didn't do a
whole lot. Don helped soften the blow of not having our main man
with us and it was certainly memorable. Don is a good friend and
will always be a part of the Oreo Blue family. Watch for Don and
the famous two drummer show on July 4th at Powerhouse Seafood. We
also made a knew friend in the likes of a wonderful young singer from
Kansas City Miss Brigett. She did a fine job on Texas Flood and
Chain of Fools so we hope to see her out again at a show soon.
Watch for her in your area as well.
Once again Oreo Blue's official photographer John Blair and his lovely
wife Sandy were out in force and his amazing eye for photos from that
night can be seen on our photos pages.--Brian
Crowne
at GroveFest
2002
June 17th--Home--Over
the last year or so, we have been getting regular updates from a radio
station in Mankato, Minnesota, that has been playing songs from our
CDs. Oreo Blue gets radio play in America and overseas as we have
previously mentioned, but it is nice to see the playlists of KMSU/KMSK
Radio and see Oreo Blue sandwiched between Koko Taylor, Etta James,
Howlin' Wolf, T-Bone Walker, and many others. Lately, our song,
Born To Suffer, from our live CD, Ten Down--Live at the ByPass has been
in regular rotation.
KMSU 89.7 FM, Mankato
& KMSK 91.3 FM, Austin, Minnesota, USA
The Maverick Radio Network
at GroveFest
2002
June 15th--Thunder on the
Pond/GroveFest 2002--Grove, Oklahoma--Although a bit off the beaten
path, this little festival proved that the event organizers would spare
no expense to treat the audience to a great show. The production
and lighting crew was fantastic bringing in a superb stage with hi-tech
lighting and effects. The opening act was a local band from Grove
whose name escapes me (Broomhandle?), but they played great and have a
promising future. Oreo Blue rocked the enthusiastic crowd for our
first 90-minute set when the skies opened up and doused the hot
set. We were elated to see some of our fans who drove in from as
far away as Enid, OK and Parsons, KS. Hopefully, the great folks
at Grovefest will have us back next year on a drier day.
at GroveFest
2002
June 14th--The Kitchen
Pass--Neosho, Missouri--We have always said that the Pawlus
brothers, Mike and Dave, have the best thing going in Kansas and
Missouri with the Kitchen Pass restaurants in Parsons and Joplin.
The food is unparalleled (including my favorite, Chicken & Friends)
and the entertainment is world-class. Now, Neosho, Missouri is the
new benefactor of their golden touch with the opening of the third
Kitchen Pass. As word gets around about the awesome food, the
great hospitality, the attentive staff, and the best entertainment
lineup in America, we wouldn't be surprised to see a whole slew of
Kitchen Pass restaurants in the near future.
at GroveFest
2002
June 1st--Eureka
Live--Eureka Springs, Arkansas--This is always a fun room to play
and having it be Blues Festival weekend, it was sure to be a gas.
Limping in from Ft. Scott, Kansas in the gimpy suburban gave us a
less-than-optimistic outlook for the day, though. Gary and Brian
had to be in Eureka Springs for an acoustic show and Rod and I went in
to Rogers to try and get the truck fixed. Nothing like getting
soaked in gasoline trying to change a fuel filter. For what ever
reason, the musicality of the show tonight was immeasurable. Brian
tried to explain how Oreo Blue takes the show up a few notches, but he
couldn't put his finger on it. Sometimes things are just
"on". Tonight, they were. Highlights included Messing
With the Kid, I'm Standing Here, Rock Me Baby, and local stalwart,
Mike Nichols' rendition of Mustang Sally. Another strong
performance came in the form of an old Oreo Blue classic, My Groove
Won't Do You No Wrong. Listen for its comeback in upcoming
shows near you.
For those of you that took
pictures tonight, please email
them to us and we will post them in our Photos
sections. Flashbulbs were popping all night long and we
would be excited to share those pictures with our fans.
May 31st--Good Ole Days
Festival--Ft. Scott, Kansas--Despite a few troubles with the
supposedly newly repaired Rock and Roll Suburban, the band's debut at
the Good Ole Days Festival went off without a hitch. Well, save
for the heat and humidity. This quaint little festival is a nice
community gathering of Kansans celebrating some 130 years of the fort's
existence. There was a nice breeze blowing, but we were inside a
tent with 101% humidity and about 90 degrees...we all lost a few pounds
of water tonight.
May 28th--Home--Oreo
Blue is becoming an International Sensation. First, the Brits buy
up our CDBaby inventory and now the Swedish blues fans are getting a
taste of Oreo Blue...I will translate the article for you if you will
sign the guestbook and let me know.
May 24-25th--George's
Majestic Lounge--Fayetteville, Arkansas--Oreo Blue has been a roost
ruler at George's for nearly a decade. And even though the crowds
at George's tend to be somewhat transient with the University of
Arkansas set, there is still a core of faithful locals that not only
frequent the state's oldest garden venue, but make a concerted effort to
support Oreo Blue when we perform there. In order to keep things
fresh, Oreo Blue can pull out many stops. This weekend, we added a
percussionist, Del Blake, to the set, brought up sit-in players such as
Dave Stiles (helping out on some Allman Brothers), Dan the Soundman on
both 7-string guitar and drums (very hip), and local guitar phenom,
T.J. Scarlett (who tore up some stuff on Sweet Little Angel). A
note about the percussionist...Del Blake: Del has been
there. As a drummer, he has performed with Sammy Davis, Jr., Tom
Jones, Woody Herman, and countless others while on circuit in Las Vegas
in its heyday. A former National Rudimental Snare Drum Champion,
Del has a tremendous talent and ability. Some 15 years ago, he
laid down his sticks and pursued a career in computer technology.
And although he is enormously successful in that endeavor, we are
pleased that he has rediscovered a love for music and has joined us on
stage. His enthusiasm and skills helped us ignite a high-energy
and fun evening. More will be seen and heard from Del in the near
future and it was a pleasure and an honor to have him join us on
stage.
May 19th--Powerhouse Party
on the Patio--Fayetteville, Arkansas--Wishing away the rain, Oreo
Blue set out for a triumphant return to the Party on the Patio.
Things were going great for the first set and then the skies opened
up. The rain only lasted a few moments, but it was long enough to
force the band to pack things up and head for home. I suppose we
will have to double up our efforts during the upcoming Independence Day
Celebration here on July 4th.
photo by ©John
Blair
May 11th--Pleasant Grove HS--Texarkana, Texas--Oreo
Blue has not historically been prom-band material. However, with
the students at Pleasant Grove, Oreo Blue is the overwhelming
choice. After performing for last years' prom, it was reported by
one chaperone that, "when the ballots were passed out to vote for
entertainment this year, Oreo Blue was the overwhelming write-in
favorite. You boys really made an impression last
year." Well, by all accounts, the students had a great time
this year as well. As mentioned last May, we at Oreo Blue believe
that there is faith in the new generation of music lovers. As we
have stated before, Oreo Blue music transcends generations and this
group was a perfect example. We want to thank the Juniors and
Seniors for having us back and for letting us be a part of your
celebration. Your group is a shining example of our bright
future. See you soon.
May 11th--Rough and Ready Days--Monticello,
Arkansas--After whirling in around 3am and getting a couple hours of
shut-eye, we pulled into the festival grounds to the aroma of a thousand
chickens on the grill. Mmmmm...it smelled soooo good.
Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to eat since we had to jump on
stage, perform, and then zoom out of there to Texarkana for the show
later this evening. The folks in Monticello were extremely accommodating
and kind. It was nice to see some friends drive down from Pine
Bluff for the show and it was especially nice for me to see an old
Fraternity brother, John McClendon, that I hadn't seen in years who
makes his home there. We hope to make it back to Monticello soon
when we can stay a bit longer.
photo by © John
Blair
May 8th--Numeier's
Rib Room--Ft. Smith, Arkansas--Well...we finally got to
play this show. This was the benefit for the Ft. Smith Riverfront
Blues Society and American Music Festival. The show was originally
scheduled for Friday, April 26th. Well, the skies opened up and
the rains came down on the outdoor venue. Cancelled. The
show was then rescheduled for Wednesday, May 1st. The weather was
perfect...but as we were nearly set to play, a great fiery blast came
from the electric power meter in the back of the restaurant. Like
the bellows from Godzilla, the fire shot out of the meter each time the
power surged to the building. The Ft. Smith fire department showed
up in record time and were gracious enough to chat with us during the
ordeal. Show cancelled. (we hadn't even plugged in
yet...) We had water, we had fire, and by all accounts the next
date would be cancelled due to a plague of locusts. All this talk
about a voodoo curse and stuff. Nah...the show tonight went on
without a hitch and we rocked those voodoo curses right out of
town. If I haven't raved about the award winning barbeque at the
Rib Room then just let me know and I will post another entry...
photo by © John
Blair
May 5th--Rio Bravo (Cinco
de Mayo Celebration)--Fayetteville, Arkansas--Originally, the plan
was to have an outdoor celebration in the large lot at Rio Bravo, but it
seems the folks in charge of handing out one day liquor licenses had a
problem with having a party. Nonetheless, the folks packed
themselves into the restaurant and we packed ourselves into the covered
patio and proceeded to get with it. The food is excellent at Rio
Bravo and the staff and ownership are superb. Many thanks to them
for letting us assist them in having a great time.
For you purist Cinco de Mayo
folks...
Gracias a la gente
maravillosa en el Rio Bravo por dejarnos ayudarle a celebrar a Cinco de
Mayo. El alimento es excelente y la gente es grande. Miramos adelante al
año próximo y a otro gran partido el Rio Bravo.
May 3-4th--The Elephant
Run--Tulsa, Oklahoma--The Elephant Run has quickly become a favorite
venue of ours. As hotel clubs are apt to be patronized by
transients, The Elephant Run has established itself as a great place to
get hip and hear great live music in Tulsa for both locals and
visitors. One of the key ingredients for this formula of success
is the wonderful staff of groovy waitresses and personable
bar-keeps. And like Elephants, these folks have both great
memories and great sensibility. Never before have we worked a club
where the staff was so in-tune with our show. And speaking of the
shows...well, I really think that you just had to be there.
Sometimes it gets difficult to describe what comes off the stage on a
good weekend. Besides, I hate to rant and rave about the band too
much because you might think that I am biased or something. O.K.,
let's put it this way: The Oklahoma Blues Festival was in town
this weekend and a few folks that had spent the afternoon over there
came to the club for a few drinks. They had planned on returning
to the festival site to catch all the national headliners that
evening. After hearing a few songs in our first set...they never
left.
We also had the Blairs down
from Kansas again. Mexicali Border Cafe was our lunch stop on
Saturday. Great food. Dinner was reported to be excellent at
the Elephant Run. A fajita burrito can set you free when prepared
properly and the folks at the Run make it just right.
Hmm. O.K., I can't
stand it any longer...I just have to say that Gary Hutchison is IMHO the
best guitar player around. Versatile, competent, energetic,
whimsical, honest, flashy, subtle, fiery, over-the-top, under-the-board,
in-your-face, innovative, vintage, sexual, sensual, with great tone, and
best of all he is passionate about his craft. If you are reading
this entry and have not seen Oreo Blue live featuring Gary
Hutchison...make a trip, catch a bus, a train, run, don't walk.
See and hear what the buzz is about. Heck, I've seen Gary play
nearly EVERY weekend for over three years and it NEVER gets old or
stale. The guy just shows up and kicks you in the a**.
Period.
(the rest of the band ain't
so shabby either...:)
photo by © John
Blair
May 2nd--Home--The Aussies
are getting hip with Oreo Blue!--Oreo Blue is being featured at www.bluesbeat.com.au
in a rare appearance on the Australian Blues website. The three
available CDs, Ten
Down--Live at the ByPass, Prescription
for the Blues, and Live
By Demand, and being swept up by our friends down under.
Go give them a visit and say, "G' Day!"
April 30th--Home--My
son, Nathan, and I are Cub Scouters and it was that time of year for the
Pinewood Derby races. Nathan built his car in the shape of a fiery
lightning bolt and came in second place for best-of-show. Dad's
get to make a car, too. So, I decided to try my luck. The
result was The Oreo Blue Express!!!
(And, by the way, The Oreo
Blue Express took first place in the Dad's division...it was almost as
fast as Gary picking on The Baritone Boogie!)
pic2,
pic3, pic4
