Saturday Matinee – Shaggy Dogs, Monster Mike Welch & The Black Keys

Shaggy Dogs play a blues/R&B/rock/soul mix they call Fiesta Blues ‘n’ Roll. Performing and recording since the late 1990s, their album  Pinball Boomers was “the most streamed French album in 2025 on the blues radio collective.”

Monster Mike Welch has been performing and recording for over 25 years. The bluesman from Boston was only 13 when Dan Akroyd gave him the nickname.

The Black Keys (Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney) have recorded their 14th studio album Peaches, due to be released in May. It was written while Auerbach was caring for his (late) father on the basis that “it would be good for Dan to have something to do.”

Lotta things we’re supposed to be outraged about these days, but most of them sound like little stampy feets and made up cuss words to me, while the real monsters are pounding on the door trying to get out of the basement. I’m not worried. I’ve got more important things to do, like getting the Superbowl Chili burbling and the corn breading. See you tomorrow, same porch time, same porch channel.

Saturday Matinee: Chicago Transit Authority, Buddy Guy; Mike Welch, Kirk Fletcher & Josh Smith

Chicago Transit Authority, the self-described “rock and roll band with horns,” from before they got all sappy.

Buddy Guy, one of the greatest living bluesmen, earned recognition the hard way. (I first heard this song on a freebee Tabasco promotional cassette in the 80s. Both sides were the same so you didn’t have to rewind it.)

This awesome 3-axe swamp-rock-blues jam featuring Mike Welch, Kirk Fletcher & Josh Smith should hold your attention for a while.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend, folks, see you back here tomorrow.