Saturday Matinee – The Lowdown Saints, Artur Menezes & The Pat McManus Band

The Lowdown Saints, formed in 2020 in the Old Town of Stsh(?), Sweden, and consists of Tommy Moberg / drummer & vocals, Hannes Mellberg / lead guitar, Félix Matthiessen / 2nd guitar, Karl Ivert / upright bass, and Torbjörn Eliasson / piano & scissors.

Brazilian guitarist Artur Menezes discovered the blues as a teenager, headed off to Chicago and jammed with the bar bands. He’s now an international performer, touring South America, the UK and the US. Unfortunately his website (www.arturmenezes.com) triggers a not secure warning.

The Pat McManus Band are Celtic rockers from Northern Ireland, described as an “Irish Power Trio led by former Mama’s Boys and Celtus guitarist/violinist, singer and songwriter Pat McManus.

Anything burn down this week that I missed? Stop by tomorrow and we’ll talk about skunk bait options. Meet you on the porch at half past whenever.

Saturday Matinee – Ginger St. James, Hollow Souls w/ Jared James Nichols, and the Anthony Krizan Band

Ginger St. James began her career singing in small town Ontario bars and now headlines shows as one of Canada’s top roots rock / rockabilly / country artists. Good stuff.

Hollow Souls is a spinoff project created by British blues rock guitarist and former pro MMA fighter Kris Barras. Their debut single features yankee guitarist Jared James Nichols and the vocals of Phoebe Jane.

An original member of Amfibian, former Spin Doctors lead guitarist and owner of Sonic Boom Studios, Anthony Krizan runs his own show now.

Egg shortage. Signal group chat leak. Retaliatory tariffs. Wall Street. Space meebas. Porch time. Tomorrow. Be there.

Saturday Matinee – The Peddlers, 16 Horsepower & David Gogo

Elmer Bernstein‘s theme to Walk On The Wild Side (1962) as performed by The Peddlers in 1971. Tight jazz rock from the UK, with Roy Phillips on Hammond organ & vocals, Tab Martin on bass, and the amazing Trevor Morais on drums.

16 Horsepower was a Denver-based group that mixed rock, bluegrass and Appalachian gospel. They released four studio albums before egos got in the way: they disbanded in 2005, citing “mostly political and spiritual” differences.

“David is a great blues player. I like his style!” – Johnny Winter
Canadian singer, songwriter and bluesman David Gogo began playing guitar at the age of five; at 15 he met and was encouraged by Stevie Ray Vaughan; a year later he formed his first band. He’s won numerous awards, including three JUNOs (despite EMI spiking his solo album in the US).


Been watching a lot of police body cam videos lately, and after a while I began noticing behavioral patterns of those who eventually get hauled off to the hoosegow. The ones who squeal the loudest are usually guilty of more egregious crimes than just expired license plate tags.

I also notice that the same applies to politicians when they’re exposed as unethical grifting frauds. Keep that in mind as you watch current events unfold.

Porch time tomorrow? Yup. See you there.

Dolichocephalic Hot Links

Any Way The Wind Blows, Los Brujos (1996)
From Unmatched – Tributo A Zappa Vol. 1, a collection of covers of Frank Zappa songs, de grupos y artistas españoles. There are 9 such compilations in the series.

No.

Proof.

Froghorn.

In the way.

Sync or swim.

Bill’s Records.

…and 80% don’t.

Cats and lizards.

Phyllobates terribilis.

Someone calculated 161.

Norty Blues Episode 108.

The science is deafening.

The Anti-Social Media Project.

Doggos gonna have nightmares.

Something completely different.

A stacka ‘eaters [via Bunkerville].

Operation Wrong Exit [via Xenophilic].

First there was Radio Garden. Now there’s TV Garden
[via Memo Of The Air].

R.I.P. Kenneth Pluhar (1961-2023) [via Feral Irishman].

Walking in Havana. Many other cities to choose from, with walking, driving and flying options. Sound up. [h/t Everlasting Blört].

[Top image found here.]


From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

Saturday Matinee – Ok GO, Professor Louie & The Crowmatix, Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse, and The Terraplanes Blues Band

OK Go outdid Rube Goldberg in this sequence from 2010, all filmed in one take. Their website features behind-the-scenes clips of the set ups.

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix was founded by frontman Alan Hurwitz: “While performing as a duo with Rick Danko on stage, Rick would start calling me Professor Louie, and it was really a great honor.” Hurwitz produced three studio albums for The Band, and went on to form Woodstock Records.

Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse is a roots rock blues Americana country soul band from California, featuring vocals by documentary filmmaker, television producer, business entrepreneur and Louisiana native Greta Valenti.

The Terraplanes Blues Band is a relative newcomer to the scene. Having released their debut EP in 2020, they’ve already won recognition as “Emerging Blues Act of the Year” at the UK Blues Awards 2023.

Have a reverent Easter, an irreverent egg hunt, and stop in if you’re passing by – the porch is never closed.

Saturday Matinee – Homemade Jamz Blues Band, The Laura Cox Band & The Heavy North

Homemade Jamz Blues Band made music history as the youngest blues band to achieve a record deal. Based in Tupelo, Mississippi, the group features siblings Taya Perry / drums, Kyle Perry / bass, Ryan Perry / guitar & vocals. Their father Reynaud Perry sits in occasionally on harp, while their mother manages the band. The guitars were designed by their father and are made from mufflers and exhaust pipes, with lug nuts for volume and tone controls.

Laura Cox is a French-born multi-instrumentalist who started out playing solos and cover versions of classic rock tunes for her YouTube channel. She built a fan base and formed the Laura Cox Band in 2013.

Based in Liverpool, England, The Heavy North plays what has been described as “dirty scuzzed up dive bar blues”. The band consists of Kenny Stuart / vocals, Jose Ibanez / guitar & producer, Jack Birch / guitar, Andrew Horrocks / bass, Ste Penn / keyboards, Mark Rice / drums.

Only two months into the year and the news cycle is spinning so fast the bearings fused, the wheels are gone and now it’s airborne. WWIII has either been averted or is about to begin, and there ain’t much any of us can do about it except for one thing: Porch Time. It coincides with Show Up Time tomorrow, so see you when you get here.

Bisulcated Hot Links

You Keep On Worrying Me, Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm (1959)Turner maintained strict discipline over the band, insisting they lived in a large house with him so he could conduct early morning rehearsals at a moment’s notice. He would fire anyone he suspected of drinking or taking drugs, and would fine band members if they played a wrong note.”

THIS.

Stoops.

The Trap.

LOOK OUT.

Sitar metal.

Duck Radio.

Off the ferry.

Fertile turtle.

Gravestone circles.

A decision was made.

Dancing with robots.

3D models of models.

The Confetti of Venice.

The $40K pizza delivery.

Norty Blues Episode 104.

The only TED Talk you need.

The history of Mah Nà Mah Nà.

It’s gonna be okay [via Bunkerville].

The Spotniks [via Everlasting Blört].

The Toronto Recursive History Project [h/t Jason F.].

It’s a profound gas, Mr. Gunn [via Memo Of The Air].

Soho (Cafe Francais) 1955 [via The View From Lady Lake].

I am a dwarf and I’m digging a hole. Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole.”

[Top image found here.]


From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

Valentines Day: Songs of The Love Bot


Songs above are ordered from oldest to newest, all have been posted previously. More playlists here, top image found here.


[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of these recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only.]

Saturday Matinee – Tomislav Goluban w/ Crooked Eye Tommy, Jimmy Vivino & Julian Sas

Croatian harp player Tomislav Goluban teamed up with ocular alignment specialist Crooked Eye Tommy Marsh to promote virtual refreshments with virtual classic cars of questionable makes and models.

Jimmy Vivino (aka Jimmy V) has always considered himself ‘a blues man with a job’. Although best known for serving 26 years as Conan O’Brien’s musical director, guitarist and bandleader, his experience in the music business predates that by 20 plus years.” – YouTube

Julian Sas : “I was born and raised in the Centre of The Netherlands in 1970 and grew up In a small town and had a normal childhood… The first years I spent my life living on a boat on the river. In fact I was born on that river.”  His website cover photo is quite Kinison-esque.

Super Bowl Licks tomorrow, with chili on the menu and TV on the porch. You know what to do. See you by kickoff time.

Saturday Matinee – Indiara Sfair, Nick Waterhouse & the Carl Verheyen Band

Brazil native and harp virtuoso Indiara Sfair has a tutorial for harmonica beatboxing here.

Nick Waterhouse has an eclectic mix of styles: rockabilly, R&B, jazz and soul, with traces of both old Americana and modern indie rock. He likes vinyl records too.

Besides being guitarist for Supertramp, Carl Verheyen is “one of LA’s elite ‘first call’ session players for the past 40 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks and television shows.” Unfortunately Verheyen’s videos don’t credit the band, but that’s Dave Marotta on bass, John Mader / drums, Troy Dexter / keyboards and Hollye Dexter / vocals.

Message to 2025: Please STFD and STFU. We’ve had just about enough of your shit. Take a breather. Message to everyone else: Porch time commences at the crack of noon. See you there.