#1
- July 3, 1994 - 24th Street Stage
Beale
Street
Blues Xchange
R&B All-Stars
Rhythm Kings
Notes: The brainchild of then NBN President Cathy Dixson,
Blues At The Beach (BAB) starts out as an all local mini fest in the heat of
the July 4th weekend. With the loss of the Norfolk's Elizabeth River Blues
Festival and Beach Events looking to increase Virginia Beach's exposure, the
days of local acts dominating the festival lasts but one year. Locals
would continue to appear over the years, albeit in a smaller role. NBN
would eventually launch the all local "Hampton's Blues In The Park Festival",
but that's another story...
#2 - October 14-15,
1995 - 24th Street Stage
Roomful of Blues
Smokin' Joe Kubek feat. Bnois King
Lil Ronnie & The Grand Dukes
Michael Ingmire
R&B All-Stars
Rhythm Kings
Notes: Smokin' Joe and Bnois King muddle through Saturday's
drizzle. Roomful's first appearance in the Hampton Roads area in over 7
years headlines Sunday's all "horn" show with The Rhythm Kings, and the R&B
All-Stars supporting.
#3 - October 5-6, 1996 - 24th Street Stage
Bobby Messano & NBO
Robert Lockwood Jr.
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
Blues Empacts
Michael Clark Band
R&B All-Stars
Notes: Robert Lockwood Jr. (Robert
Johnson's reputed
step-son) is the first in the line of "Legends" who grace the BAB stage over
the years. Huddling for warmth in their dressing room, Rod Piazza and crew
wonder out loud why we're playing outside in October. So do we...
#4 - September 12-14, 1997 - 17th Street Stage
Deborah Coleman & The Thrillseekers
Little Georgie & The Shuffling Hungarians
Lucky Peterson
Lil Ronnie & The Grand Dukes
Pinetop Perkins
Sam Moore w/ The Daryl Davis Band
Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin
Black White Blues
Freeborn Blues Band
H.M. Johnson Band
Mr. B & The Boys
Notes: The fest expands to three days, moves to 17th
street and the warmer weather of September. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer
Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave fame) appears through a grant from the National
R&B Foundation, with Va. Beach Mayor Meyera Obendorf doing
the intro...Little Georgie and his twelve piece aggregation from Syracuse NY
closes Sunday with a two hour plus show, return's home and breaks up shortly
thereafter... local favorite turned national star Deborah Coleman's makes her
first appearance at BAB! Richmond's Little Ronnie & The Grand Dukes recently
released their first national CD, and graduates to the level of regional act.
#5
- September 11-13, 1998 - 17th Street Stage
Anson
Funderburgh & The
Rockets feat. Sam Myers
Bobby Messano
Long John Hunter
Nighthawks
R.L. Burnside
Shemekia Copeland
Fandaddies
H.M. Johnson Band
Tim Morgan & The Mojo Brothers
Notes: R.L. Burnside brings the Mississippi "Hill Country" to
the beach, along with the first area appearance of teenage newcomer Shemekia
Copeland. The future Mrs. Anson Funderburgh opens the Rockets' set
with a couple of tunes.
#6
- September 10-12, 1999 - 17th Street Stage
Big Bill Morganfield
Bobby Parker
Danny Morris Band
Lil Ronnie & The
Grand Dukes
Mem Shannon
Roomful of Blues
Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin
Blues Empacts
Michael Clark Band
Notes: Muddy Waters's son Big Bill Morganfield makes
his inaugural Hampton Roads appearance with Bob Margolin. Roomful of Blues
returns with their ever changing lineup, now featuring Mac Odom on vocals, a
revamped horn section and a R&B flavored set. Former NOLA cabbie Mem
Shannon performs a set of all original music.
#7
- October 6-8, 2000 - 17th Street Stage
Carl Weathersby
Cephas & Wiggins
Kenny Neal
Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials
Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos
Skeeter Brandon & Hwy 61
Freeborn Blues Band
Notes: Back to October...Kenny
Neal's drummer misses his plane so Kenny picks up Skeeter's
drummer and closes Saturday night...The weather holds
up until Sunday, where the freezing wind and overcast
skies shortens Lil Ed's closing set. Mel Melton
is the surprise of the fest, with his mix of Carolina
Zydeco/Blues
#8 - October 5-7, 2001 - 17th Street Stage
Debbie Davies
John Mooney
Michael Burks
Roy Roberts
Sean Costello
Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Buddy Parker Band
Notes: The first really
bad weather fest. Saturday's day long chilly drizzle
leaves the Parker, Davies, Costello and Mooney sets all wet...under
sunnier skies, new artist Michael Burks steals the festival
from
the veterans on Sunday. |
#9 - October 4-6, 2002 - 17th Street Stage
Big Joe & The
Dynaflows
Carey Bell Band
Dmitri Resnik
Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Tinsley Ellis
W.C. Clark
Blues Xchange
Freeborn Blues Band
Notes: Joanne Shaw Taylor, a 16 year old British guitar slinger
slays the audience opening on Friday and sits in with Tinsley Ellis later that
evening. Clark, dubbed The Godfather of Austin Texas Blues, has the crowd
locked up. Big Joe's set has the areas "Swing Dance Club" dancing up a
storm.
#10 - September 6-7, 2003 - 24th Street Stage
Dave Hole
Hubert Sumlin w/ The Nighthawks
Little Charlie & The Nightcats
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines
Tommy Castro
Big Brewster & The Blue Rocks
Right Time for the Blues (RTB)
Notes: Back to September, the 24th street stage and a two
day fest. This edition will always be known for it's wild guests dropping
in. Not guest musicians, but a sky full of Military Paratroopers
and skydivers from around the world, who dropped onto the beach just before the
Hawks/Sumlin headlining set. Cali Blues finishes things off on Sunday with
Lil Charlie and Tommy Castro.
#11 - September 10-12, 2004 - 17th Street Stage
Billy
Boy Arnold
Deborah Coleman & The Thrillseekers
E.G. Kight
Gary Primich
James Harman
Terry Garland
Tom Principato
Blue Pearl
dc3
Eclipse
Notes: Back to 17th street once again...James Harman headlines
Friday, and conducts what is deemed to be one of our best ever workshops on Saturday. A
three harmonica jam highlights the Saturday finale, as Harman, Gary Primich,
and Billy Boy Arnold take the stage together. Deborah Coleman closes
the fest on the year of NBN's 20th Anniversary, with E.G. Kight joining the encore
for a raucous version of Stormy Monday...
#12 September 16-18, 2005 - 24th Street Stage
Bernard Allison, The Billy Price Band, Bob Margolin's All Star Blues Jam feat. Carey Bell, Nappy Brown, and Ann Rabson, The Cyril Lance Band feat. Johnny Neel, Dennis Gruenling & Jumptime, Eddie Shaw & The Wolfgang, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Black Rose Blues Band, H.M. Johnson Band, The Rhythm Kings
Notes: BAB heads to 24th street once again, as Hurricane Ophelia passes by a day earlier...Billy Price makes first area appearance in four years...Dennis Gruenling's workshop and set are the talk of the fest. Eddie Shaw follows "Beach Blast" (those wonderful Paratroopers and the Blue Angels again), and Bernard takes a walk in the park. A nasty thunderstorm with 40 MPH winds causes production damage in the wee hours of Sunday morning. The H.M. Johnson Band are troopers, as they play using the stage monitors for their main speakers to open Sunday. New front of house equipment allows "Big Eyes" Smith and the Margolin All Stars to intermingle their two sets to close a memorable fest.
#13 September 15-17, 2006 - 17th Street Stage
Ana Popovic
Chicago R&B Kings
James Armstrong
Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout…w/ Magic Dick, Mark Wenner and Steve Guyger
Mitch Woods & The Rocket ‘88’s
Nora Jean Bruso
Paul Mark & The Van Dorens
Blues Empacts
John Baldwin Group
Sweet Papa & The Too Hot Blues Crew
Notes: Once again we travel back south to 17th St…The Harmonica Blowout lives up to it’s rep, as Hummel, Magic Dick, Wenner and Guyger blow the house down with a four-harp finale on Friday night. Saturday’s early drizzle doesn’t hold Armstrong to the stage, as he strolls out in the mud to find a young lovely to help on guitar. Paul Mark dazzled the ladies, Ana frustrated the men, and the R&B Kings did justice to their name. Ms. Bruso and Mitch (Mr. Boogie) Woods closed out Sunday to the delight of the charming crowd.
#14 September 14-16, 2007 - 17th Street Stage
Debbie Davies
Fiona Boyes
Greg “Fingers” Taylor
James Harman
Janiva Magness
Jimmy Burns
Lil’ Ronnie Owens
Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout
Maurice John Vaughn
Michael Burks
Mighty Lester
Shirley Johnson
RYLO
Bryan Dunn
The Michaerl Clark Band featuring Tracy Clark
Notes: NBN was graced by the presence of the Blues Foundation Board all weekend, who held their Fall meeting in concurrence with Blues At The Beach. Friday Night…for the second year running, the Harmonica Blowout is the highlight, with Messrs Hummel, Harman, Taylor & Owens blowing to the delight of the fans…Saturday welcomed newcomer Mighty Lester, along with the Chicago Revue featuring Vaughn, Johnson and Burns. Headliner Michael Burks proved to be as powerful as ever…Sunday’s teaming of Magness and Davies had the audience begging for more…
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