#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 Blues Band
The Michael 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…
#15 September 12-14, 2008 -
17th Street Stage
Blues Caravan 2008 w/ Deborah Coleman, Candye Cane, Dani Wylde
David Maxwell
Jimmy Thackery
John Nemeth
Kenny Neal
Lurrie Bell
Sean Carney
Grant Austin Taylor
Bobby “Black Hat” Blues Band
Straight Up Blues Band
Notes: Misses Coleman, Cane & Wylde tore the house down during Friday’s Caravan stop. Lurrie Bell made his first Hampton Roads appearance, with a stunning set. Sunday’s featured the keys of David Maxwell, who also sat in with Mr. Thackery for the majority of his headlining set.
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