Day 15
April 15, 2023
I learned the first time I did this festival that you've got to arrive early on Saturday. They barricade the streets around the festival and parking is limited close by. Around town temporary stages were being set up. Basically, if there's an overhang, it's turned into a stage.
If your business wants to sponsor a stage out front, you can get one, too. This is outside the Stone Pony pizza restaurant.
They call this the Paramount Marque Stage. Above the marque is the name Marion Theater. It opened in 1918 and was designed primarily to show films. It was bought out in 1931, rebranded and the marquee added. It closed as a movie house in 1976, reopened as a music venue in 1986, but closed for good in 1990.
Lou Shields was set to go on in fifteen minutes, so I just walked around a bit. In the closed streets, vendors were setting up their tents. The weather report was questionable and the wind already gusting. The festival volunteers were racing back and forth delivering sandbags to try and hold the tents down.
I walked back to the Paramount Stage as Lou was tuning up. He was standing on a small wooden box. Under his left foot, the box was rigged with a microphone and acted much like a bass drum.
A few artists I would listen to for a bit, then move on. There was something about the way he played that kept me there throughout his forty-five minute set. You can see his video for the song "Cabin in the Woods" here.
After the show, I bought one of his CDs. As a sign of the times, he was also selling them on vinyl. Another sign of the times, with CD players no longer in cars or laptops, I couldn't actually listen to it for a week. We had a brief chat, shook hands and I went looking for more.
Outside the Delta Blues Museum sits the only large, permanent stage in town.
At another temporary stage, Sharon Blu Walker was playing. I felt bad for her. The gusting wind was threatening to blow her tent canopy over and it seemed a huge distraction. I caught her briefly later in the day and really enjoyed it. You can see her video for "Until I Find You Again" here:
It was just after noon, so I wandered a to the other side of the festival area to a stage outside the Quapaw Canoe Company. They organize multi-day canoe excursions in the area. They also make their own canoes. You can see a short profile by the Arkansas Tourism Board.
On the stage outside, the Side Street Steppers were playing. You can see one of their concert recordings here:
In all honesty, I wasn't feeling it and moved on. Walking up the street, I passed this curious looking place. It's a bar, restaurant and music venue. A band was only starting to set up inside, so I moved on. It's a place called Levons, and yes, it does come back in the narrative.
Walking on, I caught the last twenty minutes of Pat Moss playing at Hambones Art and Music. Tomorrow, there would be music on their indoor stage. But today, it was all out in the sunshine. You can hear Pat play "Juke Joint Preacher" here: He's definitely someone to look for if I come back next year.
The guitarist to Pat's right goes by the name Reverend Robert. He was up next on the stage. I'd heard good things about him. So, I went inside to check the place out and have a cold one, once again being gently reminded it's pronounced pe-CAHN, not PE-can. It's not just a music venue, but also an art gallery.
Reverend Robert definitely lived up to the hype. You can hear him play "Walking Blues" with Washboard Shorty here:
By now I was used to a wooden box mic'd up and keeping the beat. What I hadn't seen before was a mini tambourine being used on the backbeat on the other foot.
I posted this next photo on my Facebook page. A guy I used to work with, Dennis, saw it and suggested I check out someone playing later in the day. More on that, later in the day.
Rev. Robert finished his set and I moved onwards. Rip Lee Pryor was playing at 2P, so I had a half an hour. I ducked into the Bluesberry Cafe. It's partially owned by local bluesman Watermelon Slim. On stage was Frank "Guitar" Ripper.
Back to the Cathead stage for more Rip Lee Pryor.
Like I aid, there are stages everywhere. This one is on trailer in the middle of the street.
The guitarist on the right is Little Willie Farmer. You can hear his song "Back Door Friend" here:
As I mentioned yesterday, artist schedules do change. I never did get this guy's name. He had no merch and he's obviously not the band on the printed schedule. But, he was really good.
On the Saturday night of the Juke Joint Festival, getting an actual seat inside the Ground Zero Blues Club can be an adventure. There were two musicians I really wanted to see. So, I started my way over, briefly stopping at the blues museum stage. A group of students from nearby Delta State University were playing, and swapping out members every few songs.
It was time to head inside. On stage, local musician Jaxx Nassar was starting her set. Before the weekend was out, I had seen her sit in on drums and bass for different bands performing. You can check out her take on Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" here: The club was already filling up. I saw one lone chair at a table and asked if I could sit there. Lucked out.
After Jaxx, Lala Craig came out and played. I saw her play the last time I was here and she's always worth stopping for. You can read a bio of her here: Ground Zero hosted a series of online concerts while the world was shut down for Covid-19. You can watch her Quarantine Special here:
As expected, Lala brough her usual chaotic energy to the place, much to the enjoyment of everyone there.
Next on the stage was Derek St. Holmes. He plays the blues now, but began his career as a guitarist, writer and occasional vocalist for Ted Nugent's band back in the mid '70s. I was curious how he would sound all these years later.
He ripped through a set of blues standards like "Crossroads" and "Sweet Home Chicago." He closed the set with the first single Ted Nugent released back in the day, "Stranglehold." This is from a few years ago:
Derek finished his set and I left the packed club. One thing I learned years ago, when Dennis suggests a band, they're definitely worth checking out. So, I walked back to Levons, that place that looked like a boat.
I still had some time before Eric Deaton was to go on. It was so nice to be in a quiet place with some room to breathe. Just as the band was taking the stage, Lou Shields walked in, and actually recognized me from this morning.
The band was great and I texted Dennis a picture with a thank you for the suggestion. You can hear the band play "Way Down Yonder" here:
Remember that storm? It was supposed to hit around 2P, then 5P, then 8P. Well, the radar was looking pretty grim. Concerts go late into the night on Saturday. I decided it probably best if I tried to get out before it hit.
After a brief chat with Eric, I left and headed towards the car. Outdoor music ends at dusk and the streets were oddly quiet and deserted, though you could still hear the music wafting out of the various clubs.
I was treated to a spectacular light show as I tried to outrun the approaching storm. And I almost made it. The heavens opened up as I crossed the Mississippi back into Arkansas.
No complaints. It had been an incredible day.
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