Southern Comfort Blues & BBQ Festival

Worldblues' Logbook tickets winner, P.W. Fenton (September 1996), and Curtis Hewston (webmaster - The Blue Highway), attended B.B. King's concert in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 20, 1997. P.W. had requested to attend this show as a tickets drawing winner, and Curtis attended as our guest.


B.B. King	Caleb Emphry	Michael Doster	Melvin Jackson	Robert Cray

Follow this link to see Curtis' photo's of the event:
http://thebluehighway.com/scomfest.html

Read reviews of the show by both P.W. and Curtis below:

From: P.W. Fenton[SMTP:pwfenton@gate.net]
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 1997 12:23 PM
Subject: 1997 Blues & BBQ Festival - St. Petersburg, FL

Last night, through arrangements made for us by Jim Kerekes and Bob Seidenberg (of B.B. King's Official & Un-Official web sites), Curtis Hewston and I, along with lurking Blues-ler Jerri Gibbs, and 4 more lucky friends, were treated to prime seats and backstage passes for the "Southern Comfort Blues & BBQ Festival". The show, behind the giant pink Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg Florida, on the shores of Tampa Bay, featured "J. Geils and Bluestime", Tower Of Power, Robert Cray, and B.B. King.

I arrived about 2 and a half hours before the gates were to open and parked my van in a small lot right next to the stage. I had arranged to meet Curtis and several others at a little restaurant atop the St. Pete Pier which I had foolishly described as "walking distance" from the gate. After I walked about a fifth of the distance I realized I had made a serious error in judgement, and would be very late if I made it at all. So I walked up to the door of the Vinoy Hotel and asked a bellboy if he would call me a cab. The bellboy asked me where I was going, and I explained. With a wink he said, "If anyone asks, you're a guest" and he motioned to a chauffeur, who pulled up with a long sleek, forest green, limousine… FOR ME! The bell boy smiled and opened the door for me with another wink, and I was whisked away, arriving at the end of the pier at exactly the appointed time. Curtis, unfortunately, missed my arrival but did see the green stretch-limo as it was driving back to the Vinoy.

At show time we arrived at the "will call" booth to get our tickets and passes which, of course, weren't there. We waited while an official went backstage to see if she could locate them. We were entertained as we waited however, as countless families arrived carrying lawn chairs, coolers, and blankets, only to be told they could not bring them into the park. The arguments were nearly non-stop. We felt bad for both sides of the argument, the poor folks who had to enforce the rules, and the poor folks who would have left all that stuff home if they had only known the rules. Eventually envelopes containing our passes and tickets arrived at the booth so we fastened on our wristbands and badges, and went inside and sat down in seats three rows from the stage.

J. Geils' set was all but over when we got settled so I can't say much about their performance. The crowd seemed to have liked them well enough. Next up at that point was "Tower of Power". Blues-Ler Jerri Gibbs was in heaven. "Tower of Power" are favorites of her's and she didn't even know until just before the show that they were on the bill. They put on a fine show, with a very animated young singer, who had all the "festival stage prancing" down solid. Hey, when there are people over a hundred yards from the stage, a singer that's running all over the stage is something you can actually make out back there.

Next up was Robert Cray. I'm a Robert Cray fan. Some die hard Blues fans are critical of Robert and I'm never sure why. I think he fits more into the tradition of a Little Milton style "R&B Soul" performer. However, as animated and demonstrative as Tower of Power was, Robert was not. Nothing spontaneous going on in a Robert Cray performance, just finely crafted and rehearsed performances. Guitars don't get out of tune, as he is handed a fresh one by a crewmember after each and every song. A couple of curious things about Robert's set… for one, the band set up way back from the front of the stage. Not just a little further back than all the other acts… but WAY back. The monitor speakers that normally sit at the edge of the stage were a good 20 - 30 feet back from the edge, and the band was situated well behind those. Sitting close to the stage, it was hard to even see the drummer he was so far back. Another curiosity was that before Robert came out, the sponsor's banner, which simply said "1997 Southern Comfort Blues & BBQ Festival" atop the stage rigging was rolled up by a brave young man who had to clime a rope ladder to get up there. Just as curiously, when Robert's set was over, they sent him up there again to roll it back down. Backstage, as his set was ending, I heard people talking about Robert refusing to play under the sponsor's banner… Hmmm, I wonder what that's all about.

I made a vain attempt to meet Robert backstage after his set, but he was whisked by a phalanx of bodyguards from the stage directly to his tour bus. As Robert blew by he never even looked up at his many shouting admirers. A simple nod or a smile would have gone a long way. I would never fault a performer for avoiding being besieged by fans right after a performance, but he really left a cold, cold, feeling in his wake, not even looking at the crowd of well wishers calling out his name.

A stark contrast was B.B. and his band. Every last one of them is a perfect gentleman, and eager to be kind to fans. When I got to meet B.B. in St. Louis last year, B.B. had hung back to greet every single person that wanted an autograph, or photo, but his band was long gone. This time, being backstage BEFORE the show I was able to meet and greet all of the really fine musicians that make up B.B.'s band.. Drummers, Tony Coleman, and Caleb Emphry (who stopped and posed for a picture), Bassman Michael Doster, and Saxman Melvin Jackson (both of whom also posed for pictures) were open and friendly with the hordes of complete strangers gathered back stage.

The band took the stage for the obligatory opening numbers before the King makes his entrance. We waited outside B.B.'s palatial tour bus hoping to catch a glimpse and maybe a snapshot of the King as he emerged to join the band on stage. Stage security had cleared a path from the door of the bus to the stage stairs, and one of B.B.'s road managers had cautioned us gently that B.B. would not be able to greet anyone before the show. However, true to form, when B.B. emerged he walked right over to us, smiled, and extended his hand. I got some pictures, and a warm friendly handshake. I managed to get a picture as he shook hands with a buddy of mine. I'll sell him the picture as soon as it's developed ;^)

B.B.'s show was even more amazing than last year's. At 71 years old, he is still improving and perfecting his skills. I've never seen him so animated and boisterous. He was dancing and shaking his butt like a twenty year old. His guitar playing was nothing short of amazing. I read an interview with B.B. a few years back where he talked about having bought an Amiga computer with some midi software so that he could practice his rhythm and chord work late at night without having to bother the band with his woodshedding. I remember thinking… B.B. King? The King of the Blues? After 50 years of show biz is staying up late PRACTICING to try and improve his playing?!!!

Well it's quite evident, the man ain't done defining himself. I've never heard so much fancy chord work coming from his guitar. Whole "jump Blues" leads, made up entirely of 3 note chords. Stuff you don't normally associate with the man who says in the "Rattle & Hum" documentary… "I don't do chords". The only thing that B.B. "don't do" is rest on his reputation. No one would ever fault him if he did, but B.B. is one of those rare performers that sees a direct relationship between how much he is loved, and how much he loves back. For him, what he gives back is everything he possibly can, and if there's a way to give more, he'll figure out a way to do that too.

When I left for the night there was, by my rough count, a line of about 70 people backstage waiting to have an audience with the King. In small groups of three or four at a time, B.B. was meeting each one of them privately on his tour bus, spending several minutes with each person, signing anything, posing for pictures, and generally acting as though he was your closest friend. I simply do not know of a greater gentleman.

All in all, it was a day full of Blues, beer, BBQ, joy, and extraordinary human kindness. From the winking bellboy getting an old dude a free limo ride, to the King himself not resting until every fan that showed up at his door had their own private moment.

Again, very special thanks to Jim Kerekes, and Bob Seidenberg, for making such a wonderful day possible for us.

P.W. Fenton
Tampa, Florida
http://www.gate.net/~pwfenton

From: Curtis Hewston[SMTP:curtis@magicnet.net]
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 1997 2:02 PM
Subject: B.B. Thanks!

Jim and Bob,

Thank you both *very* much for a wonderful evening with B.B. in St. Pete last night. He and the band were in fantastic form, and it was a perfect summer evening along Tampa Bay. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Mr. King -- a few hundred others beat me to him -- but it was still truly a night I'll never forget.

I got back in the wee hours from St. Pete, Florida, where we saw B.B. King on tour with Robert Cray, Tower of Power, and Magic Dick and J. Geils Friday night. (No Jonny Lang on this stop.) It was a hot and steamy day, but thankfully no thunderstorms developed, and it turned into a mostly idyllic evening in Vinoy Park along the shores of Tampa Bay.

Semi-lurker Jeri Gibbs and I met up with P.W. high atop The Pier in St. Pete at a Caribbeanesque club called Cha Cha Coconuts -- known locally for its (must-be-kinda-mild) alternative and reggae nights and to tourists for its Jimmy buffets and observation deck over the bay. P.W.'s eclectic entourage gradually arrived, and after some proper hydration we battled our way by car past a half-dozen security checkpoints and swarming golf carts over to the concert entrance. (P.W.'s limo driver was by now off the clock, but P.W.'s orange walking stick and dark glasses made patsies of the park police.)

So after a few anxious moments at will-call -- not to be our last major obstacle -- we were in, just in time to see Magic Dick and J. Geils wrap up their 30-minute set and to learn that the $3 beers were being sold by the ticket. With all in hand and butts in the fourth row, left of center, we settled in for a fully funky set by Tower of Power -- with songs like "What Is Hip?" and "I Still Be Diggin' On James Brown." Fantastically precise horns, of course, and the lead singer (what's his name?) has a soul to die for.

Robert Cray, with the Memphis Horns, was next up. He played a fine, sturdy set, opening with "Smoking Gun"; including "I Guess I Showed Her," "Still Around," "I Wonder," and all those; adding a few new ones from his new CD "Sweet Potato Pie"; and returning once for "Right Next Door (Because Of Me)," I think. But distracting as hell was his roadie, who ran out with a freshly tuned strat after every song, and strangely, Robert and the band had set up way back from the edge of the stage, some 40 or 50 feet. We thought at first that maybe he had some fear of heights, but we also noticed that the security around us had been beefed up to hold photographers at bay. So, gee, Robert, no offense intended.

Then as day turned to dusk and a soothing breeze ensued, B.B. King and his band took the stage. I didn't pay much attention to the set list. It could've included "Rocky Mountain Way" and the "Theme From Star Wars," for all I know, but I do seem to remember "Every Day I have The Blues," "How Blue Can You Get," and "Worry, Worry" (maybe). B. was full of energy and sounding as good as ever. He is a spry 71. He bopped and boogalooed while featuring his band members liberally. He delivered one great line after another. He tossed out guitar picks like appleseeds.

Security breaches became evident about midway through the set as the bolder of the throng of 20,000 pushed their way past the ropes and to the stage. (Rumor had it that some gate crashing was going on, too.) P.W. and a faction retreated backstage, while the rest of us stayed to *hear* "The Thrill Is Gone" before testing our own passes. Alas, we were a song late and a few steps short. Passes or no, we weren't getting back there. We did our best "long-lost children" routine, but the guy wasn't going for it. So next time I want one of those *really, really* backstage passes, or dye my hair and get me a Dick Waterman vest.

About the backstage passes, P.W. was smarter then me. He got in before B.B. came on, not after. By that time, there were about 100 back there waiting to meet him, so security didn't see the sense in letting in any more. I think the problem may have been that security was letting in anybody with an "after show" pass for any artist and not just B, while the passes were clearly marked "After Show" and the artist's name. No mind. We had a fantastic time any way you look at it.