Looking at the Weekend~
On Saturday, October 15, 2016 the Annual Breast Cancer Benefit Ride will roll out of the Harley Davidson of New Bern. This event started eight years ago and came about when Paul Brown decided to help his wife and her sisters. They were signed up for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Charolette, NC. In order to participate, walkers must raise a minimum of $1800 from sponsors before walking the two day, 36 mile hike. To help them reach their sponsorship goals he got together with Harley Davidson of New Bern to organize the first ride. They raised $5,500.00 and the three sisters walked for breast cancer research.
For five more years, Brown (Photo above) assembled the ride in the hopes of raising awareness as well as the money needed for his wife and her sisters to walk. Last year, however, Charolette stopped hosting the walk due to lack of participation. So instead of scrapping the idea of the annual ride, Brown approached our local organization Journey of Hope to see if they would be willing to partner in the ride. They agreed and last year they were presented with a check for $9,247.00.
This ride grows with each passing year and we are hoping that this year is no exception. Breast Cancer has touched most lives on some level. Even if you don’t ride, you can participate by making donations and being on hand for the event. The great thing about this ride and benefit is the money stays local. It helps our own community members as they face their most troubling times.
Registration starts at 9 am. Kickstands up at 11 am and the ride will return to Harley Davidson of New Bern for lunch and live music from SOLID GROUND.
For those who can’t be on had for the event but wish to donate, please drop checks off at Harley Davidson of New Bern located at 1613 Highway 70 East, New Bern, NC. Please note on the check Breast Cancer Ride.
Live Music Options for Thursday, October 13, 2016~
Around The Region:
Matthew Curry is live tonight at The Blue Note Grill, located at 709 Washington St., Durham, NC. Tickets for this show are $8.00 and the show starts at 8 pm. This place offers a great bbq menu and serves up sizzling blues talent seven nights a week on stage. Tonight will be no exception. In fact read about this player for yourself. Here is what was under the details section of the FB Event:
“Kid can shout like Joe Cocker, play guitar like a young Jeff Beck and rock like he’s still inside his first pair of shoes.” – Edmonton Sun
“Seemingly out of nowhere, MATTHEW CURRY has been creating a serious buzz the past few years. This rising star from the Heartland of Normal, IL has already seen rock star-like standing ovations at key festivals both in the U.S. and abroad, and the lines for his autograph at the merchandise booths are longer than most headliners. ”
— Top 40 Charts.comABOUT MATTHEW CURRY
Curry’s roots certainly run muddy-waters deep, something that’s not been lost on the guitar legends he’s had the honor of sharing the stage with over the past few years. “Matthew Curry is a phenomenal guitar player,” marvels Peter Frampton. “A highlight from my tour last year was jamming with him. He’s the next guitar hero!” Echoing that sentiment is Steve Miller, whom Curry both opened for and joined onstage during an exhilarating nine-date run in Canada in 2014 — and will again be his opening act for a slew of dates starting in May. Steve Miller declares that Curry is a “wonderful guitar player [and] great songwriter in the Stevie Ray Vaughan area of virtuosity and originality.” Besides continuing on with the Steve Miller Band, Curry will also be opening for The Doobie Brothers and Don Felder. “I’m absolutely thrilled,” Curry says of supporting these and other heavy hitters. “We have so much fun out there and I really, really enjoy it. I grew up listening to those guys, so to be out on the road with people like Don Felder, The Doobie Brothers, and the Steve Miller Band is quite an honor.”Not only does he get to go toe to toe and string to string with some of his heroes, but Curry recently became one of only 10 artists asked to be a part of The Fender Accelerator Tour, a program that provides developing artists the resources needed to get out on the road and spread the good word about what they do and where they can be seen next. Fender provided a touring van, promotion, equipment and publicity to their 2 Million plus fans!
While Curry loves it when his band headlines its own gigs, he also sees the opening slot as a way of winning over new fans one lick at a time. “Part of the reason people like us so much is because we’re not just a corner-bar blues band,” he reflects. “We’re trying to make an impact and connect with audiences as best we can, even though when they see this young blond kid with a Stratocaster walk out there, they’re thinking, ‘Just get it over with.’ I know they’re there for someone else, but we’re able to grab their attention, so I like to think some of those people are walking away as fans.”
First up, 19-year-old blues phenom Matthew Curry. Hailing from Normal, Illinois, Curry has been capturing the attention of established acts and fans across the country as he’s toured with the Steve Miller Band and now the Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton. Curry’s guitar riffs are so strong for his age that Peter Frampton had to give him kudos on his Facebook page: “I must also mention Matthew Curry who is opening for us on these dates. He wowed us all!! I see a big future for Matthew. Someone asked me in an interview today if I thought there could be any more guitar heroes. Well, hell yes of course and Matthew is one who will prove that to be true.”
Rocket, Music News Nashville July 2014Curry believes the way to convert an audience is to perform an undeniably engaging set. “One thing I really enjoy is putting together a show,” he acknowledges. “We all have so much fun when we’re up there. Interacting with your bandmates or interacting with the people in the crowd — like maybe jumping off the mike and stepping out front and singing to them really loud — can really make people think, ‘This is so great!’ Sometimes it’s the real simple things that will connect you to the audience like that.”
As much as Matthew Curry is invested in summoning the spirit of the blues — a commitment that’s in full display on the pair of smokin’ hot albums he’s released to date, 2011’s barn-burning If I Don’t Got You and 2014’s hard-charging testifier Electric Religion — the 19-year-old guitar slinger and soulful singer from Bloomington, Illinois likes to take a much broader view of his style. “If somebody came up and asked me what I would call my music, I don’t think I would say ‘the blues,’” he admits. “And I don’t think I would say ‘rock and roll,’ either. I would actually say, ‘good music.’ Blues is my first love, but I also love ’60s rock like Cream, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix. I’m also into things like Southern rock, Chet Atkins, and The Allman Brothers. All of those artists are complete musicians. They write great songs, and they sing great too. They’re just incredible.”
All in all, it’s been an amazing trajectory for someone who just couldn’t get enough of that guitar stuff at age 4 to having a tune he’d written, If I Don’t Got You’s epic tour de jam “Blinded by the Darkness,” win accolades as the Best Blues Song in the International Songwriting Competition. “My dad had this beautiful Martin acoustic guitar, and he was really big into old-school blues like Muddy Waters,” Matthew recalls. “It really caught my ear. I can remember my dad sitting in his recliner and playing his acoustic while I would just sit on the floor, watching every single movement his fingers made. I was mesmerized by the sound.”
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There is a quadruple bill of indie music lined up tonight at The Pour House Music Hall located at 224 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC. Tonight you can hear the music of LBLB as well as enjoying performances by Temperance League, Austero and Silas Kane & The Citizens. Admission is free and show starts at 8:30 pm.
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The Rob Philbeck Duo is live tonight at Bahama Breeze Island Grille located at 3309 Wake Forest Rd., Raleigh, NC. Show starts at 6 pm and they rock the dinner crowd til 9 with all the familiar favorites.
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Justin Castellano will be on the patio tonight at Carolina Home & Garden located at 4778 Highway 24, Newport, NC. You can enjoy his grooves along with some appetizers and wine and beer for purchase, from 6:30-9:30 pm. Personally I am excited that he is coming to our town tomorrow night. Lookign forward to hugging his neck and grooving to his guitar at BruTopia on highway 70 E in New Bern. More on that tomorrow, but tonight in New Bern…here is the lowdown:
Around Town, New Bern
Tonight at The City Laundry it is Vintage Night featuring the serenading sounds of Alisa E. Mike, whom I have decided is happiest when holding a mic! Come out from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. The City Laundry is located at 901 Pollocks St., New Bern, NC. There is no cover charge for this twice monthly event. However free music is never free so please support Alisa’s efforts while taking care of your servers too.
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Over at The Brown Pelican you can jon in the fun by packing up the gig bag and bringing your talent to jam at open mic between 7 and 10 pm. Located at 411 Broad Street, it offers a great vibe and very talented group of artists always. Might just as well stop in for a cold beverage and some live music while you are out holiday shopping, before the rush! (Yes, I did just pull the holiday card early.)
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Last but never least, please remember Thursdays means jazz done right at Christoph’s on the Water located inside the DoubleTree by Hilton, on South Front St., New Bern, NC. That is where you can find John Van Dyke and his friends live, 7-10 pm for dinner and great music. The good times always roll on Thursdays, so if you have not seen it yet, you are missing out.
Well sweet readers, please join me in a prayer for our many friends and neighbors that are dealing with the tremendous flood that is hitting so close to home for so many. We have to forget about the things that divide us, embrace the good in each of us and help each other out. We are one nation under God and we have to take care of each other. Please do what you can to make the load easier on someone who is suffering. Life is short. If you are living in an area where the flood is threatening you and you are confused, let me remind you that your life means everything to me and thoses that love you. I know it is hard to leave, but it is just stuff. Withut you we have nothing. Please leave if you have been warned.
I will return tomorrow with a rundown of where you can dance. Until then, thanks for reading, please share this with all your friends. Much love and continued prayers for NC!
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