{"id":1156,"date":"2012-08-25T20:17:45","date_gmt":"2012-08-26T01:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/?p=1156"},"modified":"2012-08-25T20:17:45","modified_gmt":"2012-08-26T01:17:45","slug":"cincy-blues-fest-2012-day-2-up-close","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/?p=1156","title":{"rendered":"Cincy Blues Fest 2012 Day 2: Up Close"},"content":{"rendered":"

Those days when you can sleep are so nice.\u00a0 For me, that meant sleeping in to 7:00.\u00a0 Sascha wasn’t there with a wet nose and the alarm wasn’t trying to tell me something.\u00a0 Now if the housekeeper doesn’t try to roust me out before I’m good and ready, it will be glorious.<\/span><\/p>\n

I think the walking and a couple of beers in the evening helped to ensure that I slept well. Even the thunderstorm that I occasionally saw when I opened my eyes in the middle of night didn’t disturb the rest I got. <\/span><\/p>\n

I got up and wrote up the blog for yesterday this morning as Rich continued to sleep.\u00a0 Around 9:00, he finally rolled over and asked the time.\u00a0 We got ready and went to the Palm Court in search of breakfast.\u00a0 We had the buffet where we could get the meats, French toast, eggs, and fresh fruit needed to start the day.\u00a0 All of that with a cup of hot coffee is enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since I decided not to navigate the concrete canyons here in search of a parking lot with an empty space, I did valet parking.\u00a0 That meant that we needed the valets to get our car so we could retrieve the chairs and other items needed for the Blues fest.\u00a0 They didn’t seem to mind since it was slow at the moment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Getting all of our stuff back upstairs, we prepared to go out into the world and visit Covington, KY.\u00a0 We went back down to the TANK stop and boarded the trolley that went to the other side of the river.\u00a0 The driver dropped us off right in front of the MainStrasse Village sign.\u00a0 From here, it was a half block to the village.<\/span><\/p>\n

MainStrasse is the German village on the Covington side of the Ohio River.\u00a0 A lot of the shops, restaurants, and bars that are European. We went into the Linden Noll gift shop.\u00a0 This little shotgun house was filled to the brim with German, Austrian, and Polish items.\u00a0 I found a Bavarian hat for Rich.\u00a0 The one he had gotten in Munich was way too small.\u00a0 So, of course, I had to have a hat as well. The poor lady running the store was having a really bad, but taking it pretty well.\u00a0 We finally sorted out things and got on our way.<\/span><\/p>\n

One cool think was Mike’s Antique Guitars. The building was a really old theater from probably the 1960s.\u00a0 Mike was taking pictures of a guitar when we entered so we got to wander around and just look.\u00a0 If you were a starting band with no equipment, Mike could hook you up.\u00a0 He had some very interesting pieces.\u00a0 I wondered if it wasn’t a museum more than a shop.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

We continued to walk around the neighborhood looking at architecture and the different stores.\u00a0 We ended up in the Mutter Goette neighborhood.\u00a0 This name came from the large German Catholic church that was there.\u00a0 Mother of God.\u00a0 It had a beautiful copper dome that was all patina covered.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

We walked back to Main Street and entered The Cock and Bull public house.\u00a0 It was a modified English pub.\u00a0 The food turned out to be very Americanized, but OK.\u00a0 The beer selection on tap was pretty extensive.\u00a0 We settled in with an array of appetizers and drank our pints.\u00a0 The place was pretty crowded when we arrived, but had definitely thinned out by the time we were done.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

On the wall was an explanation for the name of the pub.\u00a0 In England, the two oldest pubs are The Cock and The Bull.\u00a0 Since news traveled with the travelers on the road, these two locations always got the news first.\u00a0 They each started enhancing the stories a bit to be more important.\u00a0 This is where we get the term a cock and bull story.\u00a0 Or is it?\u00a0 Maybe their wall story is the cock and bull story.<\/span><\/p>\n

We walked back to the shuttle stop and hopped onto the TANK trolley headed back to Cincinnati. Time to rest up and get ready for the Blues fest.\u00a0 Rich got his afternoon coffee on the way up as we went through the tower shops on the first floor of the hotel.\u00a0 I’m writing this blog as he prepares to raise his caffeine levels, which I’m sure, had fallen dangerously low.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

More to come tomorrow morning as I finish the report on Friday in Cincinnati.<\/span><\/p>\n

So now it is the next day.\u00a0 I got to sleep in again. I got in time to take a shower and get ready for breakfast at 10:00!\u00a0 That\u2019s fine.\u00a0 I don\u2019t sleep in often and it was after midnight by the time we got back and settled in for the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been walking everywhere we go or using the TANK bus to go over the bridge. It\u2019s always a great way to see a town.\u00a0 It\u2019s about a 25 minute to walk to the park…\u00a0 Not too bad.\u00a0 The chairs were starting to get heavy by the time we got to the park though.<\/span><\/p>\n

We found the Will Call table to collect our tickets, which was right next to the Performers Check In.\u00a0 Rich poked me and said that Super Chikan was about 3 or 4 people ahead of us. I think that he\u2019s just wishful thinking.\u00a0 But when the gentleman reaches the table, he turns out to be Super Chikan himself with his daughter! Can\u2019t beat that for up close, but not personal yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

We get our tickets and head for the gate. But we ended up having to wait for the last vendor truck to leave the grounds before we can go in. Turned out to be the port-a-potty truck.\u00a0 When he clears the gate, they let us in.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

We walk to the main stage and find a prime spot on a little rise that will allow us to see over everyone\u2019s heads.\u00a0 Just the tall people standing up front will get in the way.\u00a0 There are one or two of those throughout the night. Checking the schedule, it looks like we have some time before the first act.\u00a0 Rich heads out for drinks.\u00a0 I get a water and he looks for beer.\u00a0 This fest came prepared with the best beers.\u00a0 They are serving the local microbrews.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cincinnati is trying to revive their beer history.\u00a0 They are creating some of the old beers in the styles from long ago and working to rebuild the brewing neighborhood as it once was.\u00a0 This means that when you go into most of the local establishments, you can get some of those beers.\u00a0 The fest was no exception.\u00a0 I recognize the name Hudepohl from when I was a kid.\u00a0 Apparently, they have started brewing the style from the last 1800s.\u00a0 I thought that was really cool.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first act of the night is Scott Yakopcic.\u00a0 He won the local Cincy Blues competition solo award and is going on to Memphis in February to complete in the International Blues competition.\u00a0 He was pretty good.\u00a0 He is a great guitar player who can handle some of the old blues songs. His own songs will develop, but just aren\u2019t quite there yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Super Chikan takes the stage with his all female band, The Fighting Cocks.\u00a0 This is the guy Rich came to see.\u00a0 Rich and Rick had seen him at the Chicago Blues Fest a couple of years back and Rich has been a fan ever since.\u00a0 We had hoped to see him in Clarksdale when we were there in January, but he was out on the Blues cruise.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t seen them, so this was going to be new for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Super got started with his set.\u00a0 He played a guitar shaped like an old car.\u00a0 It might be even be a 1934 5-window coupe; we don\u2019t know.\u00a0 He was impressive though.\u00a0 He plays with a lot of skill and dances around the stage.\u00a0 But the surprise was the keyboard player, LaLa.\u00a0 She is part Jerry Lee Lewis and part Joe Crocker.\u00a0 She wraps her legs around the keyboard stand and hangs over the keys.\u00a0 She plunks around and makes some interesting contortions.\u00a0 But all the while, she is pounding out some fantastic music.\u00a0 How does she do that!?<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the set, Mike (the emcee) starts making a slashing motion across his throat for Super to quit.\u00a0 Instead, Super kicks into another song.\u00a0 Why not?\u00a0 We\u2019ll all rocking in the audience.\u00a0 Finally, Super says that Mike doesn\u2019t mean quit, he means he\u2019ll slit Super\u2019s throat if he doesn\u2019t get off stage right now.\u00a0 So that ends Super Chikan for the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rich heads out for more beer and to look at shirts and merchandise.\u00a0 While he\u2019s walking around, some guy sees the Cat Head Records t-shirt Rich is wearing and stops him to talk.\u00a0 Cat Head Records is a business owned by Roger Stoli back in Clarksdale, MS.\u00a0 He has a store and promotes the blues as a business. He\u2019s very knowledgeable in the blues world, writes books, promotes shows, and passes on knowledge to the rest of us.\u00a0 Turns out, this guy who stopped Rich was Roger\u2019s roommate in college.\u00a0 He\u2019s so excited to see something from Roger\u2019s store.\u00a0 He asks how Rich came by the shirt and they talk for a while.\u00a0 The guy shows off Rich to his family and says that Rich knows Roger!\u00a0 Well, in a way Rich does.\u00a0 I thought it was cool how that 6 degrees of separation worked in there.\u00a0 Another up close and personal.<\/span><\/p>\n

So the night moves on and Sista Monica takes the stage.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been hearing Monica on the Bluesville station on XM for a while.\u00a0 I thought she might be interesting to see in person, and she was.\u00a0 She has this big and wonderful voice with such a great sound.\u00a0 The Sista Monica band is full of wonderful talent as well.\u00a0 After a couple of songs, Rich goes off to buy a CD and returns with one.\u00a0 She does everything from start to finish to produce her own music. \u00a0That\u2019s totally amazing.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the set, she says she will be at the merchandise tent to sign things.\u00a0 Darn, bought it too early.\u00a0 Rich tries once to get a signature, but she wasn\u2019t there yet.\u00a0 She\u2019s still back stage with her mother, whom she brought out on stage toward the end of the show.\u00a0 I wander up later and find her sitting at the tent.\u00a0 She signs the CD cover to Rich.\u00a0 This is another up close and person I didn\u2019t expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

So it\u2019s getting really chilly sitting on the grass at this time of night.\u00a0 I\u2019m wearing shorts and freezing.\u00a0 Rich just wants to watch a little bit of the last act, which is Webb Wilder.\u00a0 A lot of the people around us have pulled up stakes and packed it in for the night.\u00a0 The grassy knoll is getting pretty empty out there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now this guy is someone Rich used to listen to when we first started dating some 20 years ago.\u00a0 The band gets started and it\u2019s more along the lines of Rockabilly than blues. But that\u2019s OK.\u00a0 Finally, Webb plays \u201cHuman Cannonball\u201d.\u00a0 Yep, this seems to be the song most people are waiting to hear.\u00a0 As Webb calls it, these are the true Wilderians.<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, we pack up the chairs and head for Pete Rose Way to walk back to the hotel.\u00a0 When we get closer to the stadiums, there are a lot of people out.\u00a0 Still can\u2019t tell if the Bengals did well tonight or not.\u00a0 The Holy Grail Tavern is packed and flowing out into the street.\u00a0 The police have barriers up to keep cars from hitting the partiers.<\/span><\/p>\n

We continue up the hill and over a couple of blocks to the Hilton.\u00a0 It\u2019s really quiet and we head up the elevators to our room.\u00a0 I had a great time and learned a lot.\u00a0 We had a lot of up close and personal experiences today.\u00a0 Time for bed though.\u00a0 Night y\u2019all.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"MainStrasse<\/a>
This is the main street or MainStrasse in Covington’s German town.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Bourbon<\/a>
At the corner of Main and 5th, the plaza there has bourbon barrels used for planters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Rosie<\/a>
Thought about you, Curious Daisy, when we saw Rosie’s Tavern over on 6th St.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Copper<\/a>
Walkjng around, we saw this huge copper dome on the Mother of God Catholic Church. The neighborhood takes it’s name from the church also, which is Mutter Goette in German.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cock<\/a>
Cock and Bull story on the wall of The Cock and Bull Pub.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Garden<\/a>
Garden in front of someone’s townhouse in Mutter Goette neighborhood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Rich<\/a>
Rich settling in to hear some blues on Friday. Just waiting for SuperChikan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"First<\/a>
First act was Scott Yakopcic, who won the solo\/duo competition for International Blues in Cincy this year. He’s going to Memphis in February for the Internal competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"SuperChikan<\/a>
SuperChikan playing the diddly bo. Yep,it’s a gun stock. Super is a folk artist who makes guitars from all kinds of things. This one is illegal because it has 3 strings instead of 1 string.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"SuperChikan<\/a>
SuperChikan and his band, The Fighting Cocks. They were well worth watching.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"LaLa<\/a>
LaLa is the keyboard player. Part Jerry Lee Lewis and part Joe Cocker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Sista<\/a>
Sista Monica was great fun. I had an up close and personal moment when she signed the CD Rich bought.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Webb<\/a>
Webb Wilder sang Human Canonball, which is all Rich needed to hear. Apparently, it was true for all of the Wilderians.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Those days when you can sleep are so nice.\u00a0 For me, that meant sleeping in to 7:00.\u00a0 Sascha wasn’t there with a wet nose and the alarm wasn’t trying to tell me something.\u00a0 Now if the housekeeper doesn’t try to roust me out before I’m good and ready, it will be glorious. I think the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,6,9,12,15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1156"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1180,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156\/revisions\/1180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zurekbrau.com\/blogs\/richsblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}