Gator By The Bay
San Diego, CA
May 14, 2017
The festival has been going strong since Friday night. The Sunday lineup of bands begins on four stages at 11:00 AM and doesn't quit till Chubby Carrier and his Bayou Swamp Band treats the full house of merrymakers with its hugely popular Mother's Day Tribute on the Festival Stage at 7:30 PM.
Geno Delafose and his French Rockin' Boogie put a charge in the day, opening to a full dance floor at 12:10 PM Sunday. Son of the late zydeco legend John Delafose, he began his career playing rub board with his father's band at age 8. His music is rooted in the zydeco tradition of La La music all the way to originals penned by Geno. Geno's cover of Clifton Chenier's "I'm Comin' Home" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtkXxHKaJVg
Loads of volunteers set up and take down stages and the infrastructure for the event. Kids on the dance floor with their father or mothers is a common sight in Louisiana, not so much here but this tyke is off to a good start.
The Gypsy Swing Cats, a touch of "Django" Reinhardt that rolls effervescently from peppy swing to jazzy Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOGAV68xKsk&t=35s;
Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters - anybody born in southeast Texas is bound to have grown up listening to a stew of Cajun, zydeco, blues made for foot tapping dance inducing music.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efoJ-n2qt24
Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas? Whoaaaa, I thought I fell through a trap door and ended up in a Guinness soaked pub in Dublin. This band of fall-out-of-your-chair merry-makers delivers Irish Folk Rock with the kind of rowdy good-natured humor that invites, perhaps demands, that little kids and their parents click their heels and start pounding your feet on the dance floor. "We sing about wine, women, and whiskey!" then sing "Ode to Jimmy Butters." Case closed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR3AzRXH1as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR3AzRXH1as
These guys kick ass as good as the Dropkick Murphy's from my hometown of Boston.
One of the draws at GBTB...a family can bring a blanket, sprawl on open areas of lush grass, find tents that offer hat making, face painting. Then there are the big girls singing their hearts out at the Mardi Gras stage. Missy Andersen, Mercedes Moore and Sharifah Muhammad with the guitar backing of Heine Andersen... part of a group called Six String Society Gospel Show.
Six String Society Gospel Show has a revolving cast of singers and musician. They rocked the joint with a bunch of blues, gospel and a few slow drags somewhere between. Just another fabulous bunch of singers and musicians making music to send us to the stars.
Fairly impossible to mosey by the The Bill Magee Blues Band without taking a turn on the dance floor.
The Screamin' Primas, a tribute band to the late Louis Prima, who would love the unabashed stylings of its leader who covered hits like from his 'Jump, Jive and Wail' to classics like 'Buona Sera' that have the stamp of Prima's home town of New Orleans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lMFUJnWxQE&t=33s
Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys are a huge draw.
James Intveld grew up listening to the likes of Hank Williams, Dean Martin and Elvis Presley. You can hear him synthesize their styles all with his own. Throw in some of Elvis’s hip shakin’ and you get the idea.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...Chubby Carrier's hugely popular finale on this Mother's Day...he invites every mother in the house to join him on stage. I'm convinced that some women come to GBTB to strut their stuff with Chubby in his thoughtful rockin' tribute he's done each of the past four years I've been here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Al9SiddefE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IFqm_Q6Ayg
Sunday, 7:30 PM I'm walking to the exit, "How did you like the festival?" a man asks. "The best one I've ever been to," says I. "I set up the electricity for the whole event," he says. "See that small structure over there...that's one of several that power the whole festival." I'm talking to Glenn who's been doing this for about 12 years. "Impressive," says I. "I haven't heard a glitch all weekend...see you next year!" I wish I could remember the name of his company.
Photos by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.
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