Tall City Blues Fest 2015 | musiconthecouch

Tall City Blues Festival 2015

The Tall City Blues Fest is held in Midland, Texas, the festival is the brainchild of Lisa Grissom & Ronn Reeger. Each year they travel to Memphis, TN looking for the perfect combination of performers to share their stages on Friday & Saturday night. I have been honored to webcast Music On The Couch from the lobby of the Doubletree Hotel prior to music each day for the last three years and to have been selected as Stage Emcee for the last two years.

Presenting Sponsor for the Festival is Mazda Midland/Odessa and Mr. Chris Robin.

All outside acts were presented on the Cimarex Energy Stage on both Friday & Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, The Women In Blues Showcase was held inside The Doubletree hotel and was presented by Navarrete/Schwartz

Unless noted, all photos taken by yours truly. NOW, I am not Donna Criswell, Leslie Joseph, Jenn Oken, Marilyn Stringer or any of the other incredible photographers who cover The Blues...Also, if any of the artists see something they like, I will supply them with the high-resolution file for their use.

THURSDAY NIGHT VIP PARTY

Left my camera in the hotel room (brain cramp), but got this short video of Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers

entertaining the VIPs and sponsors.

FRIDAY NIGHT SETS

BIG JIM ADAM

NOAH WOTHERSPOON BAND

ROB THAXTON

BRIAN AYLOR

LIONEL YOUNG BAND

JOE CHADWICK

CURTIS HAWKINS

BRANDON SANTINI

TIMO ARTHUR

NICK HEARN

HUGE apologies to DAVID ALABANIMAL GREEN

I don't have any pictures of you

BIG LLOU JAM

SATURDAY AFTERNOON SETS

"Women In Blues Showcase"

IN LAYMAN TERMS

LISA MANN

MICHAEL BALLASH

ANNIKA CHAMBERS

MISSY ANDERSEN

Drummer Michael J Minor

Michael McKinnon

Heine Andersen

SATURDAY EVENING

Opening act on the stage was Darren Welch Group, the West Texas Invitational Act. Unfortunately, while they were performing, I had a number of items that needed to be addressed as Stage Manager and thus, I did not get any photos of the band.

My apologies to Darren, Robert Smith, Kevin Powell & Landon Scoggins. Find out more about The Darren Welch Group at their Facebook Page.

Tas Cru & His Band Of Tortured Souls

(L-R) Allice "Honeybee" Ericksen, Sonny Rock, Jeremy Walz, Tas Cru, Tamara Nicolai, Dick Earl Ericksen

JAREKUS SINGLETON

Sam Brady Keyboards

Ben Sterling

John "Stockton" Blackmon

sorry John, I could not resist!

ANTHONY GOMES

Chris Jones - Bass

Fred Spencer - Drums

TAB BENOIT

"Jellybean" Alexander

Corey Duplechin

MR. SIPP

Carroll McLaughlin

Jeff Flanigan -Bass

Stanley Dixon - Drums

MIDNIGHT TROUBADOURS

By the time this special, invitation only after-hours jam began, all I wanted to do was sit and enjoy, so I really did not get any photos.

I did grab Annika's cell phone and captured the following video (mine had no more storage available!)

SUNDAY GOSPEL BRUNCH

Finally on Sunday Morning, there is a special Sunday Gospel brunch. This year hosted by Big Llou Johnson & Big Jim Adam and featuring the Macedonia Baptist Church Choir & Band. Mr Pervis Evan was a featured vocalist as was Ms. Sue Roseberry, who was the featured vocalist on this song, the closing number of the morning. All of the musicians from the festival who were in attendance were asked to join in for this one.

WESTERN AUDIO WORKS

I would be remiss if I did not give a HUGE Shout-out to Western Audio Works, the team that does lights and sound for Tall City. Brooks Willig has put together a top notch crew and it is a pleasure to work alongside them all.

If you know me, you know name retention is not my best feature, but this is Jeff the monitor engineer.

Bruce was in charge of getting the stage set-up... to all the other members of the team I apologize for not being able to lsit your names here.

Surfice it to say, this is one of the most organized, professional teams I have ever worked alongside.

They are efficient and make my function as stage manager a breeze.

We went 10 minutes over on Friday and extended the night by about 30 minutes on Saturday...but if you have ever been to a festival, that is like being on time! Thanks to this great company and their staff!