Joe Louis Walker

VIDEO ADDED: Maryport Blues Festival rocks the town

Related: Festival best bar none

Photos here

Maryport Youth Festival photos here

Monday August 1 1,05am

Here's an overview of the entire weekend:

Maryport's 13th blues festival went back to its roots and proved the annual festival is still a force to be reckoned with.

Despite the lack of a "big name" - in previous years, the main marquee has seen the likes of Jools Holland, Elkie Brooks, Buddy Guy and Chuck Berry headline - organisers found the best of the modern blues scene and packaged them tightly in a rip-roaring three-night programme.

Sandi Thom, Jonny Lang, Dana Fuchs, Ian Siegel and The Revolutionaires were among the acts at the marquee at Netherhall Rugby Club and each represented their own brand of blues - from rock to rockabily, trad blues to boogie woogie.

The only wild card entry was Dennis Locorriere, ex-Dr Hook, who headlined last night. An acoustic set slapped in the middle of two high energy sets from Fuchs and Mike Sanchez, it could have gone horribly wrong, but it worked - his personality on stage and his back catalogue carried him through, even though he felt slightly uncomfortable playing a blues festival.

"I feel like a block of cheese at a cholestrol convention," he said, but the audience willed him on and enthusiastically joined in some of his better known works, including Slyvia's Mother and Freaker's Ball.

One of the highlights was when the main stage was opened by Whitehaven quartet Balmoral Road on Friday night and despite their young age, the confidence they exuded on stage had the audience eating out of the palm of their hands.

Pulling a smaller crowd than in previous years, the main marquee's atmosphere wasn't affected in the slightest and the blues purists mixed with general music lovers, all wanting to have a great time.

Organisers should pat themselves on the back for managing to create a festival filled with calibre on a tight budget.

The festival is always a two-part affair, with the town centre playing host to the trail, featuring blues bands from across the country and local acts.

For the first time in the festival's history, trail bands sold out on Saturday - an estimated 6,000 people were in town - and contingency plans were put in place so more bands could be sold for yesterday's trail.

Moree Weir, landlady of the Sailor’s Return on King Street, said it was her busiest ever blues and the atmosphere had been fantastic.

Joe Louis Walker — American Blues News

Gave me the blues! Not my kind of weather at all. For my post this week I am featuring some photos of of a guy I’ve seen quite a bit lately and who is pretty hot in his own right, Joe Louis Walker . Joe is a crowd pleaser, no doubt about it. These photos are from a couple of shows, one at Blue Note Jazz Club in April 2011 and Iridium Jazz Club on Februaury 2011. I have also included a couple of photos I took maybe around the early nineties sometime, with a film camera no less. That was at a club called The Bottom Line and it was my favorite club back then. I used to go there when tickets were $2.50. Imagine that! Even back then Joe was quite the crowd pleaser. At the Iridium show Joe was on a bill with Lil Ed and The Blues Imperials and even came out and joined Ed for a few songs. That was some good stuff. If you haven’t yet seen Joe I highly recommend that you do. Joe is a seasoned performer with quite a track record. I think it is safe to say you will not be disappointed.

Nelson G.