Anyway, Kenny Wayne Shepherd came out, and I shot during his first two songs. I then sat down in a section where no one was sitting (off to the side--not much view of the stage.) I didn't want to take a seat that should have been paid for.
Shepherd is supposed to be a young guitar phenom in the style of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. I really didn't care for him--he's a Stevie Ray "wannabe", only without the feel and emotion Stevie Ray had for the blues. Loud and fast ain't the blues. There oughta be a law against this type of music being billed as blues.
My son, Jared, is a fan of Shepherd's and had seen him a few months ago in Indianapolis. Jared was at the show (front row, paid ticket), and he told me this show wasn't nearly as good as the show in Indy.
Though Shepherd does not sing (singer Chris Moore was pretty good), he does write some of his music. Jared told me that of the seven songs he performed, Shepherd had written four or five.
I am not a Neville Brothers fan, but they almost won me over during their first two songs. Their second number was a nice version of Little Willie John's "Fever." Then they lost me. While they did a good job with the mix of music they performed, what they do isn't the blues. They did get some people on their feet with their medley of 50's rock 'n roll songs.
After an intermission, it was time for B.B. King. After a couple of numbers by B.B.'s 11-piece band, you could start to feel the electricity in the air! After emerging from behind a curtain at the rear of the stage and taking his place in front of the band, it was like someone had flipped on the excitement switch! Man, this was it, real blues, big band style!
After excitedly and nervously shooting King during my allotted first
three songs, I decided I wanted to see as well as hear him, so I sat in
an empty security guard's chair on the floor and off to the side, figuring
eventually I would be told to go back to the cheap seats. It didn't take
long. During the fourth song, a guard told me I had to leave since I didn't
pay for that seat.I said, "Okay." Then I went back to where I had sat before. At least I thought I would be able to hear, but during the fifth song, the same guard told me I had to leave the premises! Out in the hallway I tried to explain that it was our understanding that the Jazz and Blues Association could review the whole show. The guy was nice about it, but I still couldn't stay.
Before I wrote this article, I spoke to a representative of the Assembly Hall to find out why I was thrown out. That's when she told me I needed a review ticket too! She was apologetic and courteous, however, and I will take a little blame for not knowing that it takes more than one pass to review a show at the Assembly Hall. BUT I WAS STILL THROWN OUT!
Jared said B.B. put on one of the best shows he's ever seen. The icing on the cake for him was when Kenny Wayne Shepherd came out and jammed with B.B. King at the end of King's set.
I really would've liked to have seen all of B.B.'s show. He was the only true blues artist of the night. I guess I'll stick to the blues shows at the Blind Pig. There I can photograph the performers, interview them--even have a drink with them--all without any special passes.