Blues to Benefit the Bothwell - How Blue Can You Get with Barbara Dane, Big Cat & the Hipnotics Featuring Allen Vega

Friday, June 1st at 8:00pm at the Bankhead Theater

A special night of Blues to Benefit the Bothwell begins with folk and blues icon Barbara Dane sharing more than half a century of music, from the classics of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey to her own acoustic comments on life, accompanied on piano by the great Tammy Hall. Then, bringing us straight into the future of the blues, west coast innovators Big Cat & the Hipnotics, featuring Allen Vega on guitar, take us on a romp through their exciting electric world of rhythm and blues.

Proceeds from the performance benefit the Bothwell Arts Center and Downtown Art Studios, whose mission is to support the cultural arts by providing inexpensive rental space for performances, productions, rehearsals, classes in visual arts, dance, music and more, as well as exhibitions, music parties and arts fundraisers.

Buy tickets online or call 925.373.6800. $20 Advance Admission, Reserved Seating, $25 at the Door

BARBARA DANE

Legendary Blues and Folk Singer
Barbara Dane's remarkable blues, jazz and folk music career spans more than 60 years. Her first concert was in 1947, sharing a folk stage with Pete Seeger. By 1959, she sang hot jazz on TV with Louis Armstrong and toured with Jack Teagarden. For a year she sang blues with Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim as her back-up, and took over Muddy Waters' band when he became ill. In 1971 she sang before tens of thousands on the Washington Mall in protest of the Vietnam War. She recorded mainstream jazz with Earl "Fatha" Hines, blues with Lightnin' Hopkins, and traditional jazz with her own band.  Experiencing her concerts is a rare chance to experience some blues history.  NY Times, 2011 - "She still has pipes of polished brass"

"Dane's always been a role model and a hero of mine, musically and politically." -Bonnie Raitt

Spotlight on Barbara Dane, why she sings... www.youtube.com.

BIG CAT AND THE HIPNOTICS

Featuring Allen Vega on Guitar 
Big Cat and the Hypnotics, featuring lead singer Big Cat Tolefree with Allen Vega on guitar, is known throughout the West Coast music scene. They recently opened for B.B. King, and in the past, Tolefree opened for the Temptations, Jimmy McCracklin and others. In 2011 Tolefree was named "Male Blues Vocalist of the Year." Lead musician Vega plays a smokin' gun of a blues guitar, and Vega's former band, Smokin' Gun, won a Bay Area Music Battle of the Bands. Vega has opened for Bobby "Blue" Bland, Etta James, Buddy Guy, and the list goes on.

"Allen rocks the house with the hottest Texas blues this side of Austin." -BCT the Globe News

Check out Big Cat and Hipnotics live at Yoshi's on www.youtube.com.

Buy tickets online or call 925.373.6800.