She’s Putting Something in My Food, is my favorite Bobby Blue Bland song. I used to rush
to my car before 5:00 p.m. to hear Cy Young play it every Friday on WQOK. I love the sound of Bland gurgling like
poison has been placed in his food.
News
of Bland coming to this year’s Bull Durham Blues Festival was enough to make me
shout. Bland and BB King are, in my
opinion, the co-Kings of blues. If you
want to feel like your heart has been pulled out and stomped on by a woman who
did you wrong, Bland is the man. Hand me some tissue.
This
year’s festival is certain to rekindle memories of the old days before the
event lost its home at the Durham Athletic Park. It was the place to be in September. Over the years, I have written about how the
festival is a showcase of what makes Durham like no other place. It’s a gathering of a diverse blend of
folks. You’re certain to run into the
who’s who of Durham, and the simple Jane and Joe who came out to listen to some
good music and dance.
The
festival lost its appeal over the past few years due to being unable to find a
venue that offered what the old ball park brings. I loved the ball park because of how it
reminded me of the movie that introduced me to Durham – Bull Durham. There was
something special about the old tobacco houses surrounding the park, and the
bleachers that made you think about baseball, apple pie and the blues.
Although
few sit in those bleachers, it was enough knowing they are there to remind you
that we are in the Bull City. Dang, it
felt good walking on the grass, picking up some crawfish and something to soak
it down while moving my hips to something that made me laugh and cry all at the
same time.
I’ll never forget listening to Clarence Carter
while thinking, “whew, I gotta preach in the morning.” I couldn’t stop moving when Trombone Shorty went
back and forth between his trombone and trumpet. I did the Wang Dang Doodle with Co Co Taylor all night long, and thought of afros, bell bottom pants and platform
shoes when Isaac Hayes talked about Shaft being a bad mother, shut your
mouth.
Yes,
the best of the Bull Durham Blues Festival has been at that ball park where the
movie was made. That site was lost when
the city decided to remodel the park and enter into a contract with minor
league baseball. Since then it has been
moved to the Durham Bulls Stadium where the new team plays, the Durham
Performing Arts Center where people were glued to seats, and last year near
central park.
Now
it’s back home. Just in time for the 25th
anniversary. The entire city should pack
the place to say welcome home. It takes
place on Friday, September 7th and Saturday, September 8th.
Having
the growling Blue Bland is enough for me, but this year’s lineup is way over
the top. On Friday, Marcia Ball will
perform. Ball received her 5th
GRAMMY nomination in 2012 as blues artist of the year. Also on Friday is Luck Peterson, who had an
R&B hit at the age of six for his song 1-2-3-4.
On
stage with Bland on Saturday is Otis Clay.
There’s Kansas City Blues, Memphis Blues, Mississippi Delta Blues and
then there’s Otis Clay, the King of Chicago soul and blues. What more can Durham ask for as a way to
celebrate the return of the festival to the place where it all got started.
Hold
my crawfish. I’ll see you at the park on
September 7-8.
Don’t
be confused if you see me dance.
---------------------------------------
Purchase Tickets
By
phone: (919) 683-1709, ext 21
In
person: Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville Street, from 10am – 5pm on
Tuesday – Friday and 10am – 3pm on Saturday
Advance
tickets, $35
Day
of event tickets, $45
For more information go to:
http://www.hayti.org/
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