Kenny Wayne Shepherd Brings Backroads Blues Fest To Artpark |
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 8/10/2024 - Lewiston, New York - It was a nice Saturday afternoon and I hopped in the car and headed West down Route 104 heading to downtown Lewiston, New York to see the return of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his KWS Backroads Blue Festival at Artpark's Outdoor Stage. I left early for this one due to Lewiston having a large art festival shutting Main street completely down. I got to the lot at Artpark via the backroads, no pun intended, and ended up parking for free since I was so early no one was at the gates yet. I talked with some Canadians who were on a pilgrimage to see this show saying they drove three days from western Canada making music stops at Chicago blues clubs and the Cleveland Rock Hall of Fame, crazy! I walked the art festival and could not find any good foods so I headed back to Artpark to wait in line to enter the show. As I approached the very small line I ran into my concert buddies John and Elizabeth who were first in line and asked me to join them, after I cleared it with all the other people in the small line. I was the first person to enter Artpark when the gates opened slightly later than expected. I secured a perfect spot directly behind the reserved seats, my Lewiston friends and their friends joined me for what would be an excellent night of music. The weather was perfect and the KWS Backroads Blues Festival opened with a great set from Duane Betts, son of Dickey Betts, & Palmetto Motel. They did some original material and a nice cover of the Allman Brother's Blue Sky. The only complaint was that their set was too short. After a brief intermission, the master guitarist Eric Johnson hit the stage and performed an amazing set. He was filling in for Jimmie Vaughan and dazzled the small Arpark crowd. He opened with Rejoice and played a tribute to Vaughan with an excellent jam on Mr. Silvertone. He played his classics S.R.V. and a great performance of Cliffs of Dover to close his set. Again, he was excellent and his set was too short, but the crowd was impressed most seeing him for the first time. After another intermission, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his band hit the stage and did a good set of new material, old hits and some blues. They opened with Was and played classics like Blue On Black and Deja Voodoo. They were joined by ninety year old Bluesman Bobby Rush who came out and sang and blew some harmonica to classic blues like Hoochie Coochie Man and Talk To Me Baby. Shepherd and his band closed their set with the usual Hendrix cover Voodoo Child (Slight Return). The final number was Shepherd being joined by Duane Betts, Eric Johnson and Bobby Rush for a final jam on I'm Going Down. A great evening of music for a great price at a great venue, you know I will be back. Slideshow | |
<<<- <- -> ->>> Eric Johnson performs Cliffs Of Dover at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Eric Johnson performs SRV at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs Blue On Black at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel perform Blue Sky at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs Deja Voodoo at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Eric Johnson performs Mr. Silvertone at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs I'm Going Down at Artpark in Lewiston, New York on Aug 10, 2024
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