Longtime local favorite “Baby Jason” Davis returns to Lincoln for two performances this weekend as part of Earl & Them fronted by Earl Cate. Guitarist Davis is best known to local audiences for his extremely popular, long-running, regionally-touring blues trio Baby Jason & The Spankers. Davis relocated to Arkansas over a decade ago and continued to perform with the late Larry Boehmer’s Eureka-based band The Tablerockers. Earl Cate is famous for his time with the rock-charting Cate Brothers as well as touring stints with Levon Helm & The Band, Fleetwood Mac and more. Cate was named in guitar legend Steve Cropper’s “Top Ten Guitarists of All Time.” Earl & Them plays Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Thursday, July 18, 6-9 p.m. and again Friday, July 19, 5-7 p.m. See earlandthem.com.
Zoo Bar Blues
Catch Samantha Fish Saturday, July 20, 6-9 p.m. at Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar.
On Wednesday, July 24, get some powerful old-school Chicago blues with the Brandon Santini Band from Memphis. They put down some stomping, harmonica-driven music in the tradition of James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Rick Estrin and Magic Dick.
Speaking of great harmonica, Watermelon Slim & The Workers are on a reunion tour and play the Zoo next Friday, July 27, 5-7 p.m.
Hopeless, Handsome, Sinners
40 Sinners’ blistering guitar-driven, gutbucket blues closes out a night of cool roots music at Benson’s Barley Street Tavern Tuesday, July 23. The 9 p.m. triple bill includes an opening set by Eddie Spencer and Michael Wunder. Portland’s storming roots duo Hopeless Jack & The Handsome Devil plays second and reviewers are buzzing. “These guys duke it out on stage night after night with uproarious blues and punk rock moves and, right now, they’re hot,” says bendsource.com while another critic raves the band “sounds like capital T-rouble.” Check hopelessjack.com.
Hot Notes
Hopeless Jack & The Handsome Devil also gigs at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Thursday, July 26, 9 p.m. with Omaha’s The Decatures and Patrick Bradley.
Austin’s Wayne “The Train” Hancock hits The Waiting Room Monday, July 22, 9 p.m. with his signature blend of Western swing, honky-tonk and rockabilly.
Saturday, July 20, Hector Anchondo Band heats up Heartland Café’s patio at 2615 North Main Street in old downtown Elkhorn. Dinner is available beginning at 5 p.m. Anchondo performs 7:30-10:30 p.m. See heartlandcafe.net.
The 21st Saloon gets swampy with zydeco from Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band Thursday, July 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Next Thursday, July 25, it’s The Chris O’Leary Band. O’Leary’s credits include fronting Levon Helm’s band The Barnburners.