PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: 25th Annual Bowlful of Blues

The Fred Maytag Bowl

Maytag Park

Newton, Iowa

All photos by Phillip Smith; Sep 03, 2017

I don't think I could have picked a better place to spend the day before Labor Day, than being immersed in the blues at Maytag Park in Newton, Iowa. This was my first visit to the Bowlful of Blues Festival, and I hope to attend many more times in the future. Unfortunately, I missed the opening act, Juliana and a Soul Purpose, but I did arrive just in time to catch the spectacular ninety minute set from The Norman Jackson Band in its entirety. Having just reviewed his recent album, It's the Drummers Fault, I was most excited to see this band from Springfield, Missouri perform live. (click here to check out that review).

Keeping the momentum going between the main acts, Iowa Blues Hall of Fame member, Rob Lumbard entertained the audience on acoustic guitar with a treasure-trove of songs.

Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers took the stage for a captivating performance, bringing a small taste of Mardi Gras to the middle of Iowa. Following them, the great Mato Nanji and Indigenous graced the stage and gobsmacked me with his guitar prowess. (click here to check out my 2013 review for Otis Taylor's My World is Gone album, which features Mato Nanji). Closing out the evening, was New York's Jane Lee Hooker, who played an amazing set of blues-rock. They were definitely a force to be reckoned with.