PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Matt Panek

Sunday, February 4, 2024

#659 : 'daBluesapalooza 2024 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

Billylee Janey

‘daBluesapalooza 2024

The Olympic Southside Theater

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

February 3, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 4, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

For the third year in a row, KCCK Jazz 88.3 has celebrated the blues with a fabulous blues event in Cedar Rapids called ‘daBluesapalooza held at Olympic Southside Theater. For nearly five hours, the blues was honored with performances by local and regional artists. The event was sold out and was a complete success.

Funkatude, a funk band from Cedar Rapids gave a stellar performance to start the evening off. A searing set of electric blues from Billylee Janey and Bryce Janey as The Janeys followed. The music continued with D-Dog & the BBits featuring Dennis “Daddy-O” McMurrin, Kat Blue & The True Believers, Homebrewed, The Tanya English Band, Matt Panek & the Electric Kool Aid Trio with special guest Johnny Kilowatt, and Dr. Z’s Experiment.

It was an outstanding evening of music. I certainly enjoyed it.

· * All photos by Phillip Smith

Funkatude

The Janeys

D-Dog & the BBits

Kat Blue & The True Believers

Open Jam

Homebrewed

The Tanya English Band

Matt Panek and the Electric Kool Aid Trio

Dr. Z's Experiment

* All Photos by Phillip Smith

Saturday, March 11, 2023

#600 : 'daBluesapalooza 2023 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

The Olympic Southside Theater

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

February 18, 2023

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 11, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Last year, KCCK Jazz 88.3 celebrated thirty years of playing ‘da Blues over the airwaves, and marked the occasion by producing a well-oiled blues event in Cedar Rapids called ‘daBluesapalooza. This five-hour long live blues show honored radio show hosts Bob DeForest and John ‘Big Mo’ Heim and featured many local and regional artists. The event was such a success, another gathering of the blues tribe was warranted, and daBluesapalooza 2023 was held at Olympic Southside Theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on February 18.

Ship of Fools, a band from the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy in Cedar Rapids, kicked the evening off in a big way. These young musicians sounded like seasoned artists as they lit up the stage with a most impressive cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child”. The lineup for the rest of the evening included outstanding sets from Craig Erickson Band, Dennis “Daddy-O” McMurrin, Homebrewed, Charlie Morgan, Tanya English Band, Johnny Kilowatt, Kevin Burt, Saul Lubaroff, Matt Panek, Wonderful Smiths, and Evan Stock Band. With the blues gushing out of every performance, the evening flew by way too fast. Seeing the artists sit in with each other for musical collaborations was extra special and made for a unique experience. I really hope this event keeps going. I absolutely love it.