Once
again the call of the Blues drew the faithful way down south, to
the Delta land of Helena, Ark. Anticipation of this event kept this
writer restless the night before, a feeling reminiscent of Christmas
as a child. An early departure on a beautiful fall day showcased
the natural beauty of Missouri, with the many shades of orange
and red emblazoned across the land. As the miles passed, and
the cotton began to turn the landscape into a sea of white, the
feel of the Delta began to emerge. At a fuel stop in Memphis, I'm
sure it was Elvis
I spotted working behind the counter. Continuing on for a short
drive down Hwy. 61 brings you to Clarksdale,
Ms., a town steeped in Blues history. It's here that you'll
find the site where WC
Handy lived, right next to the Delta
Blues museum, and so much more. Just next door to the Blues
museum you'll find Ground Zero, the Blues Club owned by actor Morgan
Freeman, who happened to be there all weekend. As you drive
along Sunflower on your way back from the Blues Musuem, on your
right you'll pass the Riverside hotel, where Bessie
Smith spent some of her last days.
Back on Hwy. 61 heading north, you'll soon see the turnoff for Helena, and before you know it, you're over the Mississippi and in the land of "Da Biscuit". Things seem to stay unchanged in this sleepy little river town. The liquor store that burned several years ago is still standing, as is the architectural beauty of the Edwardian Inn just down the street. A few blocks down the road will bring you to the banks of the Mississippi levee that gracefully create the main stage ampitheater. Just a few years ago, as we sat on the railroad tracks that pass along these levee banks, David "Honeyboy " Edwards entertained me with stories of his early Helena days.
Friday began with blue skies, and the forecast of
approaching rain and winds. A quick trip to WalMart for some weather
gear, and then we were soon fest bound. Sure enough, blue skies
turned to grey, and the rain soon followed. By 3 pm the stages
had to close, but not before Guitar
Shorty did his patented guitar magic (ala Hendrix),
and sang "roll over baby, roll me like you used to do".
The dedicated fest staff of the KBBF weathered the first wave
of storms, and soon had the main stage back in business. The media
party was in full swing by 5 pm, so we ducked in for some warmth
, food & fun, with great music provided by Oreo
Blue. Emerging from that party around 7 pm, we found mother
nature hadn't quite finished! The Festgrounds had emptied in our
absence, and so we decided to call it a day. Unfortunately for
us, we later found that the Marcia
Ball act hadn't completely cancelled, she just moved her show
to the Sonny
Boy hall, where we hear she played until the wee hours!
Once again a strong St. Louis showing was there
in force. Paul & Vicky, Lou & Julie, Ken & Pat,
Rebecca & Paul, and many more! Festival bro Dr. Fultzenstien
even came up from New Orleans to once again participate in one
of the finest fests to be found! Sadly, all Blues Fests must
end, and the journey begin back to our daily lives. As I headed
back to St. Louis, news of the retalitory attack on Afghanistan
blanketed the airwaves. The very fact that we are at war makes
an event like the King Biscuit all the more special, and a great
way to celebrate America! |