© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Blues Bash attracts sell-out crowd

The opening act for WBFO’s Buffalo Blues Bash was still a half-hour away from taking the stage Saturday night, but Michael Campbell was already getting in the mood.

“My foot’s tapping right now,” the Tonawanda resident chuckled as he watched blues fans file into the sold-out event at the WNED-TV Studios in downtown Buffalo.

Many of the 240 people in the crowd attended previous Blues Bashes. Some made reservations for Saturday’s event only days after learning that the artist who snared at the top prize at the 2009 International Blues Challenge would be the headliner. JP Soars and the Red Hots have built a huge following over the years. Soars told WBFO’s Pat Feldballe, who emceed the event, that he credits a raffle that took place nearly two decades earlier for hooking him on the blues.

Credit Eileen Elibol
JP Soars and the Red Hots

“I was 18 years old. This is going back to 1988. I won a guitar in a raffle. And part of the deal was to go get to see B.B. King, meet him afterwards and have him sign the guitar.”

The backstage encounter inspired him to learn the blues. Still, Soars said he didn’t make the full plunge into blues until 2005. Until that year, he was touring the globe with metal bands. His eclectic background in music has helped to cultivate a unique recognizable style.

Soars was pleased to be the headliner at Saturday's event.

“We got a bunch of new songs. We’re getting ready to go in the studio. When we come back from this tour, we’re going to be finishing that up."

The goal is introduce a new CD by fall.

Buffalo’s own Maria Aurigema opened the Blues Bash. The energetic, hard-driving singer/songwriter has built a large following in Western New York and Canada. George Nicholas of Williamsville was especially excited about Aurigema’s appearance.

“I’m always a big fan of hometown talent,” said Nicholas.

Blues songs have strongly influenced almost all popular music including jazz, rock and country. While some fans said they’re particularly attracted to the blues because of the stories inside the songs, Kenmore resident Steve Brocculeri said he was there for another reason.

“I love blues guitar riffs,” he said. “I just love listening to the guitar players.”

Previous Buffalo Blues Bash headliners included the Noah Wotherspoon Band, the Ghost Town Blues Band, Billy the Kid and the Regulators and the Selwyn Birchwood Band.

Credit Eileen Elibol / WBFO News
/
WBFO News
JP Soars and the Red Hots

Related Content