Tidings of Comfort and Joy, Y’All: Earth Still Rotating on Its Axis!

Long before baby Jesus was nothing more than an immaculate gleam in the eye of The Almighty, the Big Guy created the firmament and charted its dizzying course around our humble but beloved Sun and set our cozy fixer-upper of a home planet at such an angle that we might enjoy the extremities of the seasons, each hemisphere in its turn. For this we give thanks! 

And/or bitch about it. Either way, it’s not going to change. Right?

Oh. Wait. It IS changing. It’s getting warmer. The seas are rising and the mountains are crumbling into them. Seven billion of us are drowning in our own shit while we race to hit eight billion and a big orange tweeting twit is poised to speed up the process. Sad.

When things are teetering on the brink of calamity, who ya gonna call? No, not your favorite superhero; they're fictional. You call your friends and neighbors and you organize and you out the idiots and assholes for what they are. It's what Jesus would do. Merry Christmas!

Connect with like-minded celebrants of the season by getting off your ass and down to the High Noon Saloon. Indulge in ritual attention given to the lengthening of days and enjoy an EARLY (6 to 9pm) show at the High Noon Saloon (Wednesday, Dec 21).

THREE acts:

CanyonSpells at 6,

FauxFawn 6:45, and

TheBlueheels at 7:45 (to 9-ish)

And don't miss the FINAL Essen Haus performance Big Wes Turner's Trio (with special guest Billy Flynn) on Thursday, Dec 29. (See previous post for details.)

And help The Cash Box Kings kill 2016 and ring in a new and improved year at The Knuckledown Saloon on Saturday, Dec 31.

Big Wes T’s Three Takes Das Break

Big Wes Turner’s Trio has been a fixture at The Essen Haus for the past two years (or so), ever since that fateful night when (Big) Richard Wiegel, leader of the Midwesterners Trio, announced his bowing out to take a tinnitus hiatus.

The core of the Trio’s rhythm section, drummer Rick Becker and bassist Tom McCarty, with the blessing and sanction of elusive roots music mystic Big Wes Turner, "rebranded" and enlisted the estimable guitar talents of Gary Hendrickson. Thanks to Gary and some timely filling-in from Billy Flynn (internationally acclaimed guitar hero), the legacy of Big Wes has lived on.

And so it will continue. But not at The Essen Haus. At least not for now.

Beginning in January of 2017, The Essen Haus will cut back its live music schedule. The venerable Madison hub of live performance is sending its parade of players into hibernation. As antithetical as quaffing a Spaten Lager without an accordian pumping away in the background seems, so it must be.

Dedicated imbibers of beer boots will miss out not only on the polkas, but also the genre-bending grab-bag repertoire of Big Wes Turner’s Trio. In the words of Chuck Berry, “C’est La Vie.”

Warmer weather will likely bring renewal, but until that happens, your last chance to hear Rick, Tom, and Billy Flynn lay down some sounds will be Thursday, December 29. Come on down for a fond Auf Wiedersehen.

P.S. BWT3 remains available for your entertainment and edification at private events. You know our name; look up the number.

Billy's Back for Riff-Rippin' Holiday Happenings

Big Wes Turner’s Trio wraps up 2016 at The Essen Haus in good company. Chicago Blues HOFer and Secret Santa of Surf ‘n Wheels guitar stylings Billy Flynn is back. Will we have a Blue Christmas? Will Rudolph Run, Run? Will Trees be Rocked Around? Will Santa Boogie Woogie? Will Christmas be Merry, Baby? “If you don’t go, you won’t know!”


(For the entirety of McMusical December doings, see previous post.)

Q & As of the Season

Q: Where does the time go?

A:  uhhhh... Not sure. Seems like maybe something happened between now and the last blast of McMusical musings. It’s all a bit hazy. Oh yeah! There was that Hoedown at the Haus with the ever effervescent Billy Flynn (you missed that? see poster at bottom.) Can’t think of anything else.

Oh! Wait! On Wednesday November 23 there is/was Tofflers pre-Thanksgiving Day party-for-patrons (in New Glarus), featuring Ken, Tom, and Derek from the Birddog Blues Band, and special guests Mel Ford on guitar, and Warren Beck on piano.

You missed ALL that?

Well, your shame and sorrow and unease and discomfort is understandable, but let us not dwell on it. Let us think, instead, about the good times ahead!

Thursday, December 1

Big Wes Turner’s Trio gets crazy at the Essen Haus with a big assist from the legendary Larry “third-degree” Byrne.

Saturday, December 3

Tom sits in with The Cash Box Kings at Chicago’s premiere blues club, Buddy Guy’s Legends.

Saturday, December 10

Faux Fawn joins a stellar line-up at the Barrymore Theater for Wintersong, an annual fundraising event for Second Harvest Food Bank filled with new and old Christmas songs.

Tuesday, December 13

Have fun raising funds for Guitars For Vets at the High Noon Saloon with The Sparks Band (Tom filling in on bass). Host and Emcee, the infamous Ferret de Monte Christo of Count Bop & TheHeadliners.

Thursday, December 15

Big Wes Turner’s Trio welcomes back Grammy-winning guitar player Billy Flynn to the lineup at the Essen Haus.

Saturday, December 17

Tom jumps onstage to croak out a few holiday chestnuts with The Rousers at their Rocking Christmas Party at The Harmony Bar & Grill.

Wednesday, December 21

Faux Fawn opens up for The Blueheels at the High Noon Saloon. (Early Show!!!)

Thursday, December 29

Big Wes Turner’s Trio helps you burn off those third helpings and blow away any leftover holiday blues at the Essen Haus with Billy Flynn on guitar.

Saturday, December 31

Ring in the New Year and kick 2016 into the dustbin of History! Tom fills in again with the Cash Box Kings, this time at Madison’s premiere blues club, The KnuckledownSaloon.

(shoulda been there)