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Mark your calendar for 2008
August 21 - 23
at the
Longbranch in Winton
(just 4 miles from Ely, Mn.) TICKETS GO ON SALE MONDAY, April 14 !
2008 Line up announced
Help us free the blues airwaves 2007 B.W.B.F. Revue from Blue Monday
I just spent the last two days hanging outwith my double D's. OK, put your tongues back in
your mouths boys, I'm talking about my husband Doug and "Swinging" Big Dick
Stephenson. Wewere up in Winton MN, just outside Ely for the Boundary Waters Blues
Festival (August 24-25). What a great festival it was, worth every $3.00 gallon of gas and the
5 1/2 hours in the truck to get there. The weather was absolutely beautiful,
especially after the hot and steamy days we had been
having in southern MN. I was very intrigued with the weekend's lineup,
and couldn't wait to hear some of the bands I hadn't heard before. I was
also looking forward to seeing some of my favorites. Here is
how it all went down: On Friday, the afternoon started out totally overcast
and cold yet not too cold for this hearty Northern bunch. The first band to grace the stage was
Scottie Miller and the Re-Uptake Inhibitors. This was a perfect start
to the show; Scottie warmed us up and got the crowd ready for what was yet
to come. I really liked what he had to offer, like a cozy
fleece blanket on a cool fall afternoon. Hey Zoot, nice suit man! It was great to meet you
and Scottie after the show. Next up was Reverend Raven & the Chain Smoking
Altar Boys. The Reverend was obviously a favorite among this bunch. I have never
seen so many teeshirts with one guys name on it all in one place.
He got us all up off their seats and ready to boogie!
Third up was the extraordinary harpist Jason Ricci
and his band the New Blood. What a treat it was to
seeing these guys again. They rocked the house (so to speak)
with their hard hitting style and Jason with
his phenomenal harp solos. Everyone seemed to be enjoying every minute of it.
He ended the show with a very surprising Marilyn Manson/Frank Zappa/ Performance
Art kind of a thing that I don't even have the
words to describe, well; maybe "bizarre" would be one way to put it.
It was a bit shocking and it really didn't have anything to do
with the blues. This fan hopes he doesn't go there again and that he sticks
with what he does best, the blues.
Last up was Shawn Kellerman and let me tell you, as the temperature dropped the
stage heated up and I mean steaming hot!! This was my first time having the opportunity
to see Shawn and his band. They were a perfect compliment to Jason Ricci's high
energy blues. As soon as he struck the first note we all knew we were in for a ride;
the entire crowd was up on their feet and at the stage and
stayed there the whole 1 1/2 hrs he played. He even called Jason back up on stage for a
very cool jam! Saturday's line up was just as
impressive. We started out the afternoon with the beautiful Lisa
Wenger. She not only brought sunshine to the stage, she brought it to
the skies as well. She's the kind of singer that you could just sit back
on a lazy afternoon and listen to her, sipping tea until the sun went
down. She has a very smooth sound yet with a tweak of a growl
that tells you she can get down and dirty if she wants to.
Next up was Johnny Rawls with his grooving style, he even had the
kids in the crowd getting Funky! Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy
followed Johnny. I don't even knowwhat to say
about this lady, she was amazing. She kicked off her shoes and
belted out the blues like a trueDiva. The best part was that she was as into it as we
were; obviously enjoying herself, dancing along with everyone,
and coming out into the crowd. She had us all eating
right out of her hand. I can't wait to see her again!
The evening's entertainment started with Paul Mayasich
and the Benderheads. He was the hometown boy
up here and definitely felt right at home. People seemed
to come out of the darkness as the crowd grew up at the
stage. When the set was over we screamed and yelled for
more!The Festival wrapped up with Anthony Gomes. He is
quickly becoming one of my favorites. I've seen him a few
times prior to this event and it seems that he is really
coming into his own. He commanded a presence up on
the stage and had a confidence that showed in his lyrics
as well as his playing. It is easy to see why he was the
Saturday night headliner; he is perfectly capable of holding
that spot at an event and is showing a somewhat of a
"star" quality about him. We bought his latest CD last
time out and decided after a recommendation from
Swinging Dick to pick up his acoustic one. It was fantastic;
we will definitely add it to our Sunday morning mix.
Concert promoters Michael Jankovec and Mary Cich
did an excellent job of not only getting great talent all the
way up to the Iron Range, but then putting them in the
most complementary order of appearance. Every band
was a top band and the flow was superb. Mike was not
only a gracious host but an excellent MC as well. If you
come up to the B.W.B.F. he will make sure you feel right
at home. You can check out his website at: boundarywatersradio.com
Mike promised that this festival would
be a bit different than the rest and he sure kept true to his
word! We not only had the sausage toss, (you had to be
there); also "The Wheel of Meat" which was proclaimed in
chorus by us all each time the subject was brought up.
This game had fans purchasing tickets for a chance to go
up on stage and spin the wheel to win fresh cuts of meat
from the local meat Market or festival actricles. There was
John E. Yo better known as "Yo-Yo Boy" who entertained
the crowd with his fantastic skills which were a combination
of gymnastics and yo-yo playing. You had Jack
"Attack" Kritzer up from Duluth walking through the chairs
in-between sets entertaining the crowd with his guitar
playing and a couple of sets with Musician Bob Bingham.
There was a canoe raffle and a guy who traveled around
on a motorized bar stool! There was always something to
entertain you, this event is perfect for you if you have
A.D.D. and you love the blues! I was smiling all day long. The last thing I'd like to mention
about this event was the vendors. Water and sodas were $1; $3 dollars
for one of the best pulled Pork sandwiches around. It was very affordable.
There weren’t a whole lot of vendors but they did carry a wide variety of foods.
One in particular was the Cornerstone Grill run by Marvin Cox. Special orders
were no problem for this picky/non-meat eating festival attendee! Thanks
Marvin! And thanks for bringing Andrew; he gave all us girls something else to
smile about that weekend! We are not only coming back for the
festival next year; we're going to stay For the whole week and enjoy all that
Ely and the Boundary Waters have to offer. Make sure and mark your calendars
for next summer folks, it's definitely worth it!! -Brenda Shepherd
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Listen to BoundaryWatersRadio.com LIVE!
Lodging
Stay where our Blues Performers stay!
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Moose Track Adventures Resort |
| Scenic
year-round resort and outfitter on the White Iron Chain of Lakes w/
direct access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA).
Modern and fully equipped 2-3 BR lakefront housekeeping cabins.
Specializing in guided trophy fishing trips to Basswood and surrounding
area lakes. Customized packages to fit all of your needs. Enjoy
fishing, family activities, on-site naturalist, guided canoe trips,
snowmobiling, dog sledding, x-c skiing, relaxing and much more. |
| 593 Kawishisi Trail, Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-365-4106 1-800-777-7091 |
E-mail | |
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Budget Host - Motel Ely |
| At
door parking. Car plug-ins. Direct access to taconite and Tomahawk
trails. Mobile Travel Guide rated. Open all year. Easy parking. $10
charge for pets. AAA rated.
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| 1047 E. Sheridan St. , Ely, MN 55731
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Website |
| 218-365-3237 1-800-891-0334 |
E-mail | |
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Shig-Wak Resort |
| Our
family resort is secluded in a bay on Little Long Lake. Stay in a
modern cabin while enjoying fishing and the northwoods experience.
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| 1770 Echo Trail, Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-365-5285 1-800-777-4413 |
E-mail | |
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Silver Rapids Lodge |
Year
round lakeside cabin / motel suite resort w/ restaurant and cocktail
lounge. Historic lodge with fireplaces, satellite, whirlpools, decks,
private fire pits, sauna, marina, firewood, playground, groomed hiking,
X-C ski, and bike trails, beach, banquets & meeting rooms, gas,
store, laundry, boats, pontoons, canoes, kayaks, lakeside seasonal
camping w/ full hookups, direct BWCAW access, and bait, on 4 lake White
Iron Chain only 4 miles from Ely at the BWCAW.
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Smitty's on Snowbank |
| Motel
and fishing resort on edge of BWCAW on 3,303 acres undeveloped, crystal
clear Snowbank Lake. Rustic Lodge, Am. Plan. boat/motor, canoe, heated
ice fishing houses, 23 mi. hiking trail. Lake trout, walleye, bass,
northern.
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| 14564 Snow Lodge Road, Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-365-6032 1-800-950-8310 |
E-mail | |
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Timber Wolf Lodge |
4-season
vacation paradise. Rustic housekeeping cabins will all the modern
amenities. Spacious lodge, sauna, Wolf Country gifts. Relax with us in
the wild northwoods and enjoy the "Minnesota Riviera!"
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| PO Box 147, Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-827-3512 1-800-777-8457 |
E-mail | |
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West Gate Motel |
Quiet,
end of town, direct access to Taconite Trail. Also easy walking - 2
blocks to downtown area. Free local phone calls. Airport pickup.
Non-smoking rooms available. Pets rooms available.
110 N.nd Ave W.Sheridan, Ely,Mn 55731
218-365-4513 800-806-4979
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A Stay Inn Ely
A Stay Inn Ely offers an unique lodging experience to Ely travelers.
The Inn's accommodations have an old world hostel charm yet offer the
privacy of individual bathrooms. Located in downtown Ely, the Inn is
within easy walking distance to Ely's finest restaurants and shops.
112 West Sheridan,Ely Minnesota 55731 Tool Free 1-800-360-6010 Website
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Super 8 Motel - Ely |
| Whirlpool
& sauna, remote control cable-TV, free local calls, access to
Tomahawk and Taconite trails, car plug-ins, coffee plus much more.
Coffee and tea available 24 hours. Location on map: i
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| 1605 E. Sheridan St., Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-365-2873 1-800-800-8000 |
E-mail |
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Paddle Inn |
| Open
all year. Park at door. Car plug-ins. Additional truck and trailer
parking. Direct access to Tomahawk and Taconite trails. Free local
calls. Complimentary coffee all day. Location on map: m
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| 1314 E. Sheridan St., Ely, MN 55731 |
Website |
| 218-365-6036 1-888-270-2245 |
E-mail | |
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