Blues Bash

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Don’t miss BB7! Mark your calendars for the 7th annual Blues Bash on Thursday, June 2nd – opening night of this year’s IRE conference in Denver.

The stage is set for the latest and possibly greatest edition of IRE’s swinging soiree, featuring Guitar Shorty – a blues legend who toured with Ray Charles and taught tricks to his brother-in-law, Jimi Hendrix. “He (Jimi) told me the reason he started setting his guitar on fire was because he couldn’t do back flips like I did,” recalls Shorty.

All Music Guide raves: “When he’s not turning summersaults, doing backward flips and standing on his head – all while playing, of course – Guitar Shorty is prone to cutting loose with savagely slashing licks on his instrument. Live, he’s simply amazing…He remains a master showman and lively blues guitarist.” Read the complete review. Guitar Shorty’s latest CD – “Watch Your Back – was released last year by Alligator Records; a full biography is online.

This year, we’re invading Herman’s Hideaway, a venerable venue located at 1578 South Broadway, a short cab ride or healthy walk from the conference hotel. As usual, we will have exclusive use of the club; it will be closed to the public.

The last two bashes have been advance sellouts – so be sure to get your tickets early and online for only $15 while pre-registering for the conference. Remaining tickets – if any – will be sold for $20 the day of the event or $25 at the door of Herman's Hideaway. This year, only 400 advance tickets are available, so get them while you can!

The bash will begin at 7:30 p.m. this year to allow an extra half-hour of networking before the music starts. There will be a cash bar – and a limited amount of free feed for early birds (while supplies last). Food can also be purchased from Big Pat’s BBQ stand, just outside Herman’s Hideaway. Inside the club, Guitar Shorty will serve two big helpings of the blues – with live shows at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The Blues Bash is a cooperative effort of IRE and Mark Lagerkvist. All net proceeds are donated to IRE’s Resource Center. In its first six years, the Blues Bash has raised roughly $16,000 for IRE.