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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!


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Friday, January 13, 2012

New Release: Live At The Hub - Hamilton Loomis Band - Review


I got a copy of the new Hamilton Loomis DVD - Live At The Hub today and here I am sitting on a FRIDAY NIGHT writing a review... WHY? Because I couldn't wait to see it! And because I couldn't wait to tell you what I thought!! Well, I gotta tell you I am always concerned when I set myself up like this for something to be great and then the moment of truth comes... IT IS!! The show starts off with Best Worst Day and the band doesn't hold back for a minute. They are blazing right out of the gate! I have to commend the production crew before I go too far cause I am watching this incredible film (quality) and am also running the audio through a custom surround system (JBL studio monitors with 12" woofers and a Sunfire sub) and the bass is thumping the walls, every string snap is lifelike, the drums are crisp and articulated, the vocals are clear and in balance and the guitar is clean and the harmonics are clear and sax perfectly sequenced ... the mix is just perfect. There is no muddiness and the separation is terrific. Now back to the music!
Loomis really works (and I use that term carefully because the band is having so much fun it's hard not to get sucked right into it) this show! It's really a pleasure to see a band enjoying what they are doing as much as I am watching.
The show is a full 120 minutes packed full of (as Loomis calls it)Blues, Soul, Rock, Funk, Pop, Gumbo!The track list is:




Best Worst Day
Workin' Real Hard
99 Miles
Stuck In A Rut
That Thang
Where We Started
Voodoo Doll
My Pen
Slow Lover
Take A Number
Better Man
Build Me A Castle
Bow Wow
No No No
Road Runner / Who Do You Love
Get My Blues On


You already know that Loomis is an excellent guitar player, harmonica player and I personally think he has one of the most captivating voices in the business... absolutely perfect for the music that he plays. Stylistically I think he's right on it. No one else is doing what he is doing musically and he does it soooooo well! He shares the stage with the band as opposed to dominating it and has numerous exchanging of riffs on everything from Elvis Costello to the Guess Who. I know that you all don't know from previous writings that I am a real Loomis fan but this DVD is terrific! The band melodies are perfectly mixed and each solo riff, whether it be on the bass, drum, sax, keys, harmonica or guitar stands out from the band without being loud. Just cutting through the mix as if it was planned... go figure! One thing I love about his singing style...and he doesn't overdo it but when he does it it always makes me smile.. he stops the music and continues to sing...the rhythm continuing. It just helps to cement the groove.

The editor took the opportunity to insert a few extremely short interview clips into the performance. This is not at all distracting and actually adds to the enjoyment. It's funny though that some of the comments made by Loomis were already notes on my pad for this review...dang it!!

Loomis plays some great slide and it's not a beer bottle... No No No!! (you gotta see)!

In one short interview (I won't take away all of the surprises) Loomis tells a story from his childhood and you can just see the genuine "nice guy next door" and you have to smile.

As a bonus feature there is an extensive interview with Loomis and each band member takes us through their gear piece by piece, yes...Loomis explains what that thing is that holds his harmonica! I found this segment very entertaining as well...but you know that I'm a gear head.

The band is Hamilton Loomis (Vocal, guitar, harmonica); Kent Beatty (Bass, Vocal); Stratton Doyle (Sax, Keyboards, Vocals) and Ryan Cortez (Drums).

If you've heard Hamilton Loomis...this is everything that you could possibly want and more. If you haven't heard Hamilton Loomis...crawl out from under the rock you've been living under and watch out...the bright sun can burn in minutes!
Here's the tour schedule for the DVD (NO PHOENIX!)


JANUARY 2012


R>
WED 4th
BOB & LUIGI'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY
4559 N. Woodlawn, Bel Aire (Wichita) KS
7pm - 9:30pm
316-744-9510
FRI 6th
BOULDER OUTLOOK HOTEL
SOLD OUT

800 28th St., Boulder CO
8pm - 10:30pm
303-443-3322
SAT 7th
BUFFALO ROSE SALOON
DVD RELEASE PARTY
1119 Washington, Golden CO
9pm
303-278-6800
TUE 10th
JOHNNY MAC'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY
2012 Dewar Dr., Rock Springs WY
EARLY SHOW
7pm - 10pm
307-362-3034
THU 12th
CONCERT AT THE ELKS
DVD RELEASE PARTY
45 W. Brundage, Sheridan WY
EARLY SHOW
7pm - 10pm
307-674-9500
FRI 13th
BONES BREWING CO.
DVD RELEASE PARTY
1425 Broadwater, Billings MT
EARLY SHOW
6pm - 9pm
406-839-9231
SAT 14th
THE ATTIC
DVD RELEASE PARTY
Sponsored by WY Blues & Jazz Society
256 S. Center St., Casper WY
EARLY SHOW
7:30pm - 10:30pm
307-234-4110
SUN 15th
DUBLIN SQUARE
DVD RELEASE PARTY
504 Mt. Rushmore Rd, Rapid City SD
EARLY SHOW
4pm - 7pm
605-791-1600
TUE 17th
GAS LAMP (formerly Blues On Grand)
DVD RELEASE PARTY
1501 Grand, Des Moines IA
6:30pm - 9:30pm
515-282-5323
WED 18th
THE HUB
DVD RELEASE PARTY
THE RAMBLERS OPEN SHOW
406 Main, Cedar Falls IA
RAMBLERS @ 7pm
HAMILTON 8pm - 10:30pm
319-266-2360
THU 19th
THE 21st SALOON (FORMERLY MURPHY'S)
DVD RELEASE PARTY
4727 S. 96th St., Omaha NE
EARLY SHOW
6pm - 9pm
402-339-7170
SAT 21st
PRIVATE EVENT
Red Oak, IA
8pm
SUN 22nd
KNUCKLEHEADS
DVD RELEASE PARTY
2715 Rochester, Kansas City MO
8pm - 11pm
816-483-1456
FRI 27th
HOTEL SORELLA MONNALISA ROOM
DVD RELEASE PARTY
800 W Sam Houston Pkwy N, Houston TX
10pm
713-973-1600
SAT 28th
REAR WINDOW
DVD RELEASE PARTY
107 Menefee, Ganado TX
7pm - 9pm


FEBRUARY 2012


R>
THU 2nd
ISLE OF CAPRI CASINO
DVD RELEASE PARTY
100 Westlake Ave, Lake Charles LA
8pm
800-THE-ISLE
FRI 3rd
BLUE MOON SALOON
DVD RELEASE PARTY
215 E Convent, Lafayette LA
9pm
337-234-2422
SAT 4th
LANDLUBBER'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY - ELLIOTT COHN OPENS!
3606 Pontchartrain, Slidell LA
ELLIOTT COHN opens @ 9pm
HAMILTON @ 10pm
985-641-9218
THU 9th
DYLAN'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY
8601 9th Ave., Port Arthur TX
9pm
409-722-1600
FRI 10th
LAST CONCERT CAFE
DVD RELEASE PARTY
AMERICAN SWINDLE OPENS
1403 Nance, Houston TX
AMERICAN SWINDLE @ 8pm
HAMILTON @ 9pm
713-226-8563
SAT 11th
TUT'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY
JARED ZOLLI OPENS
711 Madeley, Conroe TX
JARED ZOLLI @ 9pm
HAMILTON @ 10pm
936-539-1500
THU 16th
WILLIE'S GRILL - JERSEY VILLAGE
"BEER, BUGS & BLUES"

ALL AGES - DVD RELEASE PARTY
17492 Northwest Fwy (290), Houston TX
6pm - 10pm
713-937-0456
FRI 17th
MAIN STREET CROSSING
DVD RELEASE PARTY
111 W Main, Tomball TX
8pm
281-290-0431
SAT 18th
MARDI GRAS AT KEMAH BOARDWALK
ALL AGES - DVD RELEASE PARTY
Kemah TX
6pm
281-535-8100
FRI 24th
EXECUTIVE SURF CLUB
DVD RELEASE PARTY
309 N. Water St, Corpus Christi TX
8:30pm
361-884-7873
SAT 25th
RODEO BBQ COOKOFF
DIMCOOKERS TENT
Reliant Center, Houston TX
7pm


MARCH 2012


R>
SAT 3rd
MISTER CALVIN'S
GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION!
6022 Martin Luther King, Hitchcock TX
9:30pm
409-986-9208 or
409-354-9844
SUN 4th
THE MUCKY DUCK
DVD RELEASE PARTY
2425 Norfolk, Houston TX
6pm - 9pm
713-528-5999
FRI 9th
THE BAYOU OF ROGERS
DVD RELEASE PARTY
115 N Dixieland, Rogers AR
9pm - 12mid
479-246-9337
MON 12th
STEVIE RAY'S
DVD RELEASE PARTY
230 E Main, Louisville KY
7pm - 10pm
502-582-9945
TUE 13th
CLAUDE & ANNIE'S PIKE PLAZA
DVD RELEASE PARTY
5162 Pike Plaza Rd., Indianapolis IN
JULIE TOWNS BAND opens @ 6:30pm
HAMILTON @ 7:30pm
317-752-6125
FRI 16th
211 CLUB
DVD RELEASE PARTY
211 S Main, Celina OH
time to be announced
567-890-7000
SAT 17th
MID-OHIO VALLEY BLUES FESTIVAL
C/O BLUES JAZZ & FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY
Lafayette Hotel, 101 Front St, Marietta OH
8pm - 9:30pm
304-295-4323
WED 21st
PINE TAVERN
DVD RELEASE PARTY
611 Floyd Hwy N, Floyd VA
7pm - 9:30pm
540-745-4482
SAT 31st
SOUTH TEXAS STATE FAIR
FORD PARK
Beaumont TX
time to be announced


APRIL 2012


R>
FRI 6th
DOSEY DOE
DVD RELEASE PARTY
25911 I-45 Frontage Rd, Woodlands TX
8:30pm - 11pm
281-367-3774
SAT 7th
POOR DAVID'S PUB
DVD RELEASE PARTY
1313 S Lamar, Dallas TX
9pm - 12mid
214-565-1295
FRI 27th
BLUESKARTELETT
Horsens DENMARK
time to be announced
SAT 28th
NIX BBBLUES CLUB
Enschede HOLLAND
time to be announced
SUN 29th
CAFE WITTE BAL
Assen HOLLAND
time to be announced


MAY 2012


R>
TUE 1st
MEHL SACK
Emmendingen GERMANY
time to be announced
+49 07641 912 437
WED 2nd
CHABAH
Kandern GERMANY
time to be announced
+49 07626 472
THU 3rd
NEKKERSDAL
Brussels BELGIUM
time to be announced
FRI 4th
DARVEL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Darvel SCOTLAND
time to be announced
SAT 5th
BURNLEY BLUES FESTIVAL
Burnley ENGLAND
time to be announced
+44 (0)1282 664400
SUN 6th
GUISBOROUGH BLUES FESTIVAL
Guisborough ENGLAND
time to be announced
+44 (0)1287 634365
WED 9th
SPIRIT OF 66
Verviers BELGIUM
time to be announced
+32 (0)87 35 24 24
THU 10th
CC DE STEIGER
Menen BELGIUM
8:15pm
+32 (0)56 51 58 91
SAT 12th
TOPOS
Leverkusen GERMANY
time to be announced
+49 (0)214 41555
SUN 13th
DART MUSIC FESTIVAL
Dartmouth ENGLAND
time to be announced
MON 14th
FAMOUS MONDAY BLUES
THE BULLINGDON
Oxford ENGLAND
9:30pm
+44 (0)1865 557849
WED 16th
THE JAMHOUSE
Birmingham ENGLAND
9pm
+44 (0)121 200 3030
THU 17th
MILLERS SNOOKER CLUB
Kirkby-in-Ashfield ENGLAND
9pm
+44 (0)1623 750260
FRI 18th
BOARHUNT BLUES
North Boarhunt, Hamps ENGLAND
9pm
SAT 19th
THE RETREAT
Bocking, Essex ENGLAND
9pm
+44 (0)1376 554923
SAT 26th
time to be announced

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