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Crowd enjoys pleasant weather, soulful sounds Friday night at 20th Rollin' on the River Blues Festival
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| Debbie Davies entertains the crowd Friday night. |
By Renee Harmon/Daily Gate City correspondent
Opening night of Rollin' on the River Blues Festival in Keokuk provided crowd members with good food, great weather and a variety of enjoyable tunes.
The two-man band, Duo Sonics, opened the stage with humor and an upbeat show.
“I like these guys,” one audience member said.
With a harmonica and guitar in tow, the band kept audience members bobbing their heads and clapping with the beat.
“It's time to finger pop and let our hair down,” said one of the band members.
At one point during the show when a train went by blaring its whistle, the harmonica player “whistled back,” giving the crowd a laugh.
At the end of their set they thanked the crowd for coming and said, “It's been a plum pleasing pleasure to play for you tonight.”
After the Duo Sonics left the stage Keokuk City Council member Justin Tuck took the microphone and thanked the crowd for coming. He also announced that raffle tickets were being sold for $5 to help raise money for the Rollin' on the River committee. One of the prizes was a trip to Burlington and the other was a Rollin' on the River prize package.
Penelope and the Unusual Suspects was the second band of the night and they played a show full of popular songs and others that called for crowd involvement.
One member of the crowd that enjoyed the show was James West from Michigan.
“I think it's a pretty neat show,” said West. “I'm coming tomorrow too.”
West, who is in town for work this month, says he is a big fan of the blues and that his hometown in Michigan also has a blues fest.
“I could listen to this all night,” said West. “I love listening to the blues.”
Debbie Davies closed the show as Friday night's headliner. Her band, which included her, a bass player and drummer, played many originals that told stories of heartache, love and on getting by in life.
Davies made a great connection with the crowd that obviously was impressed with her soulful sound. She kept the crowd dancing, smiling and singing along.
Besides the music the festival also offered snacks, drinks and ribeye sandwiches and brats. With perfect weather the crowd enjoyed a laid back night of music, dancing and socializing with past and present residents of the area and visitors who were just passing through.
The two-man band, Duo Sonics, opened the stage with humor and an upbeat show.
“I like these guys,” one audience member said.
With a harmonica and guitar in tow, the band kept audience members bobbing their heads and clapping with the beat.
“It's time to finger pop and let our hair down,” said one of the band members.
At one point during the show when a train went by blaring its whistle, the harmonica player “whistled back,” giving the crowd a laugh.
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After the Duo Sonics left the stage Keokuk City Council member Justin Tuck took the microphone and thanked the crowd for coming. He also announced that raffle tickets were being sold for $5 to help raise money for the Rollin' on the River committee. One of the prizes was a trip to Burlington and the other was a Rollin' on the River prize package.
Penelope and the Unusual Suspects was the second band of the night and they played a show full of popular songs and others that called for crowd involvement.
One member of the crowd that enjoyed the show was James West from Michigan.
“I think it's a pretty neat show,” said West. “I'm coming tomorrow too.”
West, who is in town for work this month, says he is a big fan of the blues and that his hometown in Michigan also has a blues fest.
“I could listen to this all night,” said West. “I love listening to the blues.”
Debbie Davies closed the show as Friday night's headliner. Her band, which included her, a bass player and drummer, played many originals that told stories of heartache, love and on getting by in life.
Davies made a great connection with the crowd that obviously was impressed with her soulful sound. She kept the crowd dancing, smiling and singing along.
Besides the music the festival also offered snacks, drinks and ribeye sandwiches and brats. With perfect weather the crowd enjoyed a laid back night of music, dancing and socializing with past and present residents of the area and visitors who were just passing through.
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| 2,000 plus turn out for second night of festival | Wilson gets a year in residential facility, must work on anger management |
