Events for May 2026 › Blues

Billy Watson

May 12 @ 6:00 pm
Genre: Blues
$5 cover

Billy Watson and the International Silver String Submarine Band is an improvisational, all-star cast of musicians, hand-picked from the California music scene. Since each member also works with their own bands, the “Cast” has been known to change often, adding mysterious excitement and spontaneity to every performance, while NEVER losing the highest of musical standards and professionalism.

Johnny “V” Vernazza

May 18 @ 6:00 pm
Genre: Blues
$5 cover

Johnny “V” Vernazza was born in San Francisco and raised in Daly City. As we all know, the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960’s was a hotbed of music. Clubs were everywhere and to go out and jam at four or five clubs a night was the norm, not to mention the Fillmore, Avalon Ballroom and concerts in Golden Gate Park.

Starting out playing guitar in 1963, Johnny Vernazza also played bass for a time with a rock band that worked the Fillmore and toured as the opening act for Quicksilver Messenger Service, War, and Big Brother and the Holding Company. About 1970, he joined the gospel band” Gideon and Power”, which toured the United States, and appeared on the Sonny & Cher Summer Show on NBC TV.

As the blues scene gathered national and international momentum, Johnny “V” was playing with blues greats such as Luther Tucker and Sunnyland Slim . Around that same time he was holding court with a blues band in San Francisco’s North Beach with former Elvin Bishop member Perry Welsh. Elvin would come in and jam towing along the likes of Paul Butterfield and other blues monsters . It wasn’t long after that Elvin asked Johnny to join the new band he was putting together , the rest is history . This association led to six albums, endless touring and the #3 song in the nation by 1974 “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”. That record turned Gold as well as a LP with “The Marshall Tucker Band” that featured Johnny and Elvin on slide guitar .

Chickenbone Slim

May 19 @ 6:00 pm
Genre: Blues
$5 cover

Chickenbone Slim has been deeply rooted in the San Diego Blues scene for 30 years, first as a bassist, and since 2011 as a guitarist, vocalist and bandleader.  His sound is reminiscent of Johnny “Guitar” Watson in the Third Ward of Houston circa 1964–Chicago/Texas/Gulf Coast/Uptown Blues with an authentic 1950’s to 1960’s vibe.

By mixing original blues and swing music with traditional covers, Chickenbone’s shows are greasy, down-home, and entertaining, keeping the dance floor packed all night.  Chickenbone has been serving up his style of Blues throughout the Western U.S. to audiences hungry for the real deal.  Since he formed the band in 2012, Chickenbone has played over 1,500 performances, from the San Diego Blues Festival (2018), Gator By The Bay, Adams Ave Street Fair and Unplugged, and on tour throughout CA and AZ.

His newest CD, “Sleeper” (Lo Fi Mob Records ©2020) features ten all original modern blues songs that are soulful and unique, while adhering to authentic classic blues style.   Recorded at Greaseland Studios by Christoffer “Kid” Andersen, the disc balances on the line between originality and creativity with a deep understanding and respect for blues styles and history.  Along with its predecessors,   “Gone” (2015) and “The Big Beat” (2017), Sleeper is picking up rave reviews nationally, and internationally.

Chickenbone’s band, known as “The Biscuits”, is made up of top local and touring San Diego Blues musicians including Scot Smart or Laura Chavez on guitar, Marty Dodson on drums, and Andrew Crane on bass.  Special guests on “Sleeper” include Joey Harris (guitar/vocal), Jerry Rainey (guitar/vocal), and Troy Sandow (harmonica).  Chickenbone doesn’t like to name drop, but looking up his players will attest to their level of musicianship.

https://chickenboneslim.com/

The Premiers

May 26 @ 6:00 pm
Genre: Blues
$5 cover

The Premiers are a San Diego Blues Band.
John Flynn and Mark Bukich are co-founders of the band with a common bond of playing real Chicago and West Coast Blues.