Blues and BBQ

Any suggestions on places with great BBQ and blues music together.
I recommend the Sit N'Bull Pub in Maynard,MA
DaveM

quote:

Originally posted by DaveM

Any suggestions on places with great BBQ and blues music together.
I recommend the Sit N'Bull Pub in Maynard,MA
DaveM

Live music, Dave? If the blues musician and bbq were both any good, it would create a serious overload for my mind -- I don't know if I could deal with it .

Name performers or locals?

Most bbq places here are rather early closers. The only place I know of with live music is Hickory Hollow, which tends towards blue grass and folk. They do have signed autographs on the walls of performers who've eaten there, including the Dixie Chicks before they became famous and ZZ Top as I recall, but I don't think either of those have performed there. They also serve catfish, CFS, burgers.

Got a great one: Half Moon BBQ in Silver Spring, Maryland -- on Georgia Avenue just over the DC line (see www.halfmoonbbq.com ). Had a surpise 40th for Mrs. I95 there this past summer and often frequent this "urban roadhouse" for food (pork and beef BBQ), music (Lustre Kings, Bill Kirchen, Ruthie & the Wranglers) and beer (delicious New Castle Brown Ale on tap).

Would highly recommend for all you DC-area Road Fooders !!

Can't beat this: http://centerstage.net/music/clubs/buddy-guys-legends.html

Fat Matts in Atlanta

It’s hard to have the blues when you’re doin’ good "Q".

I hesitate to mention this, as it may not be what you're asking about, but in southeastern Massachusetts (Attleboro, to be precise), there's a BBQ place that. . .well, really runs with the blues theme. It's called Memphis Roadhouse. They don't have live music, as far as I know, but the walls are covered with BBQ and blues posters and memoribilia, and the sound system is constantly playing a mix of classic blues and r+b. I'm more of a r+b and soul person myself. Straight blues, for the most part, doesn't move me. And this restaurant. . .well, it's not half bad, considering you're eating barbeque in New England, where the food of the American South is more exotic and hard-to-get than that of the other side of the world. But the decor and constant blues music make the whole place seem like a chain restaurant - it's not, but it easily could be.

Far better is a small place in an iffy neighborhood of Providence, LJ's BBQ. A family joint, LJ's will do you right with a fine plate of pulled pork, collard greens and mac and cheese. And while you eat, you can admire the classic r+b 45's framed on the wall from the collection of the couple that run the place. Maybe I'll go tomorrow. . .

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I get the blues most every night.

"since i fell for you"

Fat Matt's on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta. A ribs and blues joint with a pleasant deck in front. It's really nice sitting out there in warm weather. I've eaten at Fat Matt's on my last three visits to Atlanta.

I do not care for the chopped pork que at all and don't think it's made on site (that's a guess). Skip the potato salad, too. My Atlanta friends and I just do the meaty ribs, great sauce, white bread and ice tea.

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Originally posted by clothier

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Originally posted by tiki

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I get the blues most every night.

"since i fell for you"

thank you Tiki!

Thank Lenny EWelch--he taught me the lyrics years ago!

Well for a blues and BBQ fan I am well known around here as a one note wonder...The answer is The Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, Rochester, and coming soon to Harlem, New York. Great food and live blues (local and national acts) at least six nights a week.

I will definitely second the DinosaurBBQ-great roadhouse atmosphere as well. And the cookbook that John Dodge has produced from the restaurant is great as well.
I am been to Legends for about 10 minutes-couldn't stay for the show.
Saw Buddy Guy live at Hampton Beach Casino, NH-incredible show-loves to walk through the crowd.
My only time at LJ's was great-even BBQ that was rewarmed was better than other places. The talk there, was about a visit from one of their now more famous customers, a man by the name of Bethel Johnson, from Texas A&M. If the name is not familiar, he will be, after this little get together called the Super Bowl. He will be returning kickoffs for the New England Patriots. (Ran a kickoff back 98 yards againt Indy).
Anyways, for those familiar with Rhode Island, I did a Roadfood trifecta, eating a hot dog at Spike's Junkyard Dogs, followed by BBQ at LJ's, and a burger on the way home from Haven Brothers Diner before jumping on Rt 95 north.
DaveM

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Originally posted by tiki

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Originally posted by clothier

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I get the blues most every night.

"since i fell for you"

thank you Tiki!

Thank Lenny Welch--he taught me the lyrics years ago!

Tiki,
Lenny Welch!!!!! That's one of the greatest 45s of all time!!!!! I've got the original Cadence 45 AND the Cadence LP in mono (anyone got an extra copy in stereo?).
Lenny signed with Cadence in 1959 and had only minor hits; Archie Bleyer, Cadence's near-genius arranger/producer/engineer utterly refused to give up on him. "Since I Fell For You" was a near-fluke hit, and the rest is history.
Frankly, I don't think a better version of the song exists. Yeah, I know this is off-topic, and Lenny's not reallllly a blues singer, but somehow this all fits together on this thread. Suits me, anyway.
Bluely, Ort. Carlton in I-Get-The-Blues-When-It-Rains-And-It's-Been-Pouring-All-Day-In-Near-Freezing Athens, Georgia.

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Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Tiki,
Lenny Welch!!!!! That's one of the greatest 45s of all time!!!!! I've got the original Cadence 45 AND the Cadence LP in mono (anyone got an extra copy in stereo?)

Im with ya on that---- LOVE that tune---especially his arrangement!!and im jealous that you actually own the 45's!!!!That was one of the first tunes to really get to me as a kid,and it still goes through my head at least every other week.I will forever be grateful for the portable transister radio---it enabled us to the first generation of humans that came with a sound track!--and even thought the technology has been improved---NOTHING will ever sound as good to me as that song ---and a bunch of others--- as it bleated out of that undersized and tinny speaker!

The "Red, Hot & Blue" regional chain (in states bordering Tennessee) has a blues motif, with blues posters on the walls and classic (recorded) blues playing all the time. Their pulled pork and ribs are good at most locations, although I had less than great food at the Jackson, Mississippi restaurant last summer.

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Originally posted by Hillbilly

The "Red, Hot & Blue" regional chain (in states bordering Tennessee) has a blues motif, with blues posters on the walls and classic (recorded) blues playing all the time. Their pulled pork and ribs are good at most locations, although I had less than great food at the Jackson, Mississippi restaurant last summer.

I tried Red, Hot and Blue once and that was enough for me. Their Lexington store opened in an ideal location with great fanfare. They'd lured a beloved community personality away from a popular steakhouse to greet customers. All the frou frou didn't work and they're gone.

Maybe they've gotten better. There are 5 locations operating in North Carolina, 3 in the Raleigh-Chapel Hill area. Most bbq places in barbeque mad North Carolina don't sell ribs, so R,H&B has found a niche.

The Corky's chain came to Lexington 3 years ago and is still open. After two visits to Corky's in Knoxville and two visits here, I give up. BBQ chains just don't do it for me. An exception: the baby backs at Tony Roma's when I absolutely must have a ribs fix. Having said all this, I will try the relatively new Famous Dave's at some point.

There is presently no decent bbq alternative to chains in the eastern two thirds of Kentucky. Capital Barbecue in Frankfort went out of business.

Of course the REAL BBQ and blues place resides in KANSAS CITY; it's the GRAND EMPORIUM. http://grandemporium.com
It has Grace's BBQ and REAL Blues

Thank you Bill Voss! That looks like a road trip worth taking!!

This could easily fall into the BBQ Festival thread but felt like posting it here. Next August will be a good BBQ & Blues fest in Madison IN on the OH River. It's not been announced but they are negotiating with John Mayall and it looks like he'll be there for it. Links to the website: www.madisonribberfest.com

We've attended the Madison event for the past three years and enjoyed each one...even the rainy one in 2004. Great music, and lots of free samples of BBQ for the participants in the Backyard BBQ competition ( as opposed to the big league competition where no samples are given)

An even better festival is the W C Handy Festival in Henderson,KY in Mid-June. Plenty of food, night after night of good music and generally good weather at that time of year.

Funny that No One has mentioned one of the original sources for both theBlues and BBQ...BEALE STREET in Memphis, TN !! Get it straight from the horses mouth (so to speak)!

A good place to find great blues and bbq is in Fayettville, AR. Every year the first weekend of October they have the Bikes, Blues, and Barbeque festival that features live music great food from many different places and lots and lots of bikes cruising the famous (famous in Arkansas anyway) Dickson street all night. And we must not forget about all the beautiful women.

If you want good barbecue and good blues you just cant beat most places along the Mississippi Delta area throughout Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

Read the Roadfood review of Dinosaur BBQ.. been there.. love it.. and its blues heaven..
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/

quote:

Originally posted by DaveM

Any suggestions on places with great BBQ and blues music together.
I recommend the Sit N'Bull Pub in Maynard,MA
DaveM

Do you know Curtis??
LOL....Marvin Martian...

More than just blues, but Stubb's in Austin has both good BBQ and good live music of various sorts. Or it used to, anyway.... Been a while since I've been back to my old home town.

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Fat Matt's on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta. A ribs and blues joint with a pleasant deck in front. It's really nice sitting out there in warm weather. I've eaten at Fat Matt's on my last three visits to Atlanta.

I do not care for the chopped pork que at all and don't think it's made on site (that's a guess). Skip the potato salad, too. My Atlanta friends and I just do the meaty ribs, great sauce, white bread and ice tea.

I have to agree -- Fatt Matt's in Atlanta, GA is a great place for BBQ n' Blues! I disagree about the chopped pork sandwich -- I like it! But their ribs are great!

Some great Blues and pretty good BBq at the Muddy River Smokehouse in Portsmouth NH. The Q is smoled slow and low, their specialty is the pulled pork. Tend to serve it with too much sauce for my liking, but if you request they'll back off on the sauce. Here's the link if anyone wants to check it out.

www.muddyriver.com

http://dinosaurbarbque.com/
Nuff said!

Chubby's Southern BBQ.. Have your Que and Dr Smoke will sing you the blues.

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Originally posted by NebGuy

Chubby's Southern BBQ.. Have your Que and Dr Smoke will sing you the blues.