Hi, y’all. As predicted I had a great time listening to awesome music all around town last week. Kevin Poole & The Gang did a fantasitic job, as always, on the deck at M.R. Ducks. We can hear them again on Mon. for Fager’s Deck Party. Sunday was amazing at Ducks with Tranzfusion - just the best you’ll hear anywhere and I was happy to have sis Amy with me celebrating her birthday. Tranzfusion will be busy again this weekend playing at Coins on Sat. and for the closing party at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club. Yes, the doors are closing on the old club with plans for a new multi-million dollar facility planning to open in the Spring of 2014. So you’ll want to catch all the live entertainment there this weekend: Jettstream (Fri.) and Over Time (Sat.).
    Jettstream shares one of their members with another band, King’s Ransom, whose lead guitarist/vocalist Danny Shivers described as the man who plays too many instruments. That man is Brian Bishop who is indeed a man of many talents. Last time I heard them was at M.R. Ducks and I raved about them then; so I took my own advice and headed to The Pour House Sat. - I was again thoroughly blown away. The fact that Brian plays multiple instruments - keyboards, guitar, flute & sax; and he sings - allows the band to play a very broad selection of music ... and they do. Bass man Dom Mammana has been playing with Danny for more than 20 years (school friends from Long Island since ‘85). He brings the blues grit to the band with both thumpin’ bass and full-throated vocals. The group is rounded out by drummer Rick Webster, known around here for years having played with Tom Larsen and Lower Case Blues. I had no idea King’s Ransom had been playing around here for so long. Apparently Danny started doing a lot of solo work after the ‘80s when they played at such places as Back of the Rack, Purple Moose, Worcester St. Brewing Co., A.T. Lantics, Key Largo, Hurricane, Play Pen, Snappers, Key Largo, Broken Oar ... yep, many no longer open. Their experience shows in a seamless performance of enduring classics and pumpin’ contemporaries - they do it all. Don’t miss them next time - I won’t.
    It was a pleasure to be part of the big party for Power Play last Fri. at the Ocean Club/Clarion. The staff did a fantastic job with a photo slide show of the band from their early days to the present - 35 years of Power Play! Congratulations again to Kay & Jay Moore. I hope you read the full page article in last week’s edition all about them; if you didn’t, check it out on coconuttimes.com under features. This weekend is the last for music on the deck and there’s no better band to be there than On The Edge. Frontman Smitty has a fabulous voice and an engaging personality, making everyone in the audience feel as if he’s singing for them alone. Always tons of fun. And Arizona will be performing in the club.
    It was wonderful to see Billy Carder last week as friends gathered to celebrate another birthday with him. Despite his struggle, he continues to smile, to be upbeat ... just Billy. We love you, Billy! And he loves us and bringing us good music - he says he feels blessed that he is able to do that. He’s bringing Wednesdays back (5pm) and the first band up will be Old School. I told him to practice his guitar - don’t want him rusty for the next performance of Teenage Rust! We had a double dose of the Chest Pains last week at BJ’s and again on Sun. as Fager’s Island closed out their tribute bands with the ‘80 music from this explosive band. They are radically awesome!
    I’m helping to get the word gets out that there is going to be a three-day musical festival right in our ‘back yard.’ Check out airliftentertainment.com for all the details but I can tell you that several local bands such as Loud Love and The British Invasion (Jon Pheasant) are on the bill plus well-known bands Slaughter (Fri. at 7pm) and Quiet Riot (Sat. at 3pm). Also appearing are Rob Fahey & The Pieces, KORUPT, Cold Gin (KISS), Shot Down In Flames (AC/DC tribute) and The Pure Led Zeppelin Experience. Simple to find: go north on Rt. 589 til you hit the end at Worcester Hwy. Turn left and you’ll see it. The area is called Airlift Acres where promoter Tim Keane holds various events which you’ll learn more about on the website.
    Check Who’s Where When for more.