On Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m., The Mainstay in Rock Hall presents another night of outstanding Blues music with return of the Mikey Junior Blues Band. This program is scheduled for the outdoor performance space located to the rear of The Mainstay, weather permitting.
Surveys of the Mainstay’s large email list consistently endorse and request more Blues programs in the venue’s year-round music schedule.
Mikey Junior — Blues harmonica player, vocalist, and frontman for the group — burst onto the Blues scene less than a dozen years ago and since that time has amassed an impressive repertoire of classic Blues music, earning praise from both music fans and industry insiders.
Self-taught from his impressive collection of old Blues vinyl LPs, Mikey was a full-time musician before he even graduated high-school. By the time he was in his early twenties, seasoned players were taking notice and it wasn’t long before one Blues society after another scrambled to get him to perform on their stage. Before long, Mikey was a staple of the summer Blues circuit on the East Coast.
For a musical style that has historically placed so much weight on the lineage of legendary Blues men, the passing of more and more of these old masters poses a dire question: What is the future of the Blues and who will lead the charge? For fans who follow the touring Blues circuit, that question is routinely answered every night Mikey Junior hits the stage. His infectious personality, muscular vocals, and absolute command of both the diatonic and chromatic harmonicas are exactly what Blues music needs today — a front man who is talented, engaging, and vital. He attacks the more traditional diatonic harp with a vengeance, but is “smooth as Southern Comfort on ice” when playing the chromatic harmonica. In doing so he convincingly entices new generations of music lovers to love something old-school.
Tickets are $20 in advance of the show and can be purchased online at mainstayrockhall.org. Phone reservations are accepted by calling 410-639-9133 (tickets reserved by phone are $25 when paid at the door). The Mainstay is located at 5753 N Main Street in Rock Hall.
