With the arrival of sultry summer nights, the Charlottetown Waterfront is a popular place to be.
One group taking advantage of this warm weather location is The Plain Dirty Blues Band, who has four gigs lined up at The Charlottetown Yacht Club (CYC) this season.
"It's a natural setting for the blues and there's always a great blues crowd," says Doug Burton, lead singer/guitarist for the group that includes Jason Furness (bass) and Simon Moore (drums) that will perform at the club on July 1, 10 and 25, along with Aug. 15.
The members of the trio became a hit with members last summer when they blasted their music from the club's outdoor deck to boats in the Charlottetown Harbour during race week.
Later as the sun went down, the band's electric blues vibes had everyone dancing until the wee hours.
"So when they mentioned that they had just built a new bar and were looking for some music for the summer I thought it would be a perfect for both of us," says Burton.
At each show, they will perform a variety of electric blues music.
"We'll rip into three sets with breaks in between. Our songbook includes everything from contemporary songs by Stevie Ray Vahn, Jimmy Hendrix, Buddy Guy and The Allman Brothers to blues veterans like Freddie King, Albert Collins, Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf," says Burton.
The Plain Dirty Blues Band is a perfect summer addition, says CYC manager Lisa MacKinnon.
"They add to the ambience here and lots of people come out to hear them. They were really popular during race week last year," she says of the band that formed three years ago.
"We got together because of our love for the blues and the desire to turn it into something with a rock 'n' roll feel. Doug saw me perform with Scott Parsons in Jupiter Wise and asked me to join the group he was forming," says Furness.
Moore, well known for his work with Paul Bernard in Este Mundo, was a boyhood friend of Burton's. They played together in high school.
"I knew that Simon Moore was back in Charlottetown after working in the United States, so I asked him to join us. I always thought that there was a need for a ripping electric blues band on P.E.I. That's what inspired me to put the band together."
And three years later, he's happy he did.
"Our sound can best be described as high energy electric blues with a little rock 'n' roll thrown in. Besides playing blues classics and recent sounds, we play some of our original material," Burton says.
At a glance
Series details
What: The Plain Dirty Blues Band.
When: July 1, 10 and 25 and Aug. 15. The show starts at 9 p.m.
Where: The Charlottetown Yacht Club (CYC).
For information: Call the CYC at 892-9065.
Website: www.plaindirtybluesband.com.
Sally Cole, a features writer with The Guardian, can be reached at scole@theguardian.pe.ca or 629-6000, ext. 6054.
