Bicycle, Blues & BBQ Festival: July 9-11, 2010         

 (Downloadable schedule available here.)  

Friday, July 9 @ 5:30pm: Lamont Cranston Band w/ special guest Lisa Wenger

Lamont Cranston Band
From the West Bank in Minneapolis to the West Coast and beyond, the Lamont Cranston Blues Band has been rocking out the blues for the past 30 years.. One of the founders of the blues scene in Minneapolis, Lamont Cranston has released 13 albums including the 1997 critically acclaimed "Roll With Me." Lamont Cranston has shared the stage with such greats as Muddy Waters, Luther Allison, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Delbert McClinton, Charles Brown and even Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones. In November 1996 the band made history when they opened the new House Of Blues in Chicago. Pat "Lamont" Hayes, the leader of the band, blows one of the most spirited harmonicas in the area. He can cover any harmonica style with ease and when he straps on the guitar, watch out, because he can cut loose with an explosive display that is thrilling to watch.

Lisa Wenger
What can you say about Lisa Wenger? She’s a beautiful, talented and passionate performer. A fixture on the Twin Cities Blues scene for nearly a decade now; Lisa has through various incarnations delivered a funked up, stripped down, wall shakin’ and  house rockin’ blend of blues based American roots music. As the Monday Blues Jam house band at the Minnesota Music Café in Saint Paul, one of the Twin Cities premier music venues, as well as playing countless nights in countless other clubs and bars in the region, Lisa and The Lisa Wenger Band have proven to be a crowd pleasing outfit. Featuring Phil Schmid on guitar, Jeremy Johnson on Drums, Bill Black on Bass and local keyboard legend Bruce McCabe filling out the sound, Lisa if free to explore, vocally, a wide swath of influences. With a set list that can run the gamut from tried and true blues classics by the likes of Koko Taylor, Etta James and beyond to reworked Rockabilly rave-ups from Wanda Jackson and even more contemporary soul and New Orleans R&B they can do it all. And throughout, Lisa sings with great confidence, control, sex appeal, a little grit and just the right amount of sass.  The Lisa Wenger Band are at the forefront of the Twin Cities blues scene today and Lisa with her great voice, great stage presence and great looks is a sure bet to last a good long time in the blues world.

Saturday, July 10 @ 7am: Charity Fun Rides--registration held in City Park, take a leisurely ride around the lake or guided rides to along the scenic river road in Forest City will begin at 7:30am and 8:30am.

Saturday, July 10 @ 9am: Bicycle, Blues, and Bar-ride--registration in City Park, travel from Clear Lake to Ventura, Garner, and back, stoping at some of our favorite local establishments along the way!

Saturday, July 10 @ 12pm:  More Blues!! 
     including Reverend Raven & The Chain-Smoking Altar Boys and Boom Boom Steve V & The Knockouts with 
                      The Jacob Lee Band and Pete Neuman & The Real Deal

Reverend Raven & The Chain-Smoking Altar Boys
Born and raised on south side of Chicago, the Reverend has been playing the blues since 1971 when he first saw Freddy King play at the Kinetic Theatre in Chicago. After 15 year hitch in the Navy he moved to Milwaukee where he began a long friendship and collaboration with Madison Slim, long time harmonica player for Jimmy Rogers. Since 1990 he has opened for B.B King, Gatemouth Brown, Pinetop Perkins, Koko Taylor Band, Junior Wells, Billy Branch, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop, Sugar Blue, Lonnie Brooks, William Clarke, Lefty Dizz and numerous others at festivals and at Buddy Guy's Legends. Locally he has performed with Billy Flynn, Perry Weber, Piano Willie, Stokes, Jon Paris, Clyde Stubblefied, Bryan Lee and the Lamont Cranston band. The Reverend was the Wisconsin Music Industry (WAMI) award for best blues band in 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008 and again in 2010. They also received the People's Choice Award in 2006 and 2008.

Boom Boom Steve V & The Knockouts
Steve Vonderharr is a blues player with heart. He plays and sings with the kind of passion and character that is rarely displayed by musicians of any persuasion. Steve V's harmonica work is both assertive and sensitive, seamlessly moving through a range of emotion and skill. His playful demeanor and his compassion for people and music make him a class act.

The Jacob Lee Band
Forming in the early spring of 2009, the Jacob Lee Band have quickly found themselves in demand from Chicago to Des Moines and are on the rise to becoming Northwest Iowa's premier blues band. Their fusion of blues, rock, and funk along with a high energy and spontaneous live show have won over fans in many cities across the midwest.  The Jacob Lee Band is now pushing their self-titled EP at shows while simultaneously recording their debut, full-length album. The album along with a live dvd are anticipated to be released in early 2010.  The band is named after the phenomenal young guitarist Jacob Lee Koivisto, with Natha Ohlinger accenting the band with her sensational vocals, and wrapping up the band as the tight knit rhythm section is Jeff Kuhns on bass guitar and Russell Weller on drums. 

Pete Neuman & The Real Deal
John and Pete Neuman are brothers in their early twenties from New Richmond, Wisconsin. Pete first picked up a guitar when he was about 8 or 9 years old and received his first electric in 7th grade. John, two years younger, got his first drum kit in 5th grade and has kept the beat ever since. Pete also would goof around with the harmonica from time to time.  After self-teaching, lessons and jam sessions, they formed the blues-influenced rock band, Pete Neuman and the Real Deal.  From their beginnings as just a two-piece show, several bass players have performed with them including James Holland, Matt Hagen and Justin Wirth. The brothers’ influences include: Rory Gallagher, Son Seals, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Tab Benoit, Chris Duarte and even Bob Marley.