EVENT | ALBUQUERQUE
Catch the final Summerfest of the season on Aug. 1 at Ventana Ranch Community Park
Westside Summerfest features music from the Black Smoke Blues Band, Levi Dean & the Mesa Rats and more
Published
As August approaches, so does the final Summerfest of the season.
Westside Summerfest, on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Ventana Ranch Community Park, will feature live music from six bands, including Levi Dean & the Mesa Rats and the Black Smoke Blues Band.
Steve Douglas started the Black Smoke Blues Band with Steve Meilleur about 18 years ago when they realized they had similar taste in music.
鈥淪o, it was started with me and a harmonica player,鈥� Douglas said.
Now the band consists of a guitar, bass, drums, harmonica and a lead singer.
The foundation of their music is blues, both traditional and modern, with hints of classic rock and R&B. Douglas said the band primarily does covers but finds ways to put a spin on them.
Some of their setlist includes 鈥淧iece of My Heart鈥� by Janis Joplin, 鈥淧roud Mary鈥� by Creedence Clearwater Revival and 鈥淗ouse of the Rising Sun鈥� by The Animals.
鈥淲e sort of have a running joke with the band that we never play the song the same way twice,鈥� Douglas said.
He said a lot of the time when playing live or practicing, the band goes in an unexpected direction, which sometimes works out.
Blues music, he said, can be sped up, slowed down or even change the rhythm.
鈥淚 like how it allows you to be creative and explore a song,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淲hereas if you play a traditional classic rock song that everyone鈥檚 heard, you know they kind of want to hear it that way. And I think blues does allow you to interpret it yourself.鈥�
Levi Dean, lead singer of Levi Dean & the Mesa Rats, said the group brings to the stage Americana, a genre combining folk roots, country, blues and rock 鈥檔鈥� roll.
While the group does perform covers, Dean said the band prides itself on performing primarily original music.
鈥淚鈥檓 a songwriter at heart, so genre is always super fluid for me,鈥� Dean said.
The band released 鈥淏ack to the Path鈥� in March, and Dean said eventgoers can expect to hear songs from the new album.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also very lively and upbeat, and we do have songs that kind of get people up and dancing,鈥� Dean said. 鈥淏ut also like a nice mix of more introspective tunes to more upbeat songs.鈥�
Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow for the 近距离内射合集. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.
