Roll with season five of Canada's biggest blues tour. From first press release to last chord, the Blog will have you riding shotgun with Doc MacLean for 100 back to back shows.
March 15, 2010
National Steel “Darker Ways” Blues Tour
5th Annual Blues Event will be 100 Solo Shows
Darker Ways. Roads less travelled. Blue highways. Places found in the crease of the map. Encounters with strangers on strange days. A money candle in a broken window. It’s Doc MacLean, watching the tail light reflections tracking in the rear view mirror. Doc, drinking bourbon by the roadside. Doc with his battered 1929 National steel guitar.
Doc MacLean. He’s a blues vagabond writing from the dark side of the blues highway. He’s spent the last forty years exploring the road atlas from A to Z— surfacing sometimes on big stages in fancy halls, sometimes streetside trolling for change and a meal. No managers, agents, record companies. No fancy pants new guitars. He’s a traveller, a collector and teller of songs and stories— a songster in the blues tradition. Blues Revue magazine called him “the Prince of Darkness.”
Darker Ways will be the 5th annual outing of the all acoustic, coast to coast National Steel Blues series. In a departure from large venue, songs and stories in the round presentations, Darker Ways will be a solo show focused more on smaller towns and smaller rooms. “I’m looking forward to exploring some deep blues in these settings,” says Doc, “I’m planning the most intimate, story filled shows that I’ve had a chance to do in years.”
Last season Doc MacLean’s National Steel “Century” Blues Tour played 104 back to back shows in nine provinces and two territories. Over ten thousand people took in the live, all Canadian show which encompassed major festivals, theatres, casinos, concert halls, bars, cafés, gas stations and kitchen parties from coast to coast. With guest star Big Dave McLean, and sponsorship from music giant Long and McQuade, the Century was the most comprehensive blues tour ever mounted in Canada. Upcoming broadcast recordings on CBC’s “Canada Live,” and “Saturday Night Blues” will share the Century Blues with an even greater audience. “It was a giant tour,” reflects Doc, “and this year’s Darker Ways presentation will actually be a huge tour as well— only this time it will be a very, very big tour of Small.”
Doc MacLean’s National Steel “Darker Ways” Blues Tour. September through December 2010. One hundred shows, coast to coast. No venue too big or too small, no place too forsaken. Now booking and accepting expressions of interest from all Canadian territories. Bring The Blues to Your Town. Check the developing Tour Schedule in the Blog Sidebar below.
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Visit Some Previous Tours:
http://centurybluestour.blogspot.com (2009)
http://nationalsteelblues.blogspot.com (2008)
http://bigroadblues.blogspot.com (2007)
Hear Stuff, Read Bios:
http://www.sonicbids.com/docmaclean (go on, play Jimmie Lee Jackson’s Blues)
Contact, Info and Bookings:
Doc MacLean: doc@docmaclean.com
Developing Schedule: (version: Aug 5)
W 8 Sept Picton, ON
F 10 Sept Toronto, ON
S 12 Sept Quebec City, QC
M 13 Sept Quebec City, QC
W 15 Sept Fredericton, NB
R 16 Sept Fredericton, NB
F 17 Sept Hampton, NB
S 18 Sept Breadalbane, PE
S 19 Sept Breadalbane, PE
M 20 Sept Charlottetown, PE
M 20 Sept Charlottetown, PE
T 21 Sept Tatamogouche, NS
W 22 Sept Fredericton, NB
R 23 Sept Woodstock, NB
F 24 Sept Quebec City, QC
S 25 Sept Montreal, QC
S 26 Sept Amherst Isl, ON
W 29 Sept Toronto, ON
W 29 Sept Toronto, ON
R 30 Sept Hamilton, ON
F 1 Oct Sudbury, ON
S 2 Oct Wawa, ON
S 3 Oct Wawa, ON
M4 Oct
Thunder Bay, ON
W 6 Oct Pass Lake, ON
R 7 Oct Dryden, ON
F 8 Oct Kenora, ON
S 9 Oct Winnipeg, MB
S 10 Oct Winnipeg, MB
M 11 Oct Thanksgiving
T 12 Oct Yorkton, SK
W 13 Oct Wadena, SK
R 14 Oct Saskatoon, SK
F 15 Oct Edmonton, AB
S 16 Oct Edmonton, AB
S 16 Oct Vermilion, AB
M 18 Oct High River, AB
T 19 Oct Banff, AB
W 20 Oct Canmore, AB
R 21 Oct Invermere, BC
F 22 Oct Golden, BC
S 23 Oct Spences Bridge, BC
S 24 Oct Ashcroft, BC
W 27 Oct Kelowna, BC
R 28 Oct Kamloops, BC
F 29 Oct Enderby, BC
S 30 Oct New Westminster, BC
S 31 Oct Gabriola Island, BC
M 1 Nov Gabriola Island, BC
T 2 Nov Gabriola Island, BC
W 3 Nov Cedar, BC
R 4 Nov Nanoose, BC
F 5 Nov Duncan, BC
S 6 Nov Nanaimo, BC
S 6 Nov Nanaimo, BC
W 10 Nov Tofino, BC
R 11 Nov Remembrance Day
F 12 Nov Ucluelet, BC
S 13 Nov Victoria, BC
W 17 Nov Vancouver, BC
R 18 Nov Vancouver, BC
F 19 Nov White Rock, BC
S 20 Nov Surrey, BC
T 23 Nov Calgary, AB
W 24 Nov Lethbridge, AB
R 25 Nov Hinton, AB,
F 26 Nov Grande Prairie AB,
S 27 Nov Dawson Creek, BC
S 28 Nov Fort St. John, BC
M 29 Nov Peace River, AB
T 30 Nov Chetwynd, BC
W 1 Dec Prince George, BC
R 2 Dec Vanderhoof, BC
F 3 Dec Houston, BC
S 4 Dec Smithers, BC
S 5 Dec New Hazelton, BC
T 7 Dec Terrace, BC
W 8 Dec Prince Rupert, BC
R 9 Dec Haida Gwaii, BC
F 10 Dec Haida Gwaii, BC
S 11 Dec Haida Gwaii, BC
S 12 Dec Haida Gwaii, BC
T 14 Dec Kitamaat Village, BC
R 16 Dec Regina, SK
F 17 Dec Wabigoon, ON
S 18 Dec Thunder Bay, ON
S 19 Dec Rossport, ON
M 20 Dec Sault Ste Marie, ON
T 21 Dec Toronto, ON
Dates confirmed or contracts pending. Schedule may change up to and beyond Tour start. Prime dates are still available in some territories. All non-confirmed dates are for sale. Make me an offer. Every night must be filled! No venue too big, too small or too homely. Bring the Blues to Your Town! C'mon!
