The blues is a lonely occupation. Probably that was the reason for “Universiada” Hall last night to be almost empty. Criminally weak attendance for such a big name in the blues. The harmonica and the band of Sugar Blue sounded for just about three hundred people but this didn’t prevent him to make an almost two-hours show. And there wasn’t anyone discontented. Only smiling people, clapping with hands and dancing on the stage and before it. Yes, the devotion of the audience compensated the low attendance – shortly after the beginning of the concert there were almost no people at the seats. Everyone rushed ahead for a closer contact, for dances and songs.

It is strange but I have always liked most of the work of Vasko the Patch with or without the Poduene Blues Band. I like it because we seem to not have other native band that plays vigorous blues with a lot of harmonica and direct sound. Especially the earlier songs, lying, on the classic blues. This evening the band was simply introduced as the Patch Blues Band – old dogs, great musicians, harmonica and… Kamen Katzata. As we could expect from Vasko. Mood and blues. And a short walk down the “Tobacco Road”, before without any delay on the stage to come the unannounced guest from Hungary whose name I cannot even pronounce let to write in original. That is why I’ll stop on the translation one. Wild Flowers.

Strange are the flowers – youngsters in the mid twenties, who play music dating from more than half of century, they have a leading harmonica (thin guy with long blond dreadlocks) and a leading vocal (big fellow with braces), mixed-up English and lyrics on Hungarian. And the warm scent of “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors. And the music? Again blues, again harmonicas, again three accords and much emotion.

Before the main dish of blues to drown the hall in blue, Vasko the Patch came out to give away a surprise gift for the audience – a harmonica in nice wooden box, signed personally by Sugar Blue. Just like this, out of love and enthusiasm. Like everything else this night. And the selected winner came out on the stage… with his father. Because he was a 3-year old charming kid who howsoever blew his new toy in front of the smiling faces below. And the smiles went even bigger. And the last band was still to come.

We won’t make statistics for Sugar Blue. There are Wikipedia, books and booklets of tens of CDs for this. This evening maybe the most popular harmonica player came out for first time before Bulgarian crowd to present his new album “Code Blue” and his current band. And what a band! The four black musicians and the white girl behind the bass made so warm and cozy performance as if we were not in a almost empty hall in autumn Sofia but in some club in Louisiana.

First on the stage appeared the instrumentalists for the opening track before the frontman to show up and to lead us in the nooks of his soft blues. Yes, soft, often radio-friendly with enough rock and sometimes fusion moments (the guilt is of the amazing keyboarder Anthony Space) in the studio, but live a real energy blast for the ready for dancing people in the hall. “Red Hot Mama”, “One More Mile” and the hit “The Bluesman” of his last CD showed what would be the direction of the set. James (as the real name of the blues player is) frequently dashed into furious duets with the harmonica at one moment with the guitar of Rico McFarland and at another with the keyboard of Anthony. Ilaria joined for few songs with backing vocals and firmed her presence as the other central figure on the stage – a small, dressed in black girl with a big white bass guitar, wide smile and sense of rhythm, flawless as the heart of an athlete. And her colleague in the rhythm section could calmly be called a wonder kid – 23-years old as he alone stated, Turbo Murray fully deserves his name. Often his drums dominated in the music, giving to it really energetic diversity of the show.

And so on until the very end, after the dedicated to New Orleans “NOLA” and covers of “Miss You” by The Rolling Stones and the eternal “Hoochie Coochie Man” by Willie Dixon. And for dessert Sugar called on stage Vasko and his Hungarian colleague for unexpected jam with three harmonicas to common pleasure. And after this – pictures, autographs, shaking hands and wishes for next meetings. I hope they to be soon. And with more presenting.

Report: Ivaylo Alexandrov