The Rockfish Grill’s fifth annual Guitarslinger, a showdown between top blues guitarists, gets started at 9 p.m. Friday, April 18. Cover is $8.
This year’s Guitarslinger is hosted by The Colonel and the includes legendary Northwest bluesman Fat James, lead guitarist of the Margaret Wilder Band; Adrian Clarke of the Mary McPage Band; Jevon Powell, longtime leader of the King-a-lings and the Surf Monkeys and multi-talented Chris Stevens. All are backed by the well-known Doubleshot rhythm section, Howard Hooper and Les Merrihew.
On Saturday, the Rockfish presents award-winning blues vocalist and harmonica player Paul Green with Straight Shot.
Green’s notable career stretches back 40 years to New Jersey’s Blackberry Booze Band. He performed with Jersey legends including Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band, Clarence Clemons and Little Steven Van Zandt.
After moving to the Oakland, Calif., area in 1975, Green joined the house band at Eli’s Mile High Club and performed around the Bay Area with his band and other musicians such as Sonny Rhodes, Little Frankie Lee, JJ “Bad Boy” Jones, Cool Papa, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton and John Little John. He relocated to Chicago and shared the stage with such notables as Sugar Blue and Junior Wells before coming to the Seattle area in 1991. Since then he has won a stack of Washington Blues Society awards and is a popular regular on the blues circuit.
Also this week:
• Rockfish Grill, 320 Commercial Ave., presents Spoonshine Duo, April 16; and Fidalgo Swing, April 23. Music is 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 to 10:30 p.m. Thursdays and 9 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays unless otherwise noted. Call 588-1720.
• Star Bar, 416-1/2 Commercial, presents Phat Friday with DJ Mardi Gras 9:30 p.m. every Friday; Janie and Joe, April 19. Call 293-6747.
• Anderson’s General Store on Guemes Island presents Ali Marcus and Karl Blau 6-18:30 p.m. Friday, April 18. Call 293-4548 or visit
http://www.guemesislandstore.com.
• Watertown Pub, 314 Commercial Ave., offers live music most weekends. Saturday is ladies night with top 40 DJ Ben Brown; Wednesday is karaoke night with DJ Steve, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Call 293-3587.
• Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., presents live music most weekends, about 9 to midnight, $3 at the door. Open Jam Thursdays with Mike Rothmeyer are 9 p.m. to midnight. No cover. Call 293-2544.
• Randy’s Pier 61 presents Mr. Entertainment, Jack Hamilton, at 6 p.m. Saturdays.
• Flounder Bay Café in Skyline presents jazz with La Rosa Trio from 5 to 8 p.m. Sundays.
• Swinomish Northern Lights Casino presents Jazz Lunches geared to seniors 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays. Call 293-2691.
• Anacortes Eagles presents Ray Peake 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Members and guests only. Call 293-3012.
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