Concert Reports

The California Mid-State Fair held the 2nd annual “Evening of Blues & Brews” on July 28. The night featured 8-person table seating, a Golden Circle of premium seats, and the normal grandstand seating (similar to the successful Evening of Music & Wine night). In addition, concert patrons were able to purchase special craft beers, normally not available during the Fair. Blues superstars Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang performed in the co-headlining concert, “EVENING OF BLUES & BREWS”

All Photos: Ray Soto / Central Coast Rocks

www.KennyWayneShepherd.net                      www.JonnyLang.com

www.MidStateFair.com

Kenny Wayne Shepherd has sold millions of albums and dominated the Blues charts with seven #1 selling albums. He is best known for his songs “Blue On Black,” “Somehow, Somewhere, Someway" and “In 2 Deep.” In a 20-year recording career, he has appeared on numerous TV programs and has also been featured in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Blender magazines, to name just a few.  

There are few artists whose names are synonymous with one instrument and how it's played in service to an entire genre. Utter the phrase "young blues rock guitarist" within earshot of anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the modern musical vanguard and the first name they are most likely to respond with will be Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The Louisiana born axeman and songsmith has sold millions of albums while throwing singles into the Top 10, shining a light on the rich blues of the past and forging ahead with his own modern twist on a classic sound he has embodied since his teens.

In a 20 year recording career that began when he was just 16, Shepherd has established himself as an immensely popular recording artist, a consistently in demand live act and an influential force in a worldwide resurgence of interest in the blues.

Now, the five-time GRAMMY® nominee delivers one of his most personal projects to date with Goin' Home, his eighth album and his first to be recorded in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana.  

Recorded in a mere 11 days, Goin' Home finds Shepherd revisiting a dozen of the vintage blues classics that first ignited his love of the blues and inspired him to play guitar. The artist's sharp interpretive skills and sublime guitar work shine on his renditions of tunes originally popularized by such blues icons as B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells.  

And for these recordings, Shepherd assembled a mind-boggling collection of music greats to contribute their many talents including: Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Warren Haynes, Keb' Mo', Robert Randolph, Fabulous Thunderbirds front man Kim Wilson, the Rebirth Brass Band and Pastor Brady Blade, Sr.

Jonny Lang

Jonny Lang is a Grammy Award winning artist and has sold over 4 million albums worldwide. Best known for his song “Lie To Me,” Lang has toured with the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, B.B. King and Jeff Beck. He has performed for over 10 million fans worldwide. His latest studio album is Fight For My Soul.  

The album defies categorization by a single genre. The textured arrangements, broad worldview, gorgeous vocal melodies, and expressive guitar playing are what defines Fight For My Soul. It is unequivocally what Lang aimed to achieve over the long period he has been working on reaching a realized vision. He offers, “Much of what I’ve experienced through music and life in general is in these songs. I really like reaching out and connecting with people. For me, this is what it’s all about. It keeps it fresh with different experiences every day.”

California Mid State Fair  

The Paso Robles Event Center is home to the California Mid-State Fair, "The Biggest Little Fair Anywhere!"  

The Fair opened in 1946 and was first known as the San Luis Obispo County Fair. The California Mid-State Fair is held annually and runs for 12 days at the end of July. The Fair has hosted some of the biggest names in the music industry. Artists such as Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Journey, John Mayer, Rod Stewart, Fergie, Justin Bieber, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Christina Aguilera have all performed on our Chumash Grandstand stage.

The Paso Robles Event Center is open year-round. It is a convention center complex located on 40 acres in Paso Robles, California. Facilities include a 200-by-300-foot indoor equestrian arena seating 7,587, a 18,000-square-foot community building, and two other commercial buildings.

In addition to the Fair, concerts, trade shows, and conventions other specialty events are scheduled to take place at the Event Center. To shedule your next upcoming event at the Paso Robles Event Center contact events@midstatefair.com. Facilities are located at 2198 Riverside Avenue in Paso Robles.  

www.MidStateFair.com  

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