This week we hail a New Year and bid farewell to the old. Let’s start with the new.

Tomorrow night is our 2nd Annual New Years Eve Party! With My Beloved Delta Sonics delivering the nasty Blues we love so much, it’s guaranteed to be musical magic. Todd “Buck Weed” Edmunds is flying the friendly skies today, arriving at the Outlook early this evening (weather permitting...), and he’ll be our special musical guest for New Years Eve (and tonight with the Lionel Young Trio, again, weather permitting...). And what’s the cost on this party?

$170 per couple or $120 person includes room, dinner, show, champagne at midnight, and breakfast;

$50 per person for dinner, show, and champagne. CAN’T BEAT IT! There are some tickets still available.

Now, let’s memorialize 2010, shall we? 

We rang in the year at the sold out 1st Annual NYE Party with Paul Soderman and BluezHouse. Willie Panker was in town and on drums, and those of us in attendance will always remember the famous cowbell solo of that NYE! Being able to welcome a New Year with 99 of my closest friends and great music was and is a privilege and honor. Then, being able to great the first morning and breakfast of a brand, spankin’ New Year with those same friends is a delight beyond measure. Can’t wait to do it again tomorrow night and Saturday morning. 

Let’s move ahead to March. The Blues Goddess Jam! We had three BMA nominated bands at the hotel, all with the night off, and as it was a Wednesday, we were dark. So, what’s a Blues-loving girl to do? Well this brazen one went to the Insomniacs, Jason Ricci and New Blood, and the Tommy Castro Band and said, “I have an idea.” I then called Al Chesis to ask if they would backline, and VIOLA! We had one hell of a jam that night!

Then, two nights later began the 2nd Annual Shipless Blues Cruise with The Delta Sonics, The Informants, Jason Ricci and New Blood and Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, Prodigal Son of the Outlook (who’ll be back again 2/18 - 20 for the 3rd annual SBC with Tempa and the Tantrums, The Delta Sonics, Gina Sicilia, Dave Gross, Matt Hill and Ron Thompson). This annual “cruise” is the place to be!

Candye Kane took us out of March with another top-notch, unequaled performance (we had Candye twice this year, so that made me very happy).

In May we hosted the Bass Slam, spearheaded by Paul Rogalski and Glen Tapia, and that was one of those days one doesn’t forget. We’ll be hosting again in 2011 on May 22. This year’s special guest was Chuck Rainey. Can’t wait to see who they bring in next.

June was not a good month. As our regular readers know, I lost my only sibling, my brother Kelly on June 10th. However, I have since been showered with love and kindness, making me acutely aware that I’m not alone; that I have a lot of brothers and sisters who are there for me. For that, I thank you with every fiber of my being.