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PHOTO COURTESY OF BAND

HOT STUFF. Red Hot Blues Sisters play Cheney Stadium June 13 in the first in a series of blues concerts.

Summer of blues, brews and BBQs comes to Cheney Stadium

By Meghan Erkkinen

For a hot way to cool down this summer, visit Cheney Stadium’s monthly Blues, Brews and BBQs events for live music, beer and fantastic food.

The series is a joint venture between the Tacoma Rainiers, which was seeking to fill the stadium while the team is out of town, and the South Sound Blues Association (SSBA).

“We’re real excited about it,” said Gary Grape, president of the association. “They (the Rainiers) want to do some fun events up there and I think this blues element is a good way to start.”

According to Grape, the Rainiers are targeting blues listeners for a variety of reasons.

“I think that’s the age group they’re trying to attract,” he said. “Blues is in an upsurge in the Pacific Northwest with the 45 (years old) and older crowd. I think that’s the direction they’re going with.”

The event will be held once a month when the Rainiers are out of town through September. SSBA will work with the caterer, book bands and promote the events, while the team will provide the Cheney Stadium party deck, which holds about 300 people. Each night will feature an open bar, dinner and two hours of live music.

The first event, to be held June 13, will feature the Red Hot Blues Sisters, which represented SSBA in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis earlier this year.

The menu is modeled after a Louisiana picnic, complete with crawfish (shipped in from New Orleans), barbequed chicken, corn on the cob, red beans, rice and jambalaya.

The second event, on July 25, will feature Nick Vigarino – who Grape calls one of the top blues guitarists in the Northwest.

“Both the shows will be high energy, danceable, fun blues shows,” Grape said. “They are going to be high intensity, both of those shows.”

The last two shows – in August and September – have not yet been booked.

While this year’s events will feature Northwest artists, Grape sees the event expanding.

“What we hope is that if this is a good success, if it’s profitable…next year we’ll bring in national acts,” he said. “It’s baby steps, start out small and grow.”

For dinner, a no-host bar and the music show, tickets are $45 for one show. Tickets for the music and one drink are $20 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tacomarainiers.com or call (253) 752-7700.

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