It was a great day to travel. There was a strong wind blowing the clouds away and a colorful spring day was the backdrop for a drive to Roanoke to play with Reagan Boggs at “The Coffee Pot.”
I downloaded instructions from Google and took a wrong turn somewhere in Salem, but eventually (after 172 miles) found the stage around 7.30. Reagan, Alan Gamble and Greg Smith were already there setting up the stage.
This place stands out on Brambleton Avenue with a birght red coffee pot that’s part of the decor. It’s too bad my camera batteries were dead, but just outside the door was a historic marker indicating that this place had been in business since the 1930s.
Now the ‘Coffee Pot” schtick is a little misleading. This place is as a close to roadhouse blues bar as you’ll find in Virginia. They make great sandwiches and the North Carolina style Barbecue Sandwich was probably the best darn thing I’ve had on a bun all year.
We weren’t getting paid a lot of this show and as usual that really didn’t matter. Inside on the walls were pictures of legends that had played this stage including Delbert McClinton, Leroux, Rick Derringer, Matt Guitar Murphy and several others that made it all the more memorable. Besides, the band got half price beers up till six all night and that was good enough for me this evening.
We made no haste setting up the stage and started the set somewhere close to 9.45 pm with an acoustic set. Greg Smith joined me and Reagan onstage for an hour or so. Around 11.00, we struck up the rest of the band (less Jason Crawford) and played a strong set till about 1.30.
Nice bar. Low Turnout. 34 people paying to come through the door and several events going on downtown with some city-wide Festival In The Park
What a drive back home though. I should have stayed. Got through the door about 4.45 am.