PRP’s PDX Rock Block hosted an extra special show last Thursday night with a live performance on our Premier Performance Stage by The Bonnie Raitt Tribute Band. Formed last year, this 9 piece band is made up of some of Portland’s finest, all of whom have their own solo projects; Lisa Mann, Anne Weiss, Bre Gregg, Ara Lee, Shelly Rudolph, David Jacobs-Strain, Mark Bowden, Rich Landar, and Dan Stueber. What started as a wildly popular one-off show at the Alberta Rose Theatre last year has turned into a five-show tour, including shows at the Historic Everett Theater in Everett, Washington, the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River and two shows at the Craterian Theater at the Collier Center for the Performing Arts in Medford.

Photo by Teri Briggs

Photo by Teri Briggs

Bonnie Raitt not only infused the world with incredible music, she also showed women that they could rock just as hard as any man, proving to all that female players should be taken seriously. In a nutshell, she changed the face of music. This tribute band is the brainchild of Anne Weiss with Bre Gregg taking the reins from there by hand-picking a team of musicians from different genres and backgrounds to join them to pay tribute to someone they feel changed the direction of their lives. Watching them perform Raitt’s songs live, you certainly see the love they have for this music, as well as the joy they have performing them with each other.

Photo by Teri Briggs

Photo by Teri Briggs

The band, minus David and Rich, played a seven song set list from a cross section of Raitt’s songbook which highlighted the varied vocal talents of each woman starting with Blues Bassist, Lisa Mann, on ‘Something to Talk About.’ This is also the title of the tour as well as the c.d. from their 2014 concert. The c.d. was an unplanned idea of Bre’s, and after listening to it on repeat, what a great idea that was because it is truly wonderful, especially for a live recording! The five women in this tribute band are very different in their music styles and thus, bring a wonderful individuality to the Bonnie Raitt tunes they sing, as well as blending beautifully when they sing as a whole.

Photo by Teri Briggs

Photo by Teri Briggs

The only Portland stop on the tour is Saturday, October 10th, at The Alberta Rose Theatre. This show will be a rocking romp down memory lane and an in-your-face authentic blues-soul-folk diva power performance, with special guest, the acclaimed, Mary Flower.

Photo by Teri Briggs

Photo by Teri Briggs

Saturday’s Show Details:
Date: Saturday, October 10
Venue: Alberta Rose Theatre: 3000 NE Alberta St., 503-764-4131
Tickets: $15 in advance/ $18 door
Tickets: www.albertarosetheatre.com, 503-764-4131, Event Page Link

Photo by Teri Briggs

Photo by Teri Briggs

We finished the evening by bringing the five ladies into the studio to talk about their individual music projects, awards, and funding campaigns. We also spent some time discussing the struggles of juggling a young family with a music career that doesn’t always understand family priorities. By the end of the show, we had made seven new friends, as well as a renewed love for a woman’s music catalog that has been such an inspiration to those who have followed.

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