Darwin’s Blues Club

The Vipers at Darwin’s Burgers and Blues

Rhetta Akamatsu Atlanta blues, blues music, Darwin's Blues Club, Ira Makin and The Vipers, Ira Malkin, making a Scene, The Vipers October 22, 2018

The Vipers played Darwin’s Saturday night and delivered a soulful, satisfying show. “You like it old-school?” lead singer and harmonica genius Ira Malkin asked the audience. “That’s good because so do we!” There’s a lot of varieties if “old-school” and this one involved lots of T-Bone Walker, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and other tunes […]

INDIE Blues Scene/ On the Scene

An artist to watch: Cody Matlock at Darwin’s, Sandy Springs GA, Dec. 30, 2017

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta blues, atlanta indie blues, Cody Matlock. Cody Matlock and The Mothership, Darwin's Blues Club, indie Blues, live blues January 5, 2018

Let’s talk about Cody Matlock. There he is, on the stage at Darwin’s. two days after his 22nd birthday. He’s already a seasoned performer. His dad hauled him around to play Atlanta clubs when he was 13 We first saw him at 16, when he seemed shy on stage and didn’t sing much, just letting […]

INDIE Blues Scene/ On the Scene

Mudcat brought warmth and laughter to Darwin’s.Marietta GA, Dec. 6

Rhetta Akamatsu Atlanta, Atlanta blues, Darwin's Blues Club, live blues, live music atlanta, making a Scene, Mudcat December 8, 2016

Danny “Mudcat”Dudeck is well-known all around Atlanta. As Daniel Peter Dudeck, he is a skilled landscape artist and gardener and a blues scholar. As Mudcat, he is one of the most engaging blues musicians you will ever hear. Sometimes he plays with The Atlanta Horns, and those are special, exciting jazz and blues-infused shows. But […]

INDIE Blues Scene

The John Pagano Band rocked Darwin’s Dec. 2

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta, Atlanta blues, Atlanta live music, blues foundation, blues hall of fame, blues-rock, Darwin's Blues Club, Funk, indie Blues, indie blues movement, John Pagano Band, JP Blues, jpblues, making a Scene, RNB, roots rock, soul December 6, 2016

By Rhetta Akamatsu The John Pagano Band played Darwin’s Friday night to a good crowd, many of whom had not seen the band before But whether they were seeing the band for the first time or had been around for the evolution from JP Blues to The John Pagano Band, the crowd responded enthusiastically to […]

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INDIE Blues Scene

Annika Chambers at Darwin’s Blues Club, Marietta GA October 29, 2016

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, americana, annika chambers, Atlanta blues, Darwin's Blues Club, Funk, indie Blues, live blues, making a Scene, RNB, Rock, roots, soul November 7, 2016

By Rhetta Akamatsu Photo Credit: Sandra Richardson Saturday night, October 29, Annika Chambers and her band entertained at Darwin’s Blues Club’s Halloween party in Marietta, GA. They had driven 11 hours from Houston, TX to do the show, but when they hit the stage they were energetic and high-spirited. Chambers, who performed the first set […]

INDIE Blues Scene

The Cazanovas at Darwin’s in Marietta, GA, August 27, 2016

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta live blues, Darwin's Blues Club, indie Blues, making a Scene, The Cazanovas August 31, 2016

Six years ago, Yahoo asked me to write an article naming my favorite Atlanta blues band. I chose The Cazanovas. Today, I would still say The Cazanovas. And Saturday night at Darwin’s, they proved once again what a truly great band they are. First of all, Danny Vinson is a fantastic guitar player, as good […]

INDIE Blues Scene

Little G Weevil at Darwin’s Blues Club, Marietta, GA, August 26, 2016

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta blues, Darwin's Blues Club, indie Blues, Little G Weevil, live blues August 29, 2016

HOME PAGE FACEBOOK Little G Weevil put on possibly the best show I’ve ever seen him perform Friday night at Darwin’s before a packed audience, and I’ve seen him perform a lot of times now. He seemed energized, happy to be back in the states after spending much of the year touring in Europe and […]

INDIE Blues Scene

Bobby Messano at Darwin’s Blues Club in Marietta July 16

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta blues clubs, Bobby Messano, Darwin's, Darwin's Blues Club, indie Blues July 19, 2016

Bobby Messano is my friend. I’ve known him around seven years now, have reviewed him many times, both his recordings and performances. Despite all of this, or maybe because of it, I am always so excited when Bobby comes to town! Messano has been in the music business or over 40 years. He has performed with Stevie […]

INDIE Blues Scene

The Charlie Wooton Project at Darwin’s July 2

Rhetta Akamatsu Atlanta blues, Atlanta live music, Darwin's Blues Club, Funk, indie Blues, James Southwell, jazz, live blues, The Charlie Wooten Project July 5, 2016

Charlie Wooton is a versatile guy. Last time we saw him was with Zabadodat with Laura Reed and it was all jazzy and tropical vibes. This time, it was The Charlie Wooton Project and it was blues and funk..We enjoyed both but Saturday night’s show was my favorite. With Daniel Groover on bass,Mike Phillips on […]

INDIE Blues Scene

Truett blazes through Darwin’s June 25

Rhetta Akamatsu Atlanta blues, Atlanta live music, Darwin's Blues Club, indie Blues, making a Scene, Truett, Tryett Lollis June 27, 2016

When Truett takes the stage at Darwin’s with Tony Erici on bongos ,Jon Schwenke on bass and backing vocals, and John McKnight on drums, he is pure energy from the start.The music just flows out of him without introduction or commentary, in one long medley of awesomeness .He does pause once, several songs in, to […]

INDIE Blues Scene

Dave Muskett with Carson Diersing at Darwin;s Blues Bar May 31

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta blues, Atlanta blues club, Carson Diersing, Darwin's Blues Club, Dave Muskett, indie Blues, live blues, neo blues, new Blues, nu blues June 3, 2016

The crowd at Darwin’s Blues Club in Marietta was fairly light but grew to a comfortable size for a Tuesday night as Dave Muskett took to the stage and began to entertain. The listeners were with him from the beginning, most of them having seen him in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge in January […]

INDIE Blues Scene/ On the Scene

A great night out at the IBC Fundraiser at Darwin’s in Marietta

Rhetta Akamatsu Blind Cadillac, Darwin's Blues Club, International Blues Challenge, Markey Blue, No Solution January 18, 2016

We took my husband Ken’s sister and brother-in-law to Darwin’s with us for the International Blues Challenge fundraiser to raise money to help our representatives get to the challenge in Memphis at the end o the month. The competitors were playing – Blind Cadillac,, No Solution and Markey Blue – and everyone was celebrating Darwin’s […]

INDIE Blues Scene/ On the Scene

Atlanta music reviews: Little G Weevil and the ABS party

Rhetta Akamatsu atlanta blues society, Blnd Cadillac, Darwin's Blues Club, diane durrett, Little G Weevil, Markey Blue, No Solution December 15, 2015

Due to technical issues I was not able to write reviews last week of two great events, the Little G Weevil Band at Darwin’s Blues Club in Marietta and the Atlanta Blues Society Holiday party. Both of these events deserve reviews and so I am combining them in this article. Friday,, December 5, was Little […]

CD Reviews Americana/ CD Reviews INDIE Blues/ CD Reviews Jam Band

JP Blues Dazzles on digital-only “Live at Darwin’s”

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Atlanta live musc, Darwin's Blues Club, Indie B, indie Blues, JP Blues, making a Scene February 17, 2015

JP Blues recently released a digital only live recording from a show at Darwin’s Burgers and Blues in Marietta, GA. JP is a favorte there and the crowd was thrilled to see him and his band. Reviewing an earlier show at Darwin’s, I wrote, It’s a cliche’ to speak of musicians making a guitar “sing” […]

INDIE Blues Scene

Making magic at Darwin’s: Review of the IBC Send-Off Party, Jan. 10

Rhetta Akamatsu .blues, Blind Cadillac, Darwin's Blues Club, GHP, IBC, Indie B, indie Blues, International Blues Challenge, JP Blues January 19, 2015

It was a night to remember at Darwin’s for the IBC Send-Off Party, a night of friends, fun, lots of raffle prizes, and fabulous music from not only the three marvelous groups going to Memphis but an stunning array of some of the best local musicians for the jam. First on the bill musically was […]