While there are no headliners, the musical lineup for this
weekend’s Mushroom Mardi Gras still promises toe-tappin’
entertainment.
From country to R
&
amp;B to swamp boogie, the bands on the West Third Street stage
will set the tone for the 26th annual event.
While there are no headliners, the musical lineup for this weekend’s Mushroom Mardi Gras still promises toe-tappin’ entertainment.
From country to R&B to swamp boogie, the bands on the West Third Street stage will set the tone for the 26th annual event.
“The bands we do have are highly talented,” said Sunday Minnich, event director. “They are up-and-coming groups that open for big bands.”
Bands will play on one stage in the new location for this year’s Mardi Gras, which organizers moved from Community Park. This year’s theme really is Mardi Gras – complete with beads, masks and costumed parades through downtown.
Like the event itself, all the musical entertainment will be free.
The list includes the Bayou Boys (11am), Nichole Cheri (1pm) and Kelly Thibodeaux and the Etouffee Band (4:30pm) on Saturday, and the James Theroux Band (11am), local Shane Dwight and his band (1pm) and Henry Clements and the Gumbo Band (3pm) on Sunday. Big Fun with Ry Kihn, son of Bay Area rocker Greg Kihn, finishes the weekend at 4:30pm.
In keeping with the theme, the Bayou Boys blend Zydeco, New Orleans rhythm and blues, and Cajun-style music into their performances. Lead singer Ron Bombardier sings in Cajun French, Creole French and English. Drummer Tony Dey played with Van Morrison and Linda Ronstadt.
Nichole Cheri and the GroundBreakers have a musical repertoire spanning decades beginning with the 1940s. The group features four-time California State Vocal Champion Cheri and four musicians who have worked around the country with such musicians as B.B. King, Tommy Castro, The Tramps, The Buckinghams and Billy Joel.
Kelly Thibodeaux and the Etouffee Band feature a combination of fiddle, rhythm and blues, and southern rock, making up the swamp rock sound, one that makes people want to dance.
The James Theroux Band draws from varied influences such as Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rodgers and Merle Haggard. The band has opened for such greats as Wayne “the Train” Hancock, Junior Brown, Hank Williams III and Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men.
Blues artist Shane Dwight has played in blues festivals all over California, Nevada and Oregon. Dwight has also shared the bill with world class acts such as The Supremes, Jefferson Starship, Terrie Clark, The Greg Kihn Band, Dennis Quaid, Indigenous and John Lee Hooker Jr.
Playing both days at 3pm is Henry Clements and the Gumbo Band, playing swamp boogie music during the stage show following the Mardi Gras parade. Clements, also known as Chief Takawaka, has performed over the years with such major artists as Amos Milburn, Fats Domino, Otis Redding, The ChiLites, Ray Charles, and B.B. King.
Big Fun plays a variety of hits from the 1980s, 1990s and today, including songs from Aerosmith, No Doubt, Pink, Jimi Hendrix, Blink 182 and more. They even play a song from Kihn’s father.
Also on stage both days at 12:30pm will be the 15 winners of the scholarship given out by the Mushroom Mardi Gras organization. The students were chosen from 194 applicants. Each student will receive $1,000, and $1000 will be given to Central High School and the Community Adult School in June.
For details on the Mardi Gras events and links to the bands’ Web sites, visit www.mhmushroommardigras.com and click on entertainment under the Mardi Gras events tab.
A family-friendly Mardi Gras
Costumes and music and beads, oh my! The Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras this year will bring a family-friendly twist on a New Orleans special.
“We will be selling beads, masks, boas and hats; it will be a hopping downtown,” said event director Sunday Minnich.
Entertainment on Saturday and Sunday and will feature parades, stilt walkers, a New Orleans-inspired stage show and costumes.
But unlike the often wild party associated with New Orleans, Minnich said this will be more tasteful.
“This is more of a family-style Mardi Gras,” Minnich said. “Clothing is required.”
Instead, colorful characters including an Austin Powers lookalike, an accordion-playing clown and a juggling crawdad will parade through the downtown streets.
Finger-picking guitarist Robby Longley will play original contemporary, harmonies on both days of the weekend festival on East Second Street.
A Mardi Gras king and queen will be selected and paraded through the downtown and will be tossing out beads to the crowd.
Festival-goers will be treated to strolling musicians as they browse through arts and crafts and food booths. And, of course, wine and micro-brew beer tents will be up.
The children can play at “Munchkin Land” between Fifth Street and Dunne Avenue on Monterey Road. It will be filled with rides and games and entertainment with the little tots in mind.
