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Monday, June 10, 2013

BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech Preview: Bobby Rush

By Robert Wood


The BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech—BAM's free summertime showcase of heavy hitters from R&B, reggae, funk, and other genres—runs this year from June 6 until August 8, with concerts happening (almost) every Thursday at noon. That means lunchtime for most, so for the full MetroTech experience, we suggest bringing takeout from a nearby restaurant and making an afternoon (or a long lunch break) out of it. Check back every week for these previews, which will also suggest appropriate eats to enjoy along with the music, and pigeons, in Downtown Brooklyn.



Bobby Rush
Thu, Jun 13 at 12pm This event has been canceled due to inclement weather. NOTE: Bobby Rush will perform Thu, Jul 24 as part of the 2014 R&B Festival at MetroTech.
MetroTech Commons | map
Free

In a nutshell:
Tell-it-like-it-is former Chitlin’ Circuit star and Chicago bluesman who tends towards the bawdy.

Genres:
Dirty funk and backroom electric blues

What to Know:
During live performances of his single “I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya” (see below), it isn't uncommon for Rush to address large portions of the song to his backup singers’ backsides, which have been known to respond in turn. Also telling: Rush’s single “Chicken Heads” was a perfect fit when used in the Samuel L. Jackson/Christina Ricci film Black Snake Moan, a racy piece of pulp cinema in which Ricci spends a significant amount of time chained to a radiator. But bawdiness aside, Rush absolutely owns the stage, and his consummate showmanship and bluesy funk are not to be missed.


Trivia:
As a child, Rush played his first blues on a diddley bow, a homemade instrument made from a piece of wood and a broom wire stretched between two nails.

Appropriateness for getting down / getting it on:
50% / 50%

What to bring for lunch:  
Shake Shack (409 Fulton Street), if only because it sounds like a Bobby Rush euphemism. Go with the Frisky Dog, topped with spicy tomato-simmered onions and kraut, for the most apropos experience.

You might like Bobby Rush if you like:
Joe Tex, Clarence Carter, Rufus Thomas, and Johnny “Guitar” Watson.

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