Blues guitarist David Gogo will spend an intimate evening delighting fans with an acoustic performance Saturday (Feb. 27).
Gogo performs at the Dinghy Dock Pub.
“It’s a fun crowd. Everyone there is there for the music. It’s a nice vibe,” he said.
During acoustic performances, Gogo said he “spends a lot of time telling stories from the road.”
“It’s much more of an intimate thing than playing with the band,” he said.
While Gogo creates a different experience for audience members during his acoustic show than his band performances, attendees will be treated to an acoustic rendition of Vicksburg Call, also the name of his latest release. Gogo said as he’s been touring Vancouver Island he’s been getting requests so he added it to his show.
“It will give people a chance to hear stripped-down versions of the songs,” said Gogo. “It keeps me on my toes because there is nothing to fall back on. It’s just you and your guitar.”
During the evening, he’ll play some more traditional blues roots-orientated songs, he said.
Gogo was recently nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year and Guitarist of the Year for the Maple Blues awards. His album Vicksburg Call was also nominated for Blues Album of the Year for the 45th annual Juno Awards.
“I’m becoming almost like the Susan Lucci of the Maple Blues Awards,” he said, about garnering the nominations but not securing the wins. “I had a good time out there it was awesome to be part of the show with Maple Blues Bands.”
Vicksburg Call, his 14th album release, was recorded in Rick Salt’s Nanaimo studio. The album features Gogo’s renowned guitar skills and some riffs played on his newest acquisition, a Gibson Les Paul and Martin D 35. A mix of covers and original compositions, the album has been getting a lot of attention across the country, said Gogo.
He puts his own stamp on The Loner, by Neil Young, and Why, by Annie Lennox.
Gogo said the guitars he plays during the acoustic performance are also important. During the show he plays his 1930 National Steel and 1920 Gibson L-Junior guitars.
“It’s a big part of the show. These are fairly rare guitars, but I still take them out on the road,” he said.
Gogo said over his career he’s had the opportunity to play with some of the great blues legends, such as the late B.B. King and late Johnny Winter.
“There were many sad days, but also tears of joy when I think back at fond memories from my time on the road,” said Gogo on his website. “Relationships can also have their ups and downs as the years pass by, and many of my new songs deal with this.”
Gogo’s Dinghy Dock Pub show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, which includes round-trip ferry fare, and are available in advance from Lucid, Desire Tattoo, The Dog’s Ear, the Dinghy Dock Pub and www.ticketzone.com.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
