Helsinki Show Poster 20.3!

Photos by Kertu Vares, design by Siret Roots.

Blues Blast Review & Beauvais Gig Details

The American Blues Blast Magazine has just published a really cool review of "Leigh's Spider Jam" by Gary Weeks: "If you are looking for a respite from over-driven blues rock and wish to delve into something more earthier, with a little piece of the Delta in your mouth, then you’ve hit the winning lottery ticket."

"Electrified jug-band blues shaking hands with The Rolling Stones...a treasure-chest of Americana...These guys can hold court at any blues jam in America. While other players are content to trudge out the same Stevie Ray licks, Leigh’s Spider Jam is all about the roots and channeling the unplugged power from where the blues emerged and where its ghosts never rest."



Speaking of blasts, ARR's Monday gig at Clazz certainly was one. Also, while the band was on stage in Tallinn, Estonia, Stadi.TV in Helsinki, Finland was broadcasting a November 2010 concert by a trio version of the band, with daily re-runs scheduled for the rest of the week - see their programme here.

Part concert, part lecture on blues history and slide guitar, that performance was the first time that Andres Roots, Martin Eessalu and Indrek Tiisel jammed together - as luck would have it, it was both recorded by Folgiklubi FolgiKesKus and filmed by Tallinna TV, with "Folk Club Blues" and "Legacy Blues" ending up on the "Leigh's Spider Jam" CD.



Next in line are these four concerts in Finland and France:

March 20th - Pueblo Bar & Taqueria w/ Helsinki Rooftop Ninjas, Helsinki, Finland
March 21st - Ambassade d'Estonie en France, Paris
March 23rd - Maladrerie Saint-Lazare, Festival le Blues Autour du Zinc, Beauvais
March 24th - Le Chaudron Baveur, Festival le Blues Autour du Zinc, Beauvais

Upcoming: Monday Blues in Tallinn!

The Roots-Eessalu-Terep-Tiisel quartet version of the Roundabout band will play the Blue Monday Blues Club @ Clazz in Tallinn on Monday, February 20th. Showtime 10 p.m., no cover charge!

The video above and the photos below are from the band's previous show at the Blue Icicle Festival in Pärnu on February 16th, performed as an instrumental trio. Pics by Siret Roots, video by Tauno Prangel, and the name of the tune is "Three Sticks".

Pärnu: Tomorrow & Last Summer

"Top Estonian Blues Heard In Pärnu," reports Pärnu Postimees, and indeed the 3-day winter bluesfest Blue Icicle starts tomorrow, Feb. 16th, with the Roots-Eessalu-Terep trio version of the Andres Roots Roundabout headlining the first day.

That first day is also the day of the monthly Pärnu blues market, and thus all sorts of Roots Art goodies from blues CD's and black cat pendants to handmade ROMU amps (below) will be wheeled to the Pärnu blues club for tomorrow night - and tomorrow night only. Come check us out!



A ROMU amp is also heard in this live video - featuring Steve Lury (UK) and a very different Roundabout line-up that shall return for an Estonian-Finnish tour in early June. This footage of Tampa Red's "Rambler's Blues" is from the first night of their last year's tour, shot at the Pärnu Blues Festival in August.



And - last but not least - another fine review of "Leigh's Spider Jam" has just appeared in Holland, in which reviewer and radio DJ Jan van Eck suggests "it's time this artist came to the Netherlands." Yes it is - and we're working on it! :D

From UnderGround to GhettoBlues

UnderGround Blues 2 in Põlva was fabulous, a big thank you to the organizing team, the musicians and - above all - the audience, who made their way to the gig despite the -24 C weather outside! Some photos will be coming soon; the band's next stop is the Blue Icicle blues festival & fair in Pärnu on February 16th. Roots Art Records will be there with a selection of blues CD's and a demonstration of ROMU amplifiers will also be taking place.

Meanwhile, the GhettoBlues poster for spring 2012, pt. 2 has been revealed:



And so has the Zinc Blues Festival poster and website:

ARR Goes UnderGround

That's right, this Friday at the Põlva Cultural Centre! The crew also includes Aapo Ilves, Rääma Blue, M&O Duo, and Broken Spectacles - so there'll be anything and everything from acoustic folk blues to supersonic nu-bluz. Doors at 9, first band on 9:30 - for the moment, it appears that the instrumental trio version of the Andres Roots Roundabout will be taking the stage at midnight.

Don't forget: Mr. Eessalu will also be appearing with Mr. Vare of Prägnantne Brigaad as M&O Duo, and there's a rumour going 'round that Mr. Ilves might be ARR's special guest for a tune or two - or vice versa!



A Paris gig has finally been confirmed for Wednesday, March 21st - and at the Estonian Embassy, no less! There's also a chance of a Helsinki show to be added to the French mini-tour for Tuesday, March 20th - stay tuned...

Also: check out Mr. Roots' review of the new Devil Box album in English or in Finnish. Better yet, check out the album! :D

April Posters Revealed

Meanwhile, the band's radio success in French-speaking countries has been picked up on by both Linnaleht and Postimees. An additional Paris date for March TBA shortly!