THE KNICKERBOCKER MUSIC CENTER
35 Railroad Avenue, Westerly, RI 02891 (Misquamicut) | (401) 315-5070
Closed Today
The club thrived as one of the leading entertainment centers in southern New England, hosting regional and national bands with an emphasis on the blues. Some of the greats that played on the Knickerbocker stage included, Big Joe Turner, Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Johnny Nicholas, Leon Russell, Eric Burdon and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 1967, Roomful of Blues was born in Westerly, when guitarist Duke Robillard and pianist Al Copley started a band that played tough, no-holds barred Chicago blues. Making the Knickerbocker Café their home club, it did not take long before they started exploring swinging, jumping blues and added a horn section. Roomful would pack the house every Sunday and still plays their great brand of blues today.
Fast forward and the Café has become the Knickerbocker Music Center, a non-profit organization formed in partnership with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School. The mission of the Knickerbocker Music Center is to preserve, cultivate and grow the “Knick’s” unique brand of blues, as well as expanding access to music of all genres, by transforming the Knick into both an exciting performance venue and an exceptional center for music education.
Willie J. Laws & Roberto Morbioli
8pm
Friday, April 26, 2019 at 8:00pm
The Knickerbocker Music Center. 35 Railroad Avenue, Westerly, RI 02891
knickmusic.com/events/2019/4/26/willie-j-laws-roberto-morbioli
Live Music
The Texas/Italian Guitar Battle: Rob Mo (Roberto Morbioli) and Willie J Laws
The charismatic, internationally renowned MORBLUS frontman and Blues titan Rob Mo meets the "Prophet of Funky Texas Music" Willie J Laws.
The combination of these two exceptional musicians results in explosive guitar battles onstage. And despite their different origins, they have something in common: their great love of Blues and an overwhelming energy and passion to make the best music on the planet.
Rob, born in Verona, Italy, and "The Real Deal" Willie J from the Gulf Coast of Texas are each masters of their craft and know how to capture listeners. Their highly virtuosic guitar playing, driven by improvisation and creativity, drives fans wild. Roaring back and forth between blues, funk, soul, shuffle, r&b and swamp, they never let an audience down - or give them much time to catch their breath, for that matter.
Both men have jammed with big names in Blues, like: Preston Shannon,Roomful of Blues, Guitar Shorty and have opened for B.B. King, Etta James and Buddy Guy.
If you like guitar-based blues, this show is for you.
Show: 8p | Doors: 7p
Tickets: $15 advance | $20 door ($2 Service Charge Included With Online Tickets. All sales are final, no ticket refunds or exchanges. Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and seats are not guaranteed with ticket purchase.)
