Little Mike Will Storm Brewery

Fri., Nov. 3, 1995

Joe Ehrbar Correspondent

One of the country’s best and brightest blues talents, Little Mike and the Tornadoes from New York City, will again sing the blues at the Fort Spokane Brewery. The group plays the downtown watering hole on Thursday at 9 p.m.

Vocalist/harmonica blaster Little Mike plays the kind of honest and traditional blues you’d expect coming from the big city.

Little Mike and the Tornadoes echoes the day-to-day struggles of the working class. For years, Little Mike held blue-collar-type jobs ranging from cook to janitor. This not only gives his music credibility but also makes for some moving songs.

The band formed in 1978 when Little Mike was only 22. Back then, its main purpose was to back internationally recognized blues singers like John Lee Hooker, Bo Didley, Pinetop Perkins, Paul Butterfield, Otis Rush and many others.

It wasn’t until 1990 that the band released its debut album, “Heart Attack.” With that album, Little Mike and the Tornadoes finally gained popularity on the blues circuit.

Little Mike and the Tornadoes’ second album “Payday” followed in 1993.

Its third album soon will be released.

Advance tickets for the concert are $8 and are available at the Fort Spokane Brewery. It’s $7 for Blues Society members. This show will sellout, so get a ticket before the show.

Elsewhere in the night

The Bay Area’s quickly rising, modern jazz band Junk returns to Hobart’s Lounge tonight and Saturday.

Junk creates a unique stew of improvisational jazz and instrumental funk. Most critics have difficulty defining a sound for the band and resort to tagging it acid jazz.

According to Junk, the band plays, simply, junk.

The quartet performs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. both nights. Tickets are $5 at the door. Bring your ID.

The ever-popular Jumbalassy, which delves in a contagious mix of world music, plays Outback Jack’s tonight. Jumbalassy has been known to sell out its Spokane shows, so arrive early. Music starts at 9:30 p.m. Bring your ID.

On Saturday, Outback Jack’s has Portland’s Jollymon, which swims through a whirlpool of thrash, industrial and funk. Also playing are Spokane’s Bed Heads and Pullman’s Circle of Knots. Music starts at 9:30 p.m. Bring ID.

It’s been a while since the Renegade Saints have been in the area. The hard-working, no-frills rock unit plays the Panida Theater in Sandpoint on Wednesday.

The group’s most recent effort “Fear Of The Sky” has been selling strongly regionally.

Show starts at 9:30 p.m. For more information, call the Panida Theater at (208) 263-9191.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.