The Work of David R. Day (boisee boy) will be on display at Dawson Taylor Coffee house at 219 8th Street in downtown Boise. For the month of March.

Please stop by 1st Thursday and join David for a cup of great Dawson Taylor coffee. 6:30-9:00.

I have developed a new way of displaying my work. Using state of the art Giclée technology, this new series of images are printed on canvas and then hand stretched over a wooden frame. This gives the art an uniquely distinctive presentation.

The power of the moment makes the image.
By blending light, texture and color, David brings a life to everyday objects. His camera can take a simple sign, or a martini glass and find art. With people, it is capturing that moment of humanity. The instant in time that reveals a person; laughter, tears, or a sly reviling smile.

Update- This one has hit a nerve!
Here are a couple of things I learned on this topic today. This policy in violation of the credit card agreement and could result in the canceling of the bars credit account.
I have been advised by council that it is definitely fraudulent and have been asked to file a complaint. I love the bar and it’s live music so I won’t be doing that, but someone else might.

The Davidson’s have always run a “straight house,” so Boisee doesn’t think this “surcharge” will be around long!!!! Especially after the Costa Rica branch of the family has their say.

Above the upstairs bar is a sign the management of Tom Graineys should read-it says . . Do Right and Fear Not

Here are the comments from today. . .

1. Yeah for anyone who has never done the math, the markup on booze in bars is pretty intense. I see your point. Go ahead and charge extra for the credit cards due to the fact that it costs extra, but make sure you inform your costumers. Otherwise its just stealing. I hate credit card transactions for that exact reason. Everytime I start a tab at a bar, something goes wrong and I feel like I spent twice as much as I would have with cash. The math never adds up so I just dont do it anymore.
Comment by nathan jay — February 27, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
2. I have had that same problem with my card there, and jt toads, but I guess those are the same place, I am not sure. I just started carrying cash when I go out, and paying for each individual drink, that way I don’t spend to much, and I also know exactly how much I have to pay for each drink.
Comment by Dr. Dave — February 27, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
3. Thanks for educating your public - we appreciate you!
Comment by Lucy — February 27, 2007 @ 7:03 pm

original story below
Apparently Tom Graineys is charging an extra 6% on credit cards. Not cash, just credit. Since no other bar charges sales tax I asked my bartender WTF. She told me it was sales tax. I inquired further. Another employee told me “well it might be property tax.” So credit card users are paying the Davidson’s property tax?

The credit card companies do charge a fee (1.29% for most transactions) to the merchant for processing . So go ahead and charge your customers to use a card. Just tell them you are going to do it. However with a bottle of scotch costing a bit over $20.00 wholesale and you get somewhere around 18 shots out of the bottle. You would think Tom Graineys could find a extra 6% out of the the roughly $79.00 gross profit made from just one bottle.

At no time as I ordered drinks on my card was I told of this “tax.” When I bought a drink for a friend with cash, that is right no tax. No sign on the back bar or on the door. Fraud may be to strong, but something smells here.

Call it a credit card surcharge, or a manditory gratuity. Don’t think the state is getting the money so it is not a tax. We all pay plenty of exise tax on liquor as it is. Mobray III-Don’t lie to your customers. Even the drunk ones will figure it out sooner or later.

If things are that tight-raise the price for all your customers, charge a cover, or tell them there is a fee to use a credit card.

The Boise Blues Society has a mission to bring “Americas Music’s” to as many people as possible. In the past that has meant mostly live performances and fund raisers. About a year ago the BBS broad started Blues in the School. BITS has a pretty simple recipe. Mix talented and experienced blues performers with students, with a dash of teachers for flavor and see what happens.
Today at Meridian school districts Christine Donnell School of Arts we cooked. These photos tell the story.

Thanks to Nancy McIntosh, Ken Harris, Richard Soliz, Barney Southard and Josh Skoro.

Submitted by me and written by Don Day. Fun read, more to be there. Sorry BLD!
Mythbusters

The nefarious poker den up the stairs from The Main Street Bistro has morphed into a new bar. Babylon is described as a Hookah Bar. Seems a bit of a stretch to Boisee, but I’ve been wrong before!

Also-Does anyone else see the irony in one Main Street bar( See-Pengilly’s) going no smoking as another opens up emphasizing smoking!

This weeks Photo Friday Contest challenge is Textured

If you like this pix, vote for it at Photo Friday. It is # 18—Thanks.

From Our own STAR Nathan. . .

Nathan Jay and the 1/4 Tons will be opening for Guitar Legend Mike
Zito in a special event at Graineys Monday February 26th. Music Fans this is definitely one to not miss. Check Mike Zito out at:

www.myspace.com/mikezito5150

No cover….see you there! Monday Night, 9:00 P.M.
This will be the first performance of Nathan Jay & the 1/4 Tons so don’t
miss it. This band features three members from the former band Vincent
Vegas.

The Blues Society is on a roll. The 127 club in Meridian hosted a wonderful Mardi Gras party. Gumbo, music and revelry abounded. Even better we raised some money for Blues in The Schools!!
Here are a couple of pix.

Of late, several readers of this blog have expressed dissatisfaction with the way it is presented. In light of this somewhat legitimate criticism it seems as if it is time to clear the air a bit.

Until further notice www.BoiSee.com will:
Be poorly edited, no that is a lie, it will not be edited in any fashion. Therefore expect syntax, grammar, logic and especially spelling errors.

It will be based on the random bits of the authors weird life. Don’t expect much cohesiveness. Do expect notes on people you don’t know, bars you don’t drink in, places, events and tidbits from wherever and whatever the author happens to find worth writing about. But wait-there’s more! Included at no extra charge will be assorted other things that make sense only to the author.

Oh, and photos that will range from beautiful to downright strange.

Boisee will continue to present unproved, biased-yet often true rumors, innuendo, personal opinions and loose facts.

If we are lucky the content will amuse, inform, amaze and be of interest. If not, www.BitneyGoesComando.org is only a click away.

BTW Jose, you have obviously never seen my ass!

Nancy McIntosh writes. . .

Greetings BBS Members and Friends: Check out the website at www.boiseblues.org for information on our February 20th FAT TUESDAY event. This is a fundraiser for our “Blues in the Schools” program which has been doing very well! We will provide additional information on the program at the FAT TUESDAY event on “Blues in the Schools.”

The event is being held in ONE location this year - The 127 Club in Meridian. Richard Soliz and his Blue Rayz will kick things off with a strictly “blues show” (Richard wanted me to tell you that!) at 5:30 to 7:00 pm and then Cyndie Lee & Streetwise will take the stage and play until about 8:30 pm. Again, we’ve ordered a HUGE box of Mardi Gras beads, so come on down and show your AWESOME MOJO and get some beads! Boogie down in your dancin’ shoes!

Cover is $5 which goes entirely toward funding the “Blues in the Schools” program!

BBS merchandise such as T-shirts and CDs will be available for purchase too! See you there.

You thought you had a rough V-Day?

Ran into original Slim Tom Moore. He is finishing up his 1st year at Law school in Salt Lake and just up for the weekend.

If Tom is half as good at the law as he is as a guitar player, his success is assured.

hint

Looks like the Piper Pub is getting down with a game room in the old alley way under their location in downtown Boise. Not sure of how this is going to work, are they adding stairs, or will you have to run the current rat’s maze to get from one level to the other?

Nancy McIntosh writes. . .

Greetings BBS Members and Friends: Check out the website at www.boiseblues.org for information on our February 20th FAT TUESDAY event. This is a fundraiser for our “Blues in the Schools” program which has been doing very well! We will provide additional information on the program at the FAT TUESDAY event on “Blues in the Schools.”

The event is being held in ONE location this year - The 127 Club in Meridian. Richard Soliz and his Blue Rayz will kick things off with a strictly “blues show” (Richard wanted me to tell you that!) at 5:30 to 7:00 pm and then Cyndie Lee & Streetwise will take the stage and play until about 8:30 pm. Again, we’ve ordered a HUGE box of Mardi Gras beads, so come on down and show your AWESOME MOJO and get some beads! Boogie down in your dancin’ shoes!

Cover is $5 which goes entirely toward funding the “Blues in the Schools” program!

BBS merchandise such as T-shirts and CDs will be available for purchase too! See you there.

A good friend will bail you out of jail.
Your best friend will sit next to you behind bars and say “Damn that was fun!”

Kitty Richards the amazing bar manager at the old Blues Bouquet has stepped behind the bar at Kat’s House of Blues in Nampa. Quick as lighting and big hearted, Kitty is one of the best “drink slingers” in the valley. Stop by and say hello.
photo by Nancy McIntosh

Maybe the head should read “resistors are futile.”
Love the way “his” hands are behind his back.

What a view. Main street from 11th to 9th hasn’t change all that much, but the rest of the city sure has.

Well this is fun. World famous Ken Harris was the leader of a Big time Boston Band called Animal Train. The lead singer was Michelle “evil Gal” Wilson. Hoochie Coochie Men lovers will notice Ken’s style at the begining of the video.
Gotta love You tube.

Photo Friday
This weeks Photo Friday Contest challenge is Sky

If you like this pix, vote for it at Photo Friday. It is # 43—Thanks.

UPDATE-New management/ownership is in place and the name has been changed to Legends

Rumor has it the Great “Petta’” has again had to leave town. Boisee heard that his Sports pub in the Spectrum plaza has changed ownership with Shott still owing some rent.
A sign on the door speaks of a “management” change and that no coupons etc. will be honored.

It is a good bet he hasn’t paid for radio ads that ran this fall either. Hopefully this is Petta’s last Shott. ”Bon Apetit” indeed.

Here is The INTERNATIONAL BLUES CONTEST from Lori’s perspective and one more photo of the B! Brigade.

B!’s Take on Memphis.

Well, we made it home everyone!  What a trip!  We got into Memphis Wednesday afternoon.  Went down on Beale St. Wed, night and partied it up.  We ended up at the Rum Boogie Club and there was a little club next door that had an AWESOME band called Delta Highway who got Nathan and I on the stage.  The next morning, I had people coming up to me asking if I was the one singing the night before.  It was VERY cool.   We didn’t realize that we would play more than one time.  Our venue was Alfred’s and we played Thursday and Friday night for different Judges each night.  On Thursday, we had one of the Judges come up and say that we were one of the best bands he has heard.  I am not sure if Judges are supposed to do that, but HOW COOL WAS THAT???!!!   Friday morning, Rex (keys), Bob (drummer) and I were standing in the lobby and Don Wilcock from the Blues Review Magazine and Promoter asked for our Band Bio because he wants to book us for some Blues Festivals this summer, one I think in New York!  We also had another promoter and a couple Blues Societies ask for our info to book us for their venues also.  KILLER CONTACTS!!!!!    We played again Friday night and rocked Alfreds again.  They asked us to come back and play Saturday night for the Quarter Finals. 

 
    The competition was fierce!!  We went up against band that had been playing/touring for years.  There was another band that had brought there tour van and was leaving Memphis to go on tour. (Don, that was Lara Price, they didn’t make the finals).  The bands that did make the finals were incredible.  There was one band that had a family of three kids in it. Homemade Jamz. The singer was 14 (he), bass player 12 (he), drummer 9 (she was so cute!).  They will go far.  Sean Carney Band.  They have backed Christine Kittrell, Jimmy “T-99″ Nelson, Joe Weaver, Big Joe Duskin and Teeny Tucker.  Carney performed at the Paris Jazz Festival with Hall “Cornbread” singer in July 2006 and will begin his second tour of Canada in Feb 2007.  They will tour Europe in October 2007.  YIKES!!  So, I don’t feel so bad that our little band from Boise who wrote our originals and got ready in 2 months didn’t make it this time.  We learned a lot from this and we will work really hard this year, get more originals, get our sets down and be totally prepared for next year. 
 
We will keep you posted on our year, CD and other cool stuff.  Thank you all again for your support, love and donations.  We couldn’t have done it without all of you. 

Go to boiseblues.org to see where we are playing and we will see you all at Fat Tuesday on Feb. 20th at the 127.  Look for the lineup coming soon.
 
HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Lori B!

Will miss the 13 next winter.

Like the old Johnny Cash song “I’ve been everywhere, man. ” Work and play have taken me to some of America’s greatest places lately. Broadway, Waikiki, Venice Beach,The Vegas Strip, Pikes Market, Fisherman’s Wharf, The Boston Commons, Boise’s 8th street-all cool. No street in America beats Beale street in Memphis Tennessee.

Why? A stroll down Memphis’s Beale is an almost overwhelming sensory experience. An intoxicating voodoo brew. Music, food, history, liquor, smiles, commerce, and neon mix like nowhere else in america.

Just up from the Mississippi you begin at the magnificent former vaudeville theater The Orpheum. As you head past Elvis and the garishly lit horse drawn carriages you hear the sound of live hand crafted Blues.

It pours out of doors and windows as you pass by the famous B B Kings. Further down you move by historic Handy’s Blues Hall and then roll down towards Alfred’s. The Blues seems to warm the air even on an the unusually cold and snowy Memphis night.

Could it be the smell of slow cooked pork ribs that sets Beale street apart? Sure New York has it hot dog vendors, and nothing compares to the sweet-spicy and earthy scent of a big city Chinatown, or the fishy, salty, coffee allure of Seattle’s Pike Street. Me? Give me the southern fried taste of Beale.

In Vegas and Times Square the neon blinds you. Mile high slots, and building sized Nike ads. This weeks celebrity smiles down from above, hoping to entice you into a shop or casino. It Memphis the signal is often an old hand painted and neon sign. The colors more subtle and muted with time. The reds and blues a softer and more powerful message.

Most of America’s big cities have become like sunburned malls. In New York, Vegas, or Honolulu, the tourist traps and chain stores have taken over. Food Courts with parking meters. Every town has a TGIF, a Bubba Gumps and a couple of Mic D’s. Each with that glossy, perfect commercial look that is so jarring. Nike, Starbucks, Channel, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, all line up like good capitalists shoulder to shoulder. Cheerfully there totake your money.

In Memphis, there is almost none of that. Even the Hard Rock hosted the Blues contest this week. In “ The home of the Blues”,, they great you with a smile and a Hi, ya all, where all ya from” Even the pan handlers are polite, offering up tips on the best BBQ or music.

Memphis is a full body experience that should not be missed. You should to go soon, it is too good to be true. The fat cat corporations can’t be far behind to screw it up.

Here is a recap of the Memphis experiance from Nathan. The photos are from Mellisa”Click” Larson.

Hey everyone!

Lori B! and the Boys returned home from Memphis! We didn’t make the finals but we were in the quarter finals. 94 Bands, 10 made the finals and 9 from the remaining 84 were selected for the quarter finals. Very stiff competition and tons of great music. We gave it our best shot performing against some acts that have been together for over 20 years. Our 2 month old all original set was definitely a hit, however not enough to take us all the way. Being one of the top 19 bands out of 94 ……….. I will take as a personal victory for us, especially with all the talent I witnessed this last week.
Our flights home were delayed, our luggage lost but it has definitely been a trip I will never forget. Thanks to Lori B! for ….well just being her and putting all her effort into this. If we go back next year we’ll win it for you baby! Special thanks to Troy Thomas, David Day, Jo Fryberger, and everyone else from Boise that came to support and help. Between all of us I am sure we took 1,000 photos so I will try to send more out. Playing the famous Beale St. has become a dream come true for all of us and even though we did not win, we made a lot of great contacts and will be doing some great events this year…….one I am particularly looking forward to will be a Blues Fest in New York. Stay tuned for details. Thanks again and here are some pics from our Friday Night performance at the famous Alfred’s on Beale St. : : : : : : :

Nathan Jay