2024-2025 Upcoming Shows!

OCTOBER

October 6 Greaseland Annual Party with the Greaseland All Stars

October 11 Las Trampas, Lafayette, CA - Aireene Espiurtu

October 23 First Ontairo PAC, St. Catherines, ON - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

October 24 Flato Markham Theater, Markham, ON - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

October 25 Oakville Centre, Oakville, ON - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

October 26 Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

NOVEMBER

November 2 Harris Center, Folsom, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

November 3 Blue Note, Napa, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

November 13 The Queen, Wilmington, DE - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

November 14 Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

November 16 Palace Theater, Manchester, NH - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

November 17 Center for the Arts, Natrick, MA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

November 27 TBA Long Beach, CA - Kim Wilson

November 29 SF Jazz, San Francisco, CA - Mark Hummel

DECEMBER

December 1 The Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

JANUARY 2025

January 17 QMU, Glasgow, Scotland - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 18 Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 19 The Old Wollen, Leeds, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 20 229, London, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 22 229, London, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 23 229, London, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 24 St. George's, Bristol, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

January 25 The Assembly, Leamington Spa, England - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

FEBRUARY

February 15 TBA, Vero Beach, FL - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

MAY

May 10 TBA, El Dorado, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

2024 Previous Shows

MAY
May 1 Empress Marquee Club, Vallejo, CA - James Cotton Tribute with Mark HummelMay 3 Back Room, Berkeley, CA - James Cotton Tribute with Mark Hummel
May 10 Music Alive, Lafayette, CA - Aki Kumar
May 16 The Prizery, South Boston, VA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
May 17 The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
May 18 Blues Alley, Washington, DC - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
May 19 Blues Alley, Washington, DC - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
May 26 Narrative Blues Jam, San Jose, CA - Aki Kumar
May 27 San Ramon Art & Wind Festival, San Ramon, CA - Aki Kumar
May 30 The Beer Baron, Pleasanton, CA - Aki Kumar
JUNE
June 5 Empress Marquee Club, Vallejo, CA - Aki Kumar
June 7 Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA - Aki Kumar
June 15 World Records, Bakersfield, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 16 Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 17 Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 20 Concert Series, Dublin, CA - Aki Kumar
June 22 Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, OH - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
June 23 Kent Stage, Kent, OH - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
JULY
July 3 Raven Theater, Healdsburg, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 5 Rancho Nicasio, Nicasio, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 6 Blue Note, Napa, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 7 The Sofia, Sacramento, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 12 Gathering On the Green, Mequon, WI - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 13 Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
July 19 Frost Amphitheater, Stanford, CA - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - opening for Taj Mahal
July 20 Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - opening for Taj Mahal
July 27 Bilbao Blues Festival, Bilbao, Spain - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 29 TBA, Nuremberg, Germany - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 30 TBA, Cologne, Germany - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
AUGUST
August 1 Notodden Blues Festival, Notodden, Norway - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 3 Estonia - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 7 Main St. Crossing, Tomball, TX - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 8 Main St. Crossing, Tomball, TX - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 9 Cactus Theater, Lubbock, TX - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 10 Spencer Theater, Alto, NM - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 18 Private Party, Ridgefield, WA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
August 23 Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
August 31 Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI - The Fabulous Thunderbirds

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

L to R: Steve Kirsty (bass), Johnny Moeller (guitar), Kim Wilson (lead vocals, harmonica), Bob Welsh  (piano / guitar), Rudy Albin (drums)

Blues Blast Magazine Featured Interview

 

Cover photo © 2023 Bob Hakins

It was a privilege talking to Mark Thompson, who interviewed me for this issue of Blues Blast Magazine.  I hope you enjoy it!

"I am lucky to be playing with Elvin, and with Kim Wilson, who is a force of nature on stage.  I am playing on all cylinders with him.  He shoots from the hip.  There is no set list.  He just calls out a tune, maybe a slow blues in the key of G, and he starts playing.  So we are doing a slow blues, and you don't have time to think about sounding like B.B. King or Robert Lockwood Jr.  You just have to play and make it work right off the cuff.  Half way through, you realize you are doing a B.B. King tune, but playing it like Buddy Guy.  It is too late to go back, so you have to finish it out.  You just have to play, and consequently you sound like yourself."

2023 Previous Shows

January 14 Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

January 19-22 Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

January 27 (Private Wedding) Milpitas, CA - Aki Kumar

February 3 HopMonk Tavern, Novato, CA - Eric Lindell

February 4 Longboard Bar, Pacifica, CA - Eric Lindell

February 5 HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol, CA - Eric Lindell

February 8 Empress Theater, Vallejo, CA - Aki Kumar

February 10 (Private Event), Milpitas, CA - Aki Kumar

February 11 Murphy's Law, Sunnyvale, CA - Aki Kumar

February 12 Narrative Fermentations, San Jose, CA - Aki Kumar

February 15 The Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima, WA - Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Harmonica Blowout

February 16 The Shedd Institute, Eugene, OR - Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Harmonica Blowout

February 17 & 18 The Triple Door, Seattle, WA - Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Harmonica Blowout

February 19 The Garages, Lake Oswego, OR - Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Harmonica Blowout

February 20 Lincoln Theater, Mt. Vernon, WA - Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Harmonica Blowout

February 23 Portland Jazz Festival, Portland, OR - Charlie Musselwhite

February 24 & 25 Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA - Mark Hummel's Harmonica Blowout

February 26 Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, CA - Mark Hummel's Harmonica Blowout

March 11 Walla Walla Guitar Festival, Walla Walla, WA - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

March 14 Fox Theater, Tucson, AZ - Fabulous Thunderbirds

March 17 Livermore Valley Arts, Livermore, CA - Fabulous Thunderbirds

March 30 & 31 Fanatics Pub, Lima, NY - Fabulous Thunderbirds

July 4 Beaver Creek Village, Beaver Creek, CO - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 6 The Belly Up, Solano Beach, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 8 St. Rocke, Hermosa Beach, CA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 13 The Music Hall Lounge, Portsmouth, NH - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 14 Center For the Arts, Natick, MA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 15 Wall Street Theater, Norwalk, CT - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 17 Music Room, West Yarmouth, MA - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 18 The Iridium, New York City, NY - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 19 The Iridium, New York City, NY - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 20 Great South Bay Music Fest, Patchogue, NY - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 22 Artie's Bar and Grill, Frenchtown, NJ - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
July 27 Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA - Aki Kumar
July 29 Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, CT
August 3 Ravina Festival, Highland Park, IL - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
August 6 Festival of Beers, Mammoth Lakes, CA - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
August 11 Bayfront Blues Festival, Duluth, MN - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
August 17 Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club, Portsmouth, NY - Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
August 20 Swing Wespelaar, Wespelaar, Belgium - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
August 25 State Fair, DuQuoin, IL - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
 

2022 Grammy nominations

I am honored to have played on two of this year's Grammy nominated albums.    

Best Traditional Blues Album

• 100 Years Of Blues — Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite 
• Traveler's Blues — Blues Traveler
• I Be Trying — Cedric Burnside 
• Be Ready When I Call You — Guy Davis
• Take Me Back — Kim Wilson

2021 Blues Music Award winners

I'm proud to have played on 100 Years of Blues with Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite.  

At the 2021 Blues Music Awards the album won in both the Traditional Blues Album category and Album of the Year!

From American Blues Scene:

This entire 12-track release is just two good-old-blues-boys sitting together and jamming. It’s absolutely brilliant. Most of the songs on 100 Years of Blues were written by either Bishop or Musselwhite, and they teamed up to write the title track. Along the way they also pay homage to Roosevelt Sykes with “West Helena Blues,” an appropriate song given the amount of times each artist has played at the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The duo also cover Leroy Carr’s “Midnight Hour Blues,” and Willie Dixon’s “Help Me.”

The album was produced, recorded, mixed, mastered, chopped, scattered, and smothered by Christoffer “Kid” Andersen at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose, and at Bishop’s Hog Heaven Studio in Lagunitas. Kid also plays upright bass on four tracks. The only other artist on the record is none other than Bob Welsh who is part of Bishop’s Big Fun Trio as well as playing and recording with a truckload of blues luminaries. Welsh provides guitar on seven songs and piano on the other five.

2021 Shows

 2021 SHOWS!

October 1 San Pedro Square, San Jose - Aki Kumar

October 3 Live at Greaseland, San Jose - Aki Kumar

October 8 Rustic House, San Carlos - Aki Kumar

October 9 Private Party, San Jose - Aki Kumar

October 15 Murphy's Law, Sunnyvale - Aki Kumar

October 16 18th Barrel, San Juan Buatista - Aki Kumar

October 22 Five Points, San Jose - Ren Geisick

October 23 Private Wedding, Cupertino - Aki Kumar

October 23 TBD, Healdsburg, CA - Aki Kumar

October 24 The Lost Church, Santa Rosa - Aireene Espiritu

October 29 Club Deluxe, San Francisco - Aki Kumar

October 30 Private Party, San Jose - Aki Kumar

November 4 Private Party, Santa Cruz - Aki Kumar

November 6-13 Legendary Blues Cruise - Charlie Musselwhite

November 14 Yoshi's, Oakland - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

November 16 Alt-Brown Studios - Aki Kumar & Aireene Espiritu 

November 19 Rustic House, San Carlos - Duo with Mark Hummel

December 3 TBD, Tucson, AZ - Kim Wilson

December 4 Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ - Kim Wilson

December 5 Malaineys, Long Beach, CA - Kim Wilson

December 6 Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, Tarzana, CA - Kim Wilson

December 8 TBD, Temecula, CA - Kim Wilson

December 10 Aptos Street BBQ, Aptos, CA - Kim Wilson

December 11 Winston's, San Diego - Kim Wilson

December 12 TBA, Santa Barbara - Kim Wilson

December 16 Center for the Arts, Grass Valley - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

December 17 Poor House Bistro, San Jose - Aki Kumar

December 18 Club Fox, Redwood City - Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

December 22 Private Party - Aki Kumar

New Single "Universal Rock"

Hey friends!

Hope everyone is keeping well out there! Can’t wait to see everyone at live gigs in the future but until then, please check out my first single, my version of Earl Hooker's “Universal Rock” which is the A side of my upcoming 45!

Hope you’ll enjoy this special tune featuring myself on guitar & keys, Kid Andersen on bass, Rusty Zinn on guitar, Big Jon Atkinson on harmonica, Eric Spaulding on sax & Marty Dodson on drums, recorded at Greaseland! 

Please stay tuned... in a couple of weeks I will release the B side on my Facebook page.

Tips are encouraged, but not a necessity.  PayPal: BLWELSH30@HOTMAIL.COM / Venmo: Robert-Welsh-42

New Song & Video: Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio Plus! Lockdown!

Message from Elvin Bishop:
Well, we’re all kind of stuck at home in “lockdown” because of the pandemic and this crazy virus. Usually I bounce ideas off my band to see what they think. So I had an idea for a groove…with social distancing and all, I passed it along to my pal Bob Welsh…in the lo-tech way I operate 😀.
Next thing I knew Kid was in the loop and it just kept rolling on from there! Come on and join us for our “Lockdown” jam. Thanks of course to my band mates, Bob Welsh and Willy Jordan, and to Kid Andersen and D’Mar for joining in on the big fun!

Bob Welsh Upcoming Shows

2020 SHOWS!

January 3  Triple Door in Seattle - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 4  Triple Door in Seattle - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 5  Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 6  Artichoke Community Music in Portland, OR with Mark Hummel
January 7  The Seasons in Yakima, WA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 9  Shedd in Eugene, OR - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 10  Harris Center in Folsom, CA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 11  Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 12  Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 13  Poor House Bistro in San Jose, CA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 14  Arkley Center at Humboldt in Arcata, CA - Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
January 17  Mystic Theater in Petaluma, CA with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
January 18  Felton Music Hall in Felton, CA with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
January 25  Club Fox in Redwood City, CA with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

February 8 World Records in Bakersfield, CA with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
February 15 Poway Center for the Performing Arts in Poway, CA  with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
February 20 Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, NJ with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite 
February 21 The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite 
February 22 Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, NY with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite 
February 23 The Wilbur Theatre in Boston, MA with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
February 27-March 2 Rock Legends Cruise VIII with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

March 13  Crest Theater in Sacramento, CA with Elvin Bishop, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers


 
That's all for now folks, stay tuned for more!

Previous Shows in 2019

April 3rd Caffe Chiave in Oakland with Aireene Espiritu
April 5th Seabright Brewery in Santa Cruz with Jimmy Dewrance 
April 6th The Mojo Lounge in Fremont with Aki Kumar
April 10th De Anza College in Cupertino with Ren Geisick
April 17th Momo's in Sacramento with Andy Santana
April 28th Club Deluxe in San Francisco with Aki Kumar

May 25th Crest Theater in Sacramento with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
May 29th The Dakota in Minneapolis, MN with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
May 30th City Winery in Chicago, IL with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

June 15th Blues and BBQ Festival in Reno, NV with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 22nd Fountain Blues Festival in San Jose with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 26th Summer Fest in Milwaukee, MN with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
June 28th TBA in Santa Rosa with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

July 3rd Private party with Nancy Wright
July 6th Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco with Aireene Espiritu
July 26th The Blue Note in Honolulu, HI with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
July 27th The Blue Note in Honolulu, HI with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

August 9th Heritage Music Blues Fest in Wheeling, WV with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
August 18th White Mountain Blues Fest in Thornton, New Hampshire with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
August 23rd Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, Canada with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

September 2nd Rancho Nicasio in Nicasio with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
September 25th Freight and Salvage Berkeley with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
September 26th Freight and Salvage Berkeley with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio

October 5 Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom, CA with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
October 6 Laxson Auditorium at Chico State, CA with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
October 12  Montbleau Theater in Lake Tahoe, NV with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio
October 24 Redwood Cafe in Cotati with A Case of the Willy's (Willy Jordan)
October 31 Blue Wing Saloon in Upper Lake with Billy Watson

November 1 The Riviera Hills Restaurant & Lounge in Kelseyville, CA with Billy Watson
November 2 Private Party in Kelseyville with Billy Watson
November 3 Kelsey Creek Brewing in Kelseyville with Billy Watson
November 10 Poor House Bistro in San Jose - Bob Welsh's tribute to The Meters with special guests
November 19 Poor House Bistro in San Jose with Aki Kumar (Pro Jam Night)
November 22 The Chapel in San Francisco with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio (Private event)
November 26 Poor House Bistro in San Jose with Aki Kumar (Pro Jam Night)

December 3 Poor House Bistro in San Jose with Aki Kumar (Pro Jam Night)
December 4 Caffe Chiave in Berkeley with Aireene Espiritu (An evening of Bluegrass)
December 6 TBA in Tucson, AZ with Kim Wilson
December 7 The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ with Kim Wilson
December 11 PCH Club in The Golden Sails in Long Beach, CA with Kim Wilson
December 14 Mainstage in Ramona, CA with Kim Wilson
December 17 Poor House Bistro in San Jose with Aki Kumar (Pro Jam Night)
December 20 Mitchell Park Community Center in Palo Alto with Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Trio