Press Releases

Many thanks to Jessie Virtusio, from the Chicago Tribune (Southtown) for the newspaper article and tweet on the band for our appearance at the Joliet History Museum this last Friday. 

Lovin' the Blues at the Museum! features prominent blues bands

By JESSI VIRTUSIODAILY SOUTHTOWN |FEB 02, 2022 AT 3:30 PMDave Weld & The Imperial Flames, who are one of two acts booked for Lovin' the Blues at the Museum! on Feb. 11 in Joliet, include the namesake (left) on vocals and guitar and his fiancée, Mona Rose, on vocals and percussion. (Dave Weld)

Joliet Area Historical Museum welcome two legendary blues bands, both with recent gigs at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, on Feb. 11 for Lovin' the Blues at the Museum! Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames and John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band will play at the Joliet event.

"I love the theater and the audience," said Weld about Joliet Area Historical Museum where he performed in 2019.

"We have friends that come. It's a wonderful venue with ample seating, a wonderful stage and a wonderful sound system. Also, Mike Brick is great. We put our heart into the show. He does as well."

Weld of Chicago's Roscoe Village has collaborated with Brick, development director of Joliet Area Historical Museum, not only for concerts in the venue but also for festivals in Joliet.

Sharing a bill with John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band is familiar territory for Weld, who was interviewed for "594 Miles From Chicago," an independent documentary film series, which featured Primer in Season 1 that premiered in October.

"They're a great bunch of guys and I've worked overseas with him. We toured with John," said Weld, a singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer.

"He's a great guy and very talented. The music is very interesting. It's steeped in the history of Chicago blues."

Weld's history is a who's who of blues from landing a gig with Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, playing in the late Howlin' Wolf's band the Wolf Pack, and having his "first real band" experience with Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials.

"I started working on the West and South sides of Chicago. I learned my trade from the masters. Then I started this band and recorded with Blue Sting Records," said Weld about launching Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames in 1988 and releasing "Rough Rockin' in Chicago" that year.

"We toured Europe and the United States. Eventually I started recording for Earwig Music Co., which is a Chicago label. That led to more tours. Then I did my first record for Delmark Records, tours and a lot of local work as well.

"Today we do tours and local work. The main club is Buddy Guy's Legends but we also do the Chicago Blues Festival."

Weld's bandmates include partner Monica Myhre, who uses the name Mona Rose in the Imperial Flames, on vocals and percussion and whom he proposed to on Buddy Guy's Legends stage.

The group also features Jeff Taylor, who has played with artists including the late Eddy Clearwater and the late Lonnie Brooks, on drums and vocals; Harry Yaseen, who studied piano under the late Art Hodes, on keys; and Felton Cruz, who has worked with luminaries including the late Miles Davis, on bass.

"I love every single member of this group as a human being as well as a musician," said Weld, who releases his third Delmark album in April.

"It's a historic record label with such recording artists as Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Little Walter and J.B. Hutto, my mentor. I think that's one of the biggest thrills for me is that I could follow closely in my mentor's footsteps because he was very popular on Delmark and now I record on Delmark."

Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames' Joliet set will feature several songs from their forthcoming 11-song album, which was recorded at JoyRide Studio in Chicago and produced by Grammy-winning Tom Hambridge, who has worked with artists including Keb' Mo' and Susan Tedeschi.

"Everybody that hears it says it's my best work yet," said Weld, who started playing in 1975.

"I enjoy every single gig because it's essential to my well-being as an artist to be able to express myself on a weekly basis," Weld said.

"Our show has variety and spirit. We relate to the audience."

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-ent-blues-museum-joliet-st-0211-20220202-aypv2jxj75bfrduim3zg4s5wci-story.html