It is always a great time when Daryll Düus returns to play the blues.
There was a good sized crowd at the Slice, Dec. 22 to hear him do just that with his band the Gentlemen of Leisure.
But first, I caught the end of a set of gritty blues and classic rock style music from the Juxtaposers, who featured Don Cassell blowing harp and singing, backed by drummer Aaron Trozzo, bassist Paul Holden and Tyler Bird playing lead guitar.
Düus took the stage just after 11 p.m., backed by Tyler Bird on drums and Evan Euschenko on bass and baritone guitar.
Düus opened the first set by belting out “Love Somebody” and playing some hot slide guitar. He switched guitars for a variety of originals from brand new songs to songs he wrote years ago.
He invited Shaela Miller on stage to sing an old Merle Haggard song “Big City,” which Taylor Ackerman used to sing with the band before he moved.
After that, he invited Papa King Cole on stage to sing blues classic “ Baby Please Don’t Go,” and to give a preview of their New Year’s Eve show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.
He followed that up with a jam on his own song “Oilite” from his CD.
After a great version of that song, Düus switched to a home made cigar box three string guitar for a deadly slide powered version of “ Walking Blues as Euschenko switched to a baritone guitar.
He slowed things down a touch with a laid back cover of the Doors “ The End,” which was not the end of the set as he had a couple more new originals to play. One sounded like blues classic “Going Down” while another had a Hound Dog Taylor feel.
He kicked things up a notch with a cover of punk band Fear’s “ I Love Livin’ In The City,” before going back to the blues and playing a song about getting into trouble with pretty women.
The second set which began just before 1 a.m., looked to be a massive jam with members of the Juxaposers and Darryl Düus and the Gentlemen of Leisure.
