A train car on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge line is the perfect size for a performing one-man band tucked into either end of the car. Roughly about 102 inches or 8.5 feet wide, a single performer can play in that space comfortably, while a duo or trio are rubbing elbows and bumping instruments; anything larger is doable yet forced. Pack those train cars with rowdy music lovers, and comfort is sacrificed for solid fun, whether one or six musicians are on board.
If you go
WHAT: Durango Blues Train with Chase Walker, Delta Sonics Duo, Brody Buster and more.
WHEN: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Boarding begins at 6:30 p.m., train leaves at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, 479 Main Ave.
TICKETS: $159 each night.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.durangobluestrain.com.
Packed those cars will be for the Durango Blues Train, a rollicking rail-party scored by rocking blues music, rolling through the weekend on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Performing for the first of two Blues Trains this summer are the Chase Walker Band, Eric Heideman, Delta Sonics Duo, Joce Reyome, 100 LB Housecat and The Brody Buster One Man Band.
Buster’s no stranger to the Blues Train, playing it for the first time in 2019. Referring to it as “one of the funnest gigs” he’s ever done, it’s a stage that is not only moving in a forward direction, but it also rocks side to side, creating and mimicking a metronome. Nothing is stable on a moving stage, thus it’s best to stabilize your gear.
“The whole experience is great. The first night was getting used to it, the second and third night it’s a party,” he said. “I have a blast all the time, but you know the first night my stuff was sliding around a little bit, but then I brought the sandbags to weigh things down.”
Buster’s been around blues music his whole life, living in cities with great blues history. He started playing in Kansas City when still in single digits, before moving to Memphis, Tennessee, where he furthered the craft. It was there that B.B. King spotted him while busking on Beale Street, kicking his career into gear.
“B.B. did a lot for me,” Buster said. “He said I was one of the greatest harmonica players of the time, and he set me on this path of being a blues musician from there forward, and I’ve been doing it since.”
“Doing it since” included being invited to sing on stage with King at his Memphis club when he was 11, which ultimately led to opening for him on various tours years later.
Between those tours he’s made records, the latest being “REDEMPTION,” a high-energy blast of traditional blues that highlights Buster’s vocals, his B.B. King-touted harmonica skills and band-leading abilities. This is not commercial radio offerings, but a raw and ripping blast of aggressive blues music.
While Buster favors the idea of leading a band, he also favors the economics behind being a one-man touring operation, which is how he’ll perform on the blues train. He’ll be a solo performer with a number of instruments, as he’ll play electric guitar with a harmonica around his neck and a kick-drum at his feet. While it’s just as aggressive and raw, the sound at times finds Buster leaning into country blues territory, where subtle hints of twang come between traditional blues riffs.
Despite being on stage leading a band or playing solo, Buster is a lifer.
“You just keep trucking at it. The music business is a roller coaster you know, it just goes up and down,” he said. “I just try to make music, and keep making music and keep making new music, and hopefully I can do it forever.”
The second blues train will take place later this summer, happening Aug. 21, 22 and 23.
Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.
