The Apollo Bar is located at 239 Red River Rd. in the downtown district of Thunder Bay. For info or bookings, please call me(Sheila)at 807.767.8561 or by email at www.myspace.com/apollobar or on Facebook(The Apollo Bar)or at
[email protected] highlights in my musical journey were: I won a 45 record of my choice when I was eight and picked Black Dog/Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin. Listened to Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" while my cousin taught me the "Acid Dance". John Lennon's "Imagine" was one of my favorite songs. I saw Lighthouse(featuring the late, great Bob McBride on vocals)play live at the Fort William Gardens when I was nine. Recorded my girlfriend Lori and myself singing along to "Stuck In The Middle with You" by Stealer's Wheel. Saw Rush during their Fly By Night Tour(Max Webster opened). Saw Led Zeppelin at the St. Paul Civic Center April 13th, 1977(I was fifteen). Hung out at Dante's(a disco/restaurant in Arthur Square), Feathers(in the Nor Shore Hotel)and Dick Turpin's Room(in the Red Oak Inn)during the heydays of disco(where I first got turned on to Prince's music). Was always a huge Blondie and Cars fan as well as Rickie Lee Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, Stray Cats, Bruce Springsteen(mostly the "Born to Run" album and "Darkness on the Edge of Town").
Went to Uncle Sam's(later, First Avenue)and Scotty's on Seventh during disco's waning and saw The Village people in concert(1979)in Minneapolis.
Met Ray Charles in an airport in Athens, Greece in 1980 and got to see him play live at an outdoor theatre. First heard Bob Marley's "Jammin'" at a sea-side hotel/bar outside of Athen's as well as The Police.
During the eighties saw lots of live bands perform at The Inntowner in Thunder Bay(Jane Siberry, The Villains, The Deserters, The Pumps, Steve Blimkie and the Reason(featuring Derek Grehen III who was later the guitarist for Honeymoon Suite), The Deadbeat Honeymooners and at The Expressway Lounge in The Landmark Inn(The Pumps, The Payolas, The Lincolns, Dan Hill and lots more whose names I can't recall right now). Then I saw The Doobie Brothers(with Michael McDonald)circa 1981, Prince(with Sheila E)for The Purple Rain Tour in 1984 in Minneapolis.
In the nineties I got turned on to The Black Crowes and saw them play(New York City, Minneapolis, Buffalo, NY where they opened for ZZ Top) and saw them in Mississauga at a club called Superstars with Helix as opener during 1991-92. Saw Bob Dylan play a forgettable show at the Fort William Gardens He was inaudible(though few would admit it). Saw Sugar Blue, The Willie "Big Eyes" Smith Trio, Ellen McIlwaine and others at the old Office Bar in Arthur Square in Thunder Bay.
Went many times to the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, Minnesota where I got to watch and meet John Hammond Jr., Charlie Musselwhite, The Kinsey Report and Kid Jonny Lang. Also saw Ike Turner, Marcia Ball and the Fabulous Thunderbirds perform as well as many other blues acts.
I also met and hung out in New York city with Franco Cirulli(a musical friend/philosophy student/avatar from Italy), actor Craig Colfelt(Philadelphia)and Franc(a keyboard player/mathematician from France)in 1994. Craig and I went to the Blue Note and Manny's Car Wash(blues club). Franc brought me out to the The Blue Note and the Times Cafe in Union Square to see Betty Carter(God bless her, she sent chills down my spine), Milt Jackson, Jackie Byard and Lionel Hampton perform.
Saw Bob Dylan in an outdoor concert(with Charlie Sexton in the band)in Duluth around 1997 with my partner, Jeff. Paul Simon was the opener. Mr. Dylan played a fantastic show. He was audible, funny and friendly with the crowd.
Music is soul food and that's why I feel it's important to facilitate as much as I can for musicians to play at our club and give people the opportunity to watch good musicians play live. Peace, live long and prosper. Godspeed. Cheers!
