Matchstick Mike

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Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival CBC Galaxie Rising Star ‘06 and Toronto Blues Society’s ‘06 Best New Blues Artist Runner Up, Matchstick Mike Bidlake has developed a sound all his own from the years of searching and honing his craft into a show that can be as quiet as a church mouse one minute, and have the crowd kicking stuff over the next from all the frantic dancing action. Having been compared to a genetic freak meld of Jimmie Vaughn, T-Bone Walker and Muddy Water’s, Mike’s traditional Texas Blues style is infused with insane energy and will leave you with warm memories when you wake up with stale liquor breath and sore dancing feet the morning after a show. “Did I just get hit by a truck?” you will ask …. Nope, just one smoking maritime blues party.Having been playing roots-based music for 30 years, since the age of 7 when his father introduced him to the mandolin, bluegrass and country, along with early rock and roll were staples in the household. Guitar and popular music were soon to follow for several years until the early 90’s when Mike discovered traditional Delta Blues as interpreted by Poor Charlie Robertson. “Having met Charlie and his wife, Beverly was such a wonderful experience …… hearing Charlie connected a few missing dots, stylistically for me. It was those dots that I had been looking for, the ones that gave me chills man !”Matchstick has been working his craft both writing and performing 70 to 100 shows a year of upbeat, dance-inspiring music across Canada and the East Coast. Recently released and critically acclaimed freshman record, “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” is approaching the 2,000 unit sales mark after 14 months of independent marketing and the single, “It’s Alright Now” has received national airplay by several radio stations. Also, a live album recorded by Radio Canada at the ‘06 Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival is about to be released featuring Canadian Blues Legend Joe Murphy on harmonica.Since returning from a Canadian Forces Show Tour which took Matchstick to Afghanistan to play for our UN troops, Mike has had several trips to Southern Ontario building a substantial following. The hi-lite so far of 2007 is a tie between an incredibly warm reception at the Maple Blues Awards in January where Mike wowed the audience with an All-Star band consisting of Jeff Healy’s Jazz Wizzards Bass Player, and Maple Blues lifetime achievement nominee, Terry Wilkins, Maple Blues Drummer of the year nominee, Bob Vespaziani, World renowned Harmonica player, Mark “Bird” Stafford, and Geoff Daye (JW Jones Band) on piano,That could only be matchsed by being asked to open for Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin (Muddy Water’s lead guitar player from 73’-80 ) and then being called to the stage to close the show to house crammed full of crazed blues fans litterally frothing at the mouth by the spectacle.The Show can be seen regionally until June. Then it’s to Southern Ontario for 10 dates from June 10th- - 23rd . Mike then has a cross Canada tour booked starting August 2nd in Halifax and then working west to the Nanaimo Blues Festival for August 25 – 26 and a week at the Blues On Whyte in Edmonton September 3-8. Then back again to play at the the ‘07 version of the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, where Matchstick has already confirmed 5 shows in 3 days!!!Over the years, Matchstick Mike has had the opportunity to open or jam with the likes of “Steady Rollin” Bob Margolin (Muddy Water’s Band), Room Full of Blues, North Mississippi All-Stars, Zack Harmon, Toni-Lynn Washington, Matt Guitar Murphy, Jack Dekeyser, Sam Moon, Joe Murphy, Shirley Jackson, John Campbell-John, Carson Downy, Brant Parkins, Bill Dowey and the Blues Devils, Ronnie Burk and Little Voodoo as well as numerous rock and country acts such as Dr. Hook, Wide Mouth Mason and the Cruzeros.