Danny McAuliffe
The Bradfordville Blues Club suffered extensive damage on Tuesday when a large oak tree fell onto its roof, forcing the locale to cancel “upcoming shows for the foreseeable future.”
Owners Gary and Kim Anton issued a statement on Facebook Tuesday afternoon following the incident. “The club is in bad shape and will need extensive repairs,” they wrote. “Until then, we regrettably must cancel all upcoming shows for the foreseeable future.”
Information will soon be available on how to obtain refunds on advance ticket purchases, according to the Antons. Before news of the fallen tree, the Facebook page had advertised The Joe “Survival” Caruoso Experience With Bootsy, a June 1 show.
The news comes as the weakening Subtropical Storm Alberto moves through the Southeast.
Anton told the Tallahassee Democrat: “We have insurance on the contents but the owners have the building. Right now, we have to call the owners.”
The treasured capital city locale is rural, “surrounded by fields of tall stalks of corn and old majestic oak trees dripping with moss,” according to the Blues Club’s website. Located at 7152 Moses Lane in Tallahassee, online directions to the club state: “Just follow the tiki torches down the dirt roads till you reach the juke joint under the stars.”
Formerly known as Dave’s C.C. Club, the Tallahassee Democrat reports the Blues Club changed hands when its previous owners moved to the Carolinas. The current structure was built in 1964 and, reports the Democrat, “legend has it such giants as Ray Charles, B.B. King and Chuck Berry played shows under its modest roof.”
Also reported by the Democrat, Grammy-award winning artist Bobby Rush once said: “That place (the BBC) is like home to me. I just do what I want to do when I get there because I feel at home there.”
