On March 29, 2008, Hobbit House, Rebolusyon Records, RJ 105.9 FM and The Blue Rats bring you a hefty second serving of the Bluesfest 2008!
"HOTTER TUBES, COLDER SHOTS: THE 2nd HOBBIT HOUSE ROCK AND ROLL AND BLUES FESTIVAL" is another rare interplay of blues, rock and roll and everything else in between only from Manila's most seasoned musicians:
Lady High
ACOUSTIC BLACKOUT JAM (with special guests)
Affinity & Johnny Alegre
Dahon
The Long Johns
The Blue Rats
Lampano Alley
The Jerks
Smorgasband
Show starts promptly at 7:00PM at the new Hobbit House, M.H. del Pilar cor. Arquiza Sts., Malate, Manila. From 8 to 9pm, in support of the WWF's Earth Hour campaign for climate change, all the lights will be shut down and various acoustic performances will be staged by previous and current Bluesfesters. Master of Ceremonies is Howlin' Dave of RJ 105.9FM. Tickets are available at the gate for only P300.00.
Don't dare miss it! See you there! :)
Blind Guitar Legend Jeff Healey Dies AP Posted: 2008-03-03 11:42:33 TORONTO (March 3) - Blind rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey has died after a lifelong battle against cancer. He was 41. Healey died Sunday evening in a Toronto hospital, said bandmate Colin Bray, who was in the room with Healey's family when the guitarist died. The Grammy-nominated Healey rose to stardom as the leader of the Jeff Healey Band, a rock-oriented trio that gained international acclaim and platinum record sales with the 1988 album "See the Light." The album included the hit single "Angel Eyes." Healey had battled cancer since age 1, when a rare form of retinal cancer known as Retinoblastoma claimed his eyesight. Due to his blindness, Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap. His unique playing style, combined with his blues-oriented vocals, earned him a reputation as a teenage musical prodigy. He shared stages with George Harrison, B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Bray said he and many others expected the guitarist to rally from this latest illness.
"I don't think any of us thought this was going to happen," Bray said. "We just thought he was going to bounce back as he always does."
Healey had undergone numerous operations in recent years to remove tumors from his lungs and leg.
Bray and fellow bandmate Gary Scriven remembered their frontman as a musician of rare abilities with a generous nature and wicked sense of humor.
Healey's true love was jazz, the genre that dominated his three most recent albums.
His love of jazz led him to host radio shows in Canada where he spun long-forgotten numbers from his personal collection of over 30,000 vinyl records.
His death came weeks before the release of his first rock album in eight years.
"Mess of Blues" is slated for a North American release on April 22.
He is survived by his wife, Christie, and two children.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
On account of the long weekend we will NOT be playing at the Hobbit House this weekend. Two weeks without my guitar in hand!? I'm depressed already.  Still, there's always the 9th at Sid's (Jupiter street, Makati) and the 10th back at Hobbit. Watch out though for the Bluesfest at Hobbit this coming 17th... Several bands and talents, all blues, all night! 
It's been a couple of months since last we played in this place. It'll be like a homecoming for us! And the next evening we're back at Hobbit... Twice the fun! Take your pick... Hope to see you at either venue, or even at both! 
We'll be at the Hobbit House for almost all SATURDAYS of October starting this coming 13th. Tebs, hope you get to celebrate your birthday with us! See y'all there.
Time to unwind, finally! I can just taste the burbon and coke and smell the smoky atmosphere, lights dimmed to highlight the band onstage, crankin' the blues. The Blue Rats, live at the Hobbit House, tonight. First set starts at ten. 
Geez, what is it about this weather, huh? One night it's raining carp and goldfish, the next it's like summer part two! Sorta like our politicians who can't make up their bloody minds. Thank heaven it's Friday! The Blue Rats live, tonight at the Hobbit House... 1212 M.H. del Pilar cor. Arquiza Streets, Ermita, Manila. 
What is it about a rainy Friday night? Like the prospect of a hot date drawing ever nearer to when we put pens and portable electronic devices away and raise glasses to the hangover to come, one we will look back on fondly behind the protective veil of paracetamol or aspirin. The Blue Rats, this Friday at the Hobbit House, 1212 M.H. del Pilar corner Arquiza street, Ermita.
What is it about a rainy Friday night? Like the prospect of a hot date drawing ever nearer to when we put pens and portable electronic devices away and raise glasses to the hangover to come, one we will look back on fondly behind the protective veil of paracetamol or aspirin. The Blue Rats, tonight at the Hobbit House, 1212 M.H. del Pilar corner Arquiza street, Ermita.
The Rats return to Hobbit once again tomorrow night. Be there or be square!
The Blue Rats, tonight at Mag:net High Street and tomorrow at Hobbit House! Yeah!
Last Friday held a couple of surprises... Grindstone was the alternating band with us and their bass player got held up at another gig, so yours truly did their first set with them. It also helped that I knew at least 50% of their repertoire! Add to that the two sets that I did with the Rats and I had three sets worth of fun that night. This week's a double header... Thursday (August 23) at Mag:net High Street at Bonifacio and Friday (August 24) back at the Hobbit House, this time with Bennii O. guesting on sticks 'n' skins. See you there!
Tonight promises to be a wet one... So why not spend it indoors with good company and good music? The Blue Rats at Hobbit House, tonight, Friday, August 17... See you there!
Thank you all who came to see us last Friday at Hobbit House. We got a fair-sized and appreciative crowd that night... Who could've asked for more? Met an old friend I hadn't seen since the 90s... Ronnie, if you remembered to jot down this website's address, add yourself on and join the club! See you all this coming Friday back at the Hobbit House.
The Blue Rats at Hobbit House, tonight! Thank heaven it's Friday!
Two more nights to go before our return to Hobbit House! Hope to see you guys there in spite of all this rain. What better way to celebrate the blues though, on a rainy Friday night? Bring your friends... The venue's HUGE! Directions
Thanks to all who showed up and stayed at Mag:net Katipunan last night. It was a rocking gig in spite of my little "accident" just before the second set, when I collapsed near the bar just before the second set.  Embarassing!  Thanks to all who helped me out though... The waiters and staff were especially caring and concerned. Thanks also who waited patiently while I screwed my self up tight enough to finish the evening, which ended quite well. See you at Hobbit House next week!
Join us for an intimate night of blues and old-fashioned rock and roll with the Blue Rats at Mag:net Katipunan, just across Miriam/Maryknoll College. Taking six-string duties will be Joey Puyat and Cowboy Santos. See you there!
This coming Friday August 3 we return to Mag:net Katipunan, one of the first venues we played at when we got the band back together after a two year-long hiatus. Intimate and friendly, this place can't be beat for an up close and personal exposure to the musical artists that play there regularly. This coming Friday is our turn! See you there!
After a slightly rocky start, the night ended quite well. People stayed through the whole evening and the band had a whole lot of fun. That second set was a long one, with us making revisions to the song list on the fly! Next gig will be at Mag:Net Katipunan on Friday, August 3. See you there!
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