I decided not to attend the barman’s open mic at the Cabaret Culture Rapide since I had played in the blues jam at the same venue on Thursday night. Instead, I accepted with myself to go out naked into the night – that is to say, without my guitar on my back – and to visit the Bus Palladium to see the band, Blue Shade and the Magical Smile, better known now as BSMS.
I did not regret it. This is a very interesting French band that has been around since 2004 and mixes blues and rock and psychedelia. Sometimes it sounds as basic as Ten Years After, sometimes it sounds like Frank Zappa and sometimes, sure, why not, like Jimi Hendrix. Above all, live, it grooves and moves and the musicians have some charisma, stage presence and coolness – in bred. That was never more visible than after they appeared after a warm-up band that had none of those qualities – gee, what was the name of that band? Doesn’t matter.
Check out the bits ‘n pieces of BSMS: