Known affectionately as Billtown, Williamsport, Pennsylvania is the birthplace of Little League Baseball and home to the annual Little League World Series. And while some of the young ballplayers certainly experience agony-of-defeat moments in the big games, the blues of another Williamsport native is purely of the musical variety.
Billtown’s Gabe Stillman is a young Blues guitarist who is starting to garner attention on a national (and international) scale. Formed just four years ago after Stillman graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, The Gabe Stillman Band (originally as Gabe Stillman & The Billtown Giants) began performing its R&B/Jazz/Funk-influenced Blues around the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania, earning a reputation as a solid live act on the club and festival circuit, which helped the group score some choice opening gigs, including a date with Blues Rock heroes George Thorogood & The Destroyers.
At the start of this year, Stillman’s reputation as an ace player was showcased on a bigger stage when the group traveled to Memphis to participate in the 2019 International Blues Challenge. The band placed in the top eight (out of more than 100 acts from around the world), making the finals of the esteemed competition, while Stillman was singled out for his playing, winning the Gibson Guitar Award. The band — rounded out by bassist Colin Beatty and drummer Jesse Roedts — has been capitalizing on its IBC success this year, hitting the road for summertime dates throughout the South and Midwest.
Stillman and Co.’s Greater Cincinnati show this weekend is part of the Summer Blues, Brews & BBQ concert at the Southgate House Revival. The Sunday, July 7 event begins at 4 p.m. with 11-year-old Dayton-based Blues guitar prodigy Moses Mabarak, playing with his backing band, the Commandments. The Ben Levin Band plays at 5 p.m. with guitar wiz Noah Wotherspoon and legendary King Records session drummer Philip Paul. Stillman plays at 6:30 p.m.
Visit southgatehouse.com for tickets/more info.
