It was blues night with a late announced show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge from Atlanta born, Toronto based Delta bluesman Doc MacLean, Dec. 1, who drew a good sized 
crowd, many of them stopping by after Lethbridge Fashion week at the SAAG.
I only caught his second set however MacLean was in fine form, playing spooky acoustic guitar on his open G tuned National Steel guitar as he told stories and sang songs in his inimitable southern drawl, alternating between speaking and singing the lyrics.
He told stories about traveling around the south as a wandering musician and some of the characters he met along the way including a paroled convict who sang his way out of prison and promised to teach MacLean how to play guitar in exchange for “helping” him with a variety of crazy jobs including treating dogs for mange.
MacLean wasn’t perturbed in the least by all of the chattering in the background, though most of them applauded loudly after each song. He alternated between ominous delta blues on his National Steel and more sprightly numbers he picked on on a battered acoustic guitar.
He talked about being commissioned to write a song about addiction for NPR, and about how they ended up not wanting the song after it was completed, though they paid him anyway. He played the song called “Pile of Pain,” which was a highlight of the set as well as “Angola Prison Rodeo,” which is always a highlight.
He ended his show by talking about Charlie Patton, one of the first bluesman recorded playing slide guitar and sang a more gospel flavoured number called “Goodbye,” during which he stood up and conducted the crowd through singing the chorus. They clapped and sang Hallelujah with him.
