Talkin’ Blues is a monthly Live Blues Talk Show-Event hosted by Germany’s legendary blues musician Richard Bargel and American journalist Vincent Abbate. The show takes place at the Urania Theatre in Cologne. Fabio Nettekoven, one of Germany’s finest guitar players, leads the three-piece houseband which occasionally accompanies the headlining act during his or her performance.
Talkin’ Blues has found partners named Kölner Illustrierte Magazin, Rocks Magazin, Stereo Magazin and Who Is Blues, the blog created by co-moderator Vincent Abbate.
Talkin’ Blues ranks as one of the most successful regular events in the greater Cologne area and has become an attractive venue for agencies, record labels and musicians when planning tours.
History:
On October 6, 1992, the first Talkin’ Blues Show got underway. Founded by German blues artists Richard Bargel and Christian Rannenberg, Bargel has been organizing and hosting the show ever since. The last Talkin’ Blues took place after 291 shows on November 28, 2000. In 2018, after a break of 17 years, the show was revived by Bargel at the Urania Theatre, of which he was the director until Summer 2020.
Talkin’ Blues is a non-profit event; the idea is to promote the blues in all its shapes and colors under the motto “Keepin’ The Blues Alive.” Over the years, Talkin’ Blues has become a successful, even legendary event which draws fans from all over Cologne and the surrounding region. Local, national and international blues artists come and play and talk about themselves and their careers in a talk show-style interview onstage.
The list of internationally-known blues acts who’ve appeared includes:
Luther Allison, Charlie Musselwhite, Phil Upchurch, Johnny Copeland, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Calvin Owens, Angela Brown, Johnny Heartsman, Big Jay McNeely, Larry Garner, Dave Hole, Mighty Sam McClain, Tom Principato, Ana Popovic, Chris Thomas King, Paul Lamb & The King Snakes, Nine Below Zero, Big Joe Turner, James Hunter, Guitar Crusher, Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon, Aron Burton, Robert “Wolfman” Belfor, Micheal Roach, Sydney Ellis, Mike Morgan, Dave Specter, Omar D***s, Eddy C. Campbell – to name but a few.