Timeline
This timeline is meant to be as complete as possible, and will be based on the comings and goings of The Red Devils and Lester Butler and 13. Each item will link back to a source document or Web site, when possible. Others have been verified by nofightin.com or include information commonly found in web searches. This timeline will be a continuing work in progress.
Additions, corrections and amplifications are encouraged in the comments.
1988
Dec. 19: Bill Bateman and Greg “Smokey” Hormel of the Blasters begin the Monday night jam session at the King King at Sixth and LaBrea in Hollywood. The band was called the Blue Shadows, with Dave Alvin and Gene Taylor sometimes sitting in. LINK | LINK
1989
Summer: Bartel brothers and Lester Butler join Blue Shadows. LINK
1990
July 23: Blue Shadows Monday King King gig (Bill Bateman, Dave Alvin, Johnnie Ray Bartel, Dave Lee Bartel, Lester Butler, with guest Gene Taylor) LINK
July 30: Blue Shadows Monday King King gig (Bill Bateman, Dave Alvin, Johnnie Ray Bartel, Dave Lee Bartel, Lester Butler, with guest Gene Taylor) LINK
Autumn: Paul Size replaces Smokey Hormel in Blue Shadows. LINK
1991
Summer & fall: Three live gigs recorded at King King club by Rick Rubin for band’s debut album, “King King” LINK
1992
Monday nights: The Blue Shadows (or Red Devils) continue as house band at the King King. Bruce Willis and others guest. LINK
Feb. 20: The Red Devils open for John Lee Hooker at the Variety Theatre in Los Angeles. LINK
March 6: Red Devils open for the Four Horsemen at the Marquee in Garden Grove, CA. LINK
May 18: Mick Jagger sits in with Red Devils at King King. LINK
May 23: Lightnin’ Hopkins tribute at King King, with Smokey Hormel and Lester Butler. LINK
May 25: Red Devils Monday King King gig. LINK
June 9: Red Devils win Best Blues Band at the Los Angeles Music Awards at The Mardi Gras, Long Beach, CA. LINK
June 17: Rick Rubin calls band, telling them to report to Studio B at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood at 10 a.m. next morning. LINK
June 18: Red Devils session with Mick Jagger (Jagger was in midst of recording “Wandering Spirit” album); the group cut 13 songs in about 13 hours. LINK
July 13: Bruce Willis and The Red Devils perform at Planet Hollywood in New York City. LINK
July 28: “King King” released on Def American. LINK | LINK
Aug. 16: Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (Allmans) LINK
Aug. 18: Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY (Allmans) LINK
Aug. 19: Great Woods, Boston, MA (Allmans) LINK
Aug. 21: Stowe Mountain PAC, Mt. Mansfield, VT (Allmans) LINK
Aug. 23: Coliseum, New Haven, CT (Allmans) LINK
Sept. 1: Classic Amphitheatre, Richmond, VA (Allmans) LINK
Sept. 2: Trask Coliseum, Wilmington, NC (Allmans) LINK
Sept. 4: Paladium @ Carowinds, Charlotte, NC (Allmans) LINK
Sept. 5: Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA (Allmans) LINK
Sept. 6: Spirit Fest, Kansas City, MO (Bob Dylan) LINK
Sept. 8: Yacht Club, Iowa City, IA LINK
Sept. 9: Maintenance Shop, ISU, Ames, IA LINK
Sept. 10: Ranch Bowl, Omaha, NB LINK
Sept. 12: Buffalo Rose, Denver, CO LINK
Sept. 13: Tattoo Club, Aspen, CO LINK
Sept. 14: Boulder Blues Fest (@ McCabe’s), Boulder, CO LINK
Sept. 17: Tree’s, Dallas, TX LINK
Sept. 18: The Coyote Club, Wichita, KS LINK
Sept. 19: River Valley Music Festival, Lawrence, KS LINK
Sept. 20: Starwood Amphitheatre, Charlie Daniels Jam, Nashville, TN LINK
Sept. 21: The Blue Bird, Nashville, TN LINK
Sept. 23: Off Broadway, St. Louis, MO LINK
Sept. 24: The Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN LINK
Sept. 27: Buddy Guy’s Legends, Chicago, IL LINK
Sept. 29: Graffiti’s, Pittsburg, PA (Los Lobos) LINK
Oct. 1: Memorial Hall, Dayton, OH (Los Lobos) LINK
Oct. 3: Empty Glass, Charleston, WV LINK
Oct. 13: Jake’s, Bloomington, IN LINK
Oct. 15: Peabody’s DownUnder in The Flats, Cleveland, OH LINK
Oct. 24: Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa, OK (Los Lobos) LINK
Nov. 6: Carefree Theatre, West Palm Beach, FL (Los Lobos) LINK
Nov. 7: Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, FL (Los Lobos) LINK
Nov. 10: Myskyn’s, Charleston, SC (Los Lobos) LINK
Dec. 1: Becker Amphitheater, Fullerton, CA LINK
Dec. 4: Red Devils record “Morning Becomes Eclectic” for KCRW, San Diego LINK
Dec. 4: Palomino Club, North Hollywood, CA LINK
Dec. 5: Ventura Theater, Ventura, CA (with Texas Tornados and The Convertibles). LINK
Dec. 7: “Morning Becomes Eclectic” featuring The Red Devils, KCRW, San Diego LINK
Dec. 7: Red Devils Monday King King gig. LINK
Dec. 10: The Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA (with the The Texas Tornados and D.D. Wood) LINK | LINK
Dec. 30: Bruce Willis and the Red Devils (joined by John Oates) at the China Club in Aspen, CO. LINK
1993
Feb. 15: Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN (John Campbell) LINK
Feb. 19: Martini’s, Grand Rapids, MI (John Campbell) LINK
Feb. 20: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON (John Campbell) LINK
Late March: London Borderline gig. Mick Jagger watches from audience. A few nights later, Devils play Roberto’s in Chelsea. Jagger joins in then. LINK
April 1: Jagger jams with The Red Devils at Roberto’s London, performing “Checkin’ Up On My Baby” and “Who Do You Love” LINK
May 1: Red Devils perform live at the Moulin Blues Festival, Ospel, The Netherlands. LINK
May 3: Red Devils perform live on “2 Meter Sessies,” Bullet Sound Studios in the Netherlands. LINK
May 31: Pinkpop Festival
June 14: Red Devils play last gig at King King club. Smokey Hormel sits in. LINK
July 2: Mississippi Blues Fest at Le Claire Park, Davenport, Iowa LINK
July 9: Red Devils, two performances at Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (Scène Labatt Blues and Spectrum de Montréal) LINK
July 10: Red Devils, two performances at Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (Scène Labatt Blues and Spectrum de Montréal) LINK
July 16-18: Red Devils at Phoenix Festival at Long Marston Airfield (Stratford-Upon-Avon). Unclear what day band performed. LINK
Summer: Paul Size quits band, goes back to Texas. Band plays series of festivals in Europe. LINK
Aug. 27: The Red Devils are the house band at the “Ciao Def” party for American Recordings dropping “Def” from its name, at Shatto 39 Lanes in Los Angeles. LINK
Sept. 3: Red Devils (with Smokey Hormel replacing Paul Size) record with Johnny Cash at Ocean Way studios in Los Angeles. Immediately following the Cash sessions, the band recorded what would have been their sophomore album. “Blackwater Roll,” “She’s Dynamite” and “Louisiana Blues” were all tackled with guitarist Zach Zunis; it is assumed that this is the version of “Blackwater Roll” appearing on the 1994 EP of the same name. Author Dan Leroy also notes this was the last time the band would record with Lester Butler. LINK
Nov. 17: Red Devils at Dutch VPRO radio 3 program: De Stompin’ Velden. LINK
Dec. 31: The Red Devils, New Year’s Eve at Jack’s Sugar Shack, Los Angeles, Calif. LINK
1994
May 6: The Viper Room, Los Angeles LINK
May 21: At the House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA, with The Blazers and C.C. Adcock. LINK
July 16: Red Devils at Phoenix Festival at Long Marston Airfield (Stratford-Upon-Avon). LINK
Sept. 3: Bluesrock Tegelen festival (Lonnie Mack, etc.) LINK
Oct. 15: @ Jack’s Sugar Shack’s last show, with Thelonious Monster, Sister Double Happiness and more, Los Angeles, CA. LINK
1995
March 24: “Lester Butler & the Devils” open for The Blasters at the House of Blues in L.A. Bruce Springsteen is in attendance. LINK | LINK
April 23: BeachFest in Long Beach, CA. The Blues Meisters: Phil Alvin, Top Jimmy, Lester Butler, James Intveld, Rick Vito and other L.A. roots musicians. LINK
June 31: Lester Butler and the Devils perform at the Blue Cafe in Long Beach, CA. LINK
Nov. 22: Lester Butler, Guy Forsyth and the Radio Kings perform a Tribute to Little Walter at the Paradiso in Amsterdam LINK
Dec. 31: Red Devils play New Year’s Eve at Bar Deluxe, Los Angeles. LINK | LINK
1996
Aug. 21: The Blue Shadows, “formerly the Red Devils. Lester Butler on lead vocals and harmonica, Bill Bateman on drums, John Bazz on bass, plus special guests.” According to the link, the post-Devil Blue Shadows performed each Wednesday at the The Ashgrove, Santa Monica, Calif. LINK
Aug. 28: The Blue Shadows, the The Ashgrove, Santa Monica, Calif. LINK
Dec. 28: House of Blues, Hollywood, CA. 10th Annual Little Walter Tribute featuring: Billy Boy Arnold, Lester Butler, King Ernest, Snooky Pryor, Kim Wilson, Rusty Zinn and more. LINK | LINK
1997
March 18: “13 featuring Lester Butler” released. LINK
April 10: 13 record release party at Bar Deluxe in Hollywood LINK
June 6: 13 at Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ LINK
June 23: 13 in the Braskoer on Terschelling LINK
June 24: 13 in Rotown in Rotterdam LINK
July 15: 13 at the Continental Club, Austin, TX LINK
July 22: 13 (guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, drummer Eddie Clarke and bassist Mike Hightower) at Lynagh’s, Lexington, KY
July 23: 13 (guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, drummer Eddie Clarke and bassist Mike Hightower) at the Wild Beet, Bloomington, IN
July 26: 13 (guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, drummer Eddie Clarke and bassist Mike Hightower) at Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN LINK
July 27: 13 (guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, drummer Eddie Clarke and bassist Mike Hightower) at Grand Emporium, Kansas City, MO LINK
July 31: 13 (guitarist Enrico Crivellaro, drummer Eddie Clarke and bassist Mike Hightower) at Brendan’s, Denver, CO LINK
Aug. 8: 13 (listed as guitarist Alex Schultz, drummer James Intveld and bassist Mark Goldberg) at Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ LINK
Aug. 9: 13 (listed as guitarist Alex Schultz, drummer James Intveld and bassist Mark Goldberg) at Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ LINK
Sept. 7: 13, Boogie Boy, Guy Forsyth, Sy Klopps and The Seatsniffers perform at a blues-rock festival in Tegelen, Limburg, the Netherlands. LINK
Sept. 9: 13 at Tivoli, Utrecht, The Netherlands. LINK
Sept. 10: 13 at Nighttown, Rotterdam, Holland LINK
Sept. 11: 13 featuring Lester Butler Decision Dutch tour at the Lantern in Hellendoorn, the Netherlands LINK
Nov. 22: 13 at Crossing Border festival, Den Haag, Netherlands FESTIVAL | STORY | DATE CONFIRM
1998
Jan. 29: 13, Doornroosje, Nijmegen, Holland LINK
Feb. 14: 13 (listed as guitarist Alex Schultz, drummer James Intveld and bassist Mark Goldberg) at Smokin’ Johnnies, Studio City, CA. LINK
March 3: Lester Butler, Eddie Clark, Chris Masterson and unknown bass rehearse “Business in the Streets” at Yo studios, Los Angeles. LINK
March 27: 13 at Blue Cafe, Long Beach, CA LINK
March 28: 13 at 7th South Blues Festival, Tamines, Sambreville, Belgium LINK
April 4: 13 at the Rhythm Room, Tempe, Arizona LINK
May 1: 13 feat. Lester Butler, Louvain-la-neuve, Belgium LINK
May 2: 13 at Moulin Blues Festival, Ospel, The Netherlands. This is Butler’s last concert; a DVD of the show is available. LINK
May 3: Nofightin.com reader Jeroen notes that Lester Butler sat in with the Paladins at a concert in de Effenaar in Eindhoven, NL; this gig has not been confirmed by nofightin.com. LINK
May 9: Lester Butler dies at age 38. LINK
January 8, 2010 at 9:15 am
September 9, 1997: 13 at Tivoli, Utrecht, The Netherlands
It was a great show!
February 18, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Went to the Feb 15,’93 show at the Cabooze in Minneapolis. John Campbell was unable to perform that night,but the Devils put on an amazing show,one of the best I’ve ever seen at this venue.
February 18, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Thanks for the info, mahogma. Anything other details you remember about that show, let us know — we’d love to hear about it!