By Cristal Steuer

“The idea is to provide culture and diversity in a well-known and respected music venue like Mechanics Hall to the folks in the area who love the blues.” ~ Amy Wiechmann, production coordinator of Blues Worcester.

If you are looking for a nice night out on the town, great music, and great food, look no further than Blues Worcester, the new blues club in Mechanics Hall. “I personally love the blues, love the blues crowd, and thought it would do really well because of the diversity it would bring to Mechanics Hall,” says Wiechmann. “I considered many venues in the area and decided that Mechanics Hall was a really classy place to hear live music and when I saw Washburn Hall, I knew it was the right place. “

Washburn Hall is upstairs in Mechanics Hall; a red carpet leads up to the club, which holds several hundred people. At each show, in addition to enjoying stellar blues performances, patrons can feast on all-you-can-eat BBQ dinners catered by Great Brook Farms in Bolton, MA. There is also a full cash bar serving up the likes of martinis and gimlets. And in case you’re moved to…move to the sultry blues, there is also a great big dance floor.

“The shows are on Sundays and they are early, so people who have to work the next day can come out, see a great show, dance, eat and enjoy themselves…and still be home at a reasonable hour,” explains Wiechmann.

The stage has been graced by Worcester blues band The Delta Generators (who were one of the top 10 finalists in the 2009 International Blues Challenge and were named the “Best Blues Band 2008” by the Boston Blues Society), by the Boston-based Chris Fitz Band (who has received over a dozen music awards including a 2002 Boston Music Award and 2005 Boston Blues Challenge Winners Award), and also by Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson, who served his apprenticeship with Muddy Waters and Magic Sam.

“I have had five shows so far, and the response has been fantastic! The people who come to the shows always leave smiling,” shares Wiechmann. “A lot of the people who came to the first show have come to all of the shows because they have such a great time and enjoyed the music and the venue immensely.”

So what’s the dress code at Blues Worcester? “Although the venue is very classy, the dress is anything from casual to all dressed up. Blue jeans and a T-shirt are just as acceptable as…really…dressing up that night,” says Wiechmann. “The focus is much more on the music, the dancing and the venue experience more than how people look and are dressed.”

Wiechmann says Blues Worcester was inspired by the desire to have a beautiful, safe and fun venue for the community to hear some of the greatest blues musicians in the area. She hopes to add national acts to the bill as well.

All tickets can be purchased in advance at either the Mechanics Hall Box office (www.mechanicshall.org) or at www.bluesworcester.com.