The rumors are true! There's a hot new nightspot on the eastside of town. Located in a converted, historic former bowling alley, the all new Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill boasts a full menu of music, food and fun. Since opening just two months ago, this out of the way bistro is already attracting an enthusiastic clientele.

The structure's large size and easy going atmosphere are it's prime assets. Covering over 12,000 square feet, some call this the largest venue of it's kind in the area. A definite '50s feel pervades the room, making the mixture of sports bar and musical showcase really work. Once the home of Eastside Bowl, the West Coast's first automated alley, the recently renovated Locker Room blends the natural attributes into a classic retro look. The perimeter of the layout features pool tables, darts, arcade games and 15 video monitors to follow sports action of all kinds.

Four nights a week, the expansive stage in back becomes the focal point. Wednesdays are host to open jam session where almost anything goes. Thursday through Saturday evenings, local bands rock the house with a blues based sound. One of the bands is area blues powerhouse Tommie Joe & the Blues Crew. This five-piece unit, together for less than a year, is already earning the respect of its listeners.

Led by bass player Tommie Joe Lister, the band is comprised of "a likeable, fun bunch of guys." These down-to-earth dudes are all "married with children" and proud of it! Each of them holds down a more conventional job by day, and plays the blues by night. "We all have the same outlook on life and all have been involved with music for years" states Lister. This native Oregonian attributes this natural personal "chemistry" for the success of their band.

Joining Lister is a crack group of self-confessed blues junkies. Ken "Uncle Buzz" Johnson rounds out the rhythm section and contributes to the vocals. Harp dog Art Viloria blows mean and clean, then shifts over to add guitar and voice. The group's main six-string strummer is Rich Bean, another of the singers in the band. Leon Holder adds another layer to the Crew's sound with his keyboard and vocal skills. Each of them has traveled the professional circuit and each brings his own special "flavor" to the group's musical blend.

The band's songlist reads like a roll-call history of the urban blues scene. Tunes by the masters ranging from B.B. King to Albert Collins, to Buddy Guy and beyond are represented. More contemporary artists including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lil' Charlie and the Night Cats and Kenny Wayne Shepard also have selected cuts in the musical bill of fare. The Blues Crew also squeezes in a few original compositions that capture the classic blues feeling. Future plans include the recording and release of a full length CD project that highlights some of these self-penned works.