BORN the son of a New York sweet shop owner, Popa Chubby mixes up the blues with funk, pop and hip hop.

The big man with big riffs hit the blues scene in the early 90s and although he uses his music to comment on serious subjects like the Iraq war, he also keeps to the lighter side of life.

Album releases including How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?, The Good, the Bad and the Chubby and a set of Jimi Hendrix covers, called Electric Chubbyland, helped establish Popa as a top performer.

Classic Rock Magazine said: "He's scorching, soulful and if you find modern blues is all a little pofaced, take a special delivery from the big man himself."

Listings

Thursday May 15Open Acoustic Night - The Longlands, Stourbridge.

Jam Night - The Moorings Tavern, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Open Night - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

Roge David - The Little Chop House, Colley Gate.

Comedy with Dave Dinsdale - The Holly Bush, Cradley Heath.

Profane plus Speed Theory - Civic Bar, Wolverhampton.

Red Light Company - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

The Bierkeller Men - The Thorns Inn, Quarry Bank.

Skindred - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

Pale - JB's, Dudley.

Mystery Jets - Barfly, Birmingham.

Nikki Rouse - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Brew feat. Dan Hartland, Mellow Peaches, Mezzotonic plus Nick Williams - Cellar Bar, Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

The Really Hot Chilli Peppers plus Green Date - Robin 2, Bilston.

Sonic Sound System, The Neat, Chasing Butterflies plus Feverdogg - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Friday May 16

The Dark Blue Boogaloo feat. Inertia Blooms plus Pre Sleep Monologue- Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Open Night with Brian Clee - Eagle and Spur, Cookley.

Rhythm Beat 30+ - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

Showdown City, Maycomb, Fast Reaction plus The Singles Club - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

The Firing Irons, The Madcaps, Death 05 plus The Meaning 8.30 - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Sonic Boom Six, Big D and The Kids Table plus Random Hand - Carling Academy, Birmingham.

Coldplated - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

We Must Eat Our Lollipops With The Wrappers On - Repertory Theatre, Birmingham.

Mark Knopfler - NEC Arena, Birmingham.

Maet Loaf and The Never Neverland Express - JB's, Dudley.

Caribou - Barfly, Birmingham.

Ollie Hughes - Arizona Crossing, Kingswinford.

Nine Below Zero plus The Sarah Warren Band - Robin 2, Bilston.

Black Country Rock - Queen's Head, Wordsley.

Shy plus Rockstar - The Asylum, Birmingham.

Definitely Might Be - B3 Bar, Birmingham.

Fred Zeppelin - Schofields, Birmingham.

Saturday May 17

Little Man Tate - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Godsize - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

All Time Low plus Cobra Starship - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

Big Ice Gem, Your First Semester, Tearaway Tokyo plus 4 Star Treatment - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

The Substitute Who - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

2Xtreme - Labour Club, Quarry Bank.

We Must Eat Our Lollipops With The Wrappers On - Repertory Theatre, Birmingham.

Darden Smith - The Lamp Tavern, Dudley.

Black N Blue, Bonfire, Britny Fox, Von Groove, Snow, Stormzone plus Red Line - The Asylum, Birmingham.

The Antique Six with Jeff Barnhart - Waterworks Jazz club, Birmingham.

Andre Bassing - The King's Head, Birmingham.

Harlem Globetrotters - NIA, Birmingham.

Here and Now - NEC Arena, Birmingham.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Barfly, Birmingham.

Big Boot Band - Barfly, Birmingham.

Chris Eaton - St Mary's Church, Kingswinford.

Bootleg Abba plus Ballroom Glitz - Robin 2, Bilston.

Sunday May 18

Relight Your Fire 30+ - Labour Club, Colley Gate.

Smarty's 30+ - The Kingfisher, Wall Heath.

Original Music Extravaganza - Holly Bush, Cradley Heath.

Silver Creek Country Band - Nag's Head, Wordsley.

Open Acoustic Night - The Longlands Tavern, Stourbridge.

Melanie - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

Alison Louise - Labour Club, Quarry Bank.

Paul Beadle - Katie Ftizgerald's, Stourbridge.

Tiptitina - Bar Risa, Birmingham.

Monday May 19

Open Mic Night - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Band Showcase Night - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

Guillemots - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Palladium - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Four Year Strong, Meg and Dia, Mayday Parade plus The Colour Fred - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

Popa Chubby plus Jay Tamkin and The Crackers Blues Band - Robin 2, Bilston.

Tuesday May 20

Folk Night - The Plough Inn, Wollaston.

Open Acoustic - The Windmill, Lye.

Open Mic Night - The Britannia Inn, Wollaston.

The Rushes - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

Clocks plus The Hosts - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Delays - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

The Quireboys with Dan Baird and Homemade Sin plus Diamond Dogs - JB's, Dudley.

Andy McKee - Robin 2, Bilston.

Wednesday May 21

Move to The Rhythm, Dance to The Beat 30+ Event - The Whittington Inn, Kinver.

Jam Night - The Maverick, Amblecote.

Noise Pollution - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

Open Mic Night with Simon and Lee from Voodoo - The Church Tavern, Quarry Bank.

Spiers and Boden - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

Today Is The Day, Jucifer plus Complete Failure - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Story of The Year - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

The Trevor Burton Band plus Lyck - Actress and Bishop, Birmingham.

Comedy Night feat. Wil Hodgson plus Jeff Innocent - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Terry Reid and His Band - Robin 2, Bilston.

Thursday May 22

Open Acoustic Night - The Longlands, Stourbridge.

Jam Night - The Moorings Tavern, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Open Night - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

Roge David - The Little Chop House, Colley Gate.

Comedy with Dave Dinsdale - The Holly Bush, Cradley Heath.

Voodoo - The Thorns Inn, Quarry Bank.

Sarabeth Tucek, Jacob Golden, Chris Mathews plus Paper Thoughts - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

Westlife - NEC Arena, Birmingham.

Oxzide - JB's, Dudley.

Terry Clarke - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Brew feat. Ian Cole, Bruno Gallone, Andrew Buckley, Abbot of Unreason plus Matt Woosey's Rain - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

The Muffin Men feat. Jimmy Carl Black - Robin 2, Bilston.

Friday May 23

The Dark Blue Boogaloo feat. Miss Halliwell - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Acoustic Open Night with Brian Clee - Eagle and Spur, Cookley.

Rhythm Beat 30+ - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

New York Alcoholic Anxiety Attack, Paradoxic, Scarlet Fear plus Diamond Lil - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

Does It Offend You Yeah - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham.

Bi-Polar Baby, The Vehicles, Regis plus Nine Dart Finish - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

The Holloways DJ set - Carling Academy, Birmingham.

Free At Last - B3 Bar, Birmingham.

The Antarctic Monkeys - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

Tara Chinn - The King's Head, Birmingham.

Girls Aloud - NIA, Birmingham.

State Radio, Beat Union plus Walk.Don't.Walk - Barfly, Birmingham.

NC Big Band - Royal British Legion, Lower Gornal.

The Bon Jovi Experience plus Madison - Robin 2, Bilston.

Saturday May 24

Azriel, Nochaa, A Clear Conscience plus Bloodshed Betrayal - Civic Bar, Wolverhampton, 6.30pm start.

Telegramme, Chris Wallbank and The Cowards plus Jimm Zombie - Little Civic, Wolverhampton.

Malakai - Bar Academy, Birmingham.

Queen on Fire - Rock Cafe 2000, Stourbridge.

Tia - Labour Club, Quarry Bank.

Shayne Ward - NEC Arena, Birmingham.

Bohemians - JB's, Dudley.

Science Vs Romance - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

The Cavern Beatles - Robin 2, Bilston.

Catch Popa Chubby at The Robin 2, Bilston, on Monday May 19.