What better way to celebrate four years of business, being vote the city’s #1 live music venue by www.citysearch.coim and ranking fifth amongst Pollstar’s list of the 10 best selling venues in America than by throwing a huge party with the club owner taking the stage?

You know by now I am only talking about NYC’s own B.B.King’s Blues Club which will see its icon namesake and some very special guests kill eh stage on both Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20 as part of the club’s Fourth Anniversary blow-out.

As part of our service to you so that you can hear it first here, do what you can to make it down on the evening of the 19th, as that will be the night that frat-boy guitar strummer John Mayer will come through to pay his respects.

That’s right, and while I may not be a huge fan of Mayer’s own work, I will acknowledge that when he jams with others, such as Roots drummer ?uestlove, he more than holds his own, which tells me that a jam with him and B.B. King could be one worth seeing.

In addition to Mayer, both nights will feature a rare set of openers that reflect the true state of the blues, both of the past and of the present. The oh-so-soulful Citizen Cope will join both John Lee Hooker Jr. and Henry Butler for set that should blaze a serious trail.

Cope, whose sound is rooted in strumming acoustic blues, is definitly the one wildcard in the bunch. Beyond being a seasoned stage performer who is also playing some heralding shows both before and after these dates in the area, he’s a masterful songwriter who adds plenty of bottom-end thump to his recordings.

Where he will record next is anyone’s’ guess, as last I heard he was caught up in the drama that ensued with the now defunct Arista Records. Hopefully, he will get some stage time with the master, as that could provide some electrifying moments as well.

As for John Lee Hooker Jr., well, he’s not just some retread of his highly respected father. True, he does the blues but he is not limited by that. His work is a cornucopia of jazz, blues, funk and performance improv that sets him apart from the rest of the blues pack. His name does open some doors in the minds of many, but it’s his powerful style that keeps them there and on this night, he will do more than turn up the heat.

Celebrations come and celebrations go but ones that merge the old and the young are hard to come by. These are going to be some serious nights.