Artists to summon the spirit of summer

Ray Fogg, one of three artists set to perform tomorrow, mixes music and comedy.

Spring is still around the corner but the spirit of summer and the party atmosphere of Put-in-Bay arrive tomorrow when the 6th Annual Put-in-Palooza comes to Nick's Roadhouse in Port Clinton.

All three artists scheduled to perform are favorite attractions for summer boaters and barflies who visit the South Bass Island town of Put-in-Bay.

Mike "Mad Dog" Adams, who will celebrate his 26th year at the island's Round House Bar, recently released his third CD, "Lake Affect" (the grammatical error is intentional, he adds). The disc features 12 original songs tunes including "Who Needs Margaritaville (We Got Put-in-Bay)," "Sundown Friday Evening," and "You're a Bit Crazy, Too."

Bob Gatewood, another Round House regular, started out as a singer-songwriter and solo artist in the early 1980s, later deciding to add a full band, Calabash, whose lineup features Keith Wiley on bass and keyboards, Wes McCraw on guitar, and Chad Szeliga on drums and bass. The group recently released its second disc, "Finally Home."

Ray Fogg's mix of music and comedy, sometimes a bit on the rowdy or raunchy side, includes such crowd-pleasing favorites as "Big Fat Pig," "Aunt Bea," and "Everyone's a 10 at 2:00."

He started out playing the college circuit in the 1980s and, inspired by the showmanship and popularity of Great Lakes singer Pat Dailey, decided to focus on the Lake Erie island scene.

The 6th Annual Put-in-Palooza will be held at Nick's Roadhouse, 124 Buckeye Blvd., Port Clinton, tomorrow night. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 9. Tickets are $17 in advance from 1-800-743-6014 or online at www.nicksroadhouse.com.