Kind of blue and BBQ too

The smell of a good old, down-home barbecue wafted through the air as people danced to the sounds of rhythm and blues that jolted the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa Saturday at the kickoff of the Blues & BBQ Saturday night concert series.

Each summer, Pete’s Sunset Grille, located in the resort, hosts a concert series for Surf City locals and guests alike.

“We’re not trying to create a hotel event, we’re trying to create a community event,” said David Coonan, executive assistant manager of food and beverages at the resort. “That’s really what Pete’s is about ? community, family friendly dining.”

On Saturday, the buxom redhead Deanna Savage led the rhythm and blues band Savage City from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. onstage outside the restaurant. Horns blared and guitars riffed as Savage wailed songs like The Commodores’ “Brick House” and Wynonie Harris’ “Bloodshot Eyes.”

Trumpet player Dean Wing was met with an explosion of applause from the audience after he treated them to an impromptu scat session.

“Savage City is one of the best blues bands in Orange County,” said Huntington Beach resident Dean Bookspan, who was hanging out and dancing in the courtyard outside the restaurant. “Savage City rocks.”

Each Saturday a new blues band will grace the stage, although the hotel may try and book Savage City again. Next week, Reno Jones will get onstage and play their version of the blues.

“We were looking for family friendly music; we were looking for a lot of energy,” Coonan said. “We were just looking for bands who have a little bit of a following to really connect with the community.”

Many of the bands had played at the Hyatt previously, like Savage City, and when Coonan or his colleagues thought one was great, they made a note and invited them back.

“Everything I remember about them is just great music and great blues music,” he said.

The barbecue buffet had the works ? barbecue chicken, beef brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw, potato and macaroni salad, baked beans, cornbread, lemon merengue and Oreo cookie pie, and barbecued corn on the cob.

“It’s really like a Southern picnic,” said Toni Purry, a spokeswoman for the Hyatt.

All year, the hotel staff was brainstorming to come up with a new theme to liven up the event, which had a Hawaiian luau motif for the past three years. Last year, the series was more exclusive, with patio seating only and advanced ticket purchase required.

This year, the resort wanted to make it more inclusive and opened the whole restaurant to the buffet, as well as the courtyard area around the stage.

“It was just time to change it,” Coonan said. “[Saturday] was everything we hoped for. The patio was sold out outside before we even opened up the doors.”

People not indulging in the buffet were still invited to sit on the patio, in the restaurant or hang out in the courtyard to listen to the band jam, but many chose to get up and dance as the night wore on.

“It was fun; it was good times,” said Houston resident Michael Massey, who grew up in Fountain Valley. “It brought back a lot of memories of being downtown and having a good time.”

The Saturday night events can be crowded, and reservations are recommended.

For more information about the Blues & BBQ Saturday night concert series, visit www.huntington beach.hyatt.com or call the restaurant at (714) 845-4775.hbi.13-bluesbbq-1-CPhotoInfoBO1SS7CA20060713j29g4enc(LA)Savage City performs at Pete’s Sunset Grille at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa Saturday night. The performance kicked off the resort’s Saturday night concert series, which features shows at 7 and 10 p.m. This year the resort opened the whole restaurant to the buffet and the courtyard around the stage.