Night life spotlight -- The Dusty 45s

For a while, the Dusty 45s could have applied for honorary Yakima citizenship.

Deemed Seattle's top -- if not most charismatic -- rockabilly-roots band, the Dustys made regular stops on this side of the mountains at Grant's Brewery Pub (Grant's even got a shout-out on the band's 2004 "Devil Takes His Turn" album) and the Yakima Folklife Festival.

Bringing along an energetic blend of jump blues, jazz, old-school country and good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll -- not to mention a flaming trumpet finale -- the Dustys have also headlined A Case of the Blues and All That Jazz, revved engines at the Vintiques Northwest Nationals Rod Run and even heated things up at the White Pass Winter Carnival.

And following a Yakima gig, there was always a good chance you could find the band knocking back a few drinks at the Lotus Room.

"I think some people thought we were actually from Yakima," jokes Billy Joe Huels, the Dusty 45s' lanky frontman, who sports a bobbing Bill Haley-meets-Brian Setzer pompadour.

But it's been a little more than three years since the band has been back. So it's not surprising there is considerable buzz and excitement over Saturday's Dusty 45s concert at the Yakima Sports Center.

During those three years, however, there have been some changes to the band. Keyboardist Micah Hulscher packed up and moved down to Los Angeles. (Although before that, he and Huels had a successful side project called the Vinyl Avengers.) Drummer Mark Pickerel has gone on to make his own spacier and spookier alt-country solo stuff. And upright bass player Kevin Scott decided to take a break.

Continuing to jump, jive and wail with Huels is lead guitarist Jerry Battista. Now slimmed down to a four-piece, the new Dusty 45s -- which is working on a new album -- also features Guy Quintino on bass and Kelly Van Camp on drums and harmonica.

"We definitely kept playing," says Huels, who last year starred as Buddy Holly in the 5th Avenue Theatre's production of "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story." (Band member Van Camp also starred in the production as the Big Bopper.)

"We haven't missed a beat, actually," says Huels.

* The Dusty 45s play Saturday at the Yakima Sports Center, 214 E. Yakima Ave. The show starts at 9 p.m. Cover is $10. Call 453-4647 or visit www.yakimasportscenter.com.

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