Tag: KCBS

Kansas City Barbeque Society

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Hudson’s Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off

DuPont, WA

August 20 – 22, 2021

The Hudson’s Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook-Off brought the Big Guns out for a spectacular community event! Presented by the Pat Tillman Memorial American Legion Post 53 Family, organizer Tom Riggs (Sergeant Major, ret) orchestrated the event with a battalion of volunteers, resulting in a remarkable community and family fun weekend!

The event was held at beautiful Clockertower Park in the heart of town DuPont, with local beer and craft distillers, live music, free kid’s activities, military exhibits, historical demonstrations, and craft booths. 

Friday night, August 20, kicked off with the Steak Cookoff Association’s (SCA) steak competition for “Steak Out for Youth”, sponsored by Best Damn BBQ Sauce™. Fifteen teams competed with the nod going to Chris Kelly as champion! Proceeds from the event will be targeted towards local DuPont area kid programs.

On Saturday, BBQ teams sampled their BBQ prowess with food samples in exchange for BBQ Bucks. Scrumptious small bites included tri-tip sliders, smoked salmon, brisket balls, and the like were available until 4 pm or sold out, which most did! 25% of the ‘bucks’ went to DuPont area kid’s community efforts. The balance helped teams pay for their weekend competition expenses. This was a new approach for RVBBQTrail and one I think would work back in the Midwest! And the food, along with the team’s culinary creativity, was amazing!

Sunday morning, the BBQ game faces were out! 27 professional teams competed for almost $13,000 in prize money and bragging rights for Washington State’s King/Queen of Q!

  • Congrats to Smoke324 as Grand Champion with an astonishing 701.1 score and earning a 700 pin!
  • The California Grill Billies earned the RGC with an impressive 696 score.
  • And a shout out to Hoggin’Da Sauce BBQ with a perfect 180 score on Pork and a 180 pin!

PacNW competition BBQ can go head-to-head anywhere in the US, as evidenced by the 700 and 180 pins! The Hudsons Bay Heritage Days Cookoff was over 2,600 miles from home for RVBBQTrail and worth every mile for this terrific community event in a beautiful part of the country!

Competition Day

Smoke324 – Grand Champion
The California Grill Billies – Reserve Grand Champion
Smoke It If Ya Got It

  • Hoggin’ Da Sauce earned a 180 in the Pork category

SCA Steak Competion, sponsered by Best Damn BBQ Sauce™

  • Chris Kelly – SCA Golden Ticket Winner
  • RJ’s Smokehouse

Fun for Kids and Adults!

  • Face Painting
  • Giant Slide
  • Delicious BBQ
  • Beer Garden
  • Local Beer & Craft Distillery Tastings
  • Live Muic

The DuPont Historical Society

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Marietta River City BBQ

Marietta, OH

April 23 & 24, 2021

Welp, RVBBQTrail.com is finally back on the road after a paltry 2020! And we kick off our 2021 season with an action and protein-packed event at the Marietta River City BBQ Cook-Off! Organizer, Emmeline Wharton, puts her heart and soul into this event and it shows with her attention to detail.

Some of the things we love about BBQ are the places it takes us. Take Marietta, OH; located on two rivers and was the first settlement of the Northwest Territory. Downtown is welcoming and engaging with plenty of restaurants and taverns. Marietta is one of those places that you will remember fondly with intentions of wanting to return!

Did I mention Protein Packed?

Friday Steak Cook-Off Association (SCA):

Meat CategoryFirst PlaceSecond Place
Pork ChopShawn SurberSean Wainwright
Ribeye SteakJeff LambChris Rossman
Steak Cookoff Association

Saturday KCBS Master Series:

KCBS CategoryFirst PlaceSecond Place
ChickenBooyaQ – 178.88Elegantly Violent BBQ – 175.44
Pork RibsUnder the Radar – 178.30Peace Love & Smokiness – 174.88
ButtBaby B’s BBQ – 173.15Tire Smoke BBQ – 171.97
BrisketBo B Q BBQ – 177.70The BBQ Bus – 177.14

Saturday Ancillary – Turkey:

TurkeyConvicted Pigs BBQ – 178.86Smoked Wright BBQ – 175.44
Sponsored by The National Turkey Federation

Saturday KCBS Backyard Series:

Meat CategoryFirst PlaceSecond Place
ChickenTasker’s BBQ Supply – 175.47D’Qued BBQ – 164.02
Pork RibsTasker’s BBQ Supply – 171.43D’Qued BBQ – 164.53

Congrats to Under the Radar for earning Grand Champion for the Master series with a 695.99 overall score! Peace Love and Smokiness commanded Reserve Grand Champion with a 690.89 score.

RVBBQTrail.com highly recommends cook teams and judges consider the Marietta River City BBQ event in their 2022 plans… RV hookups, both grass and paved, indoor judging, close to town and amenities, and mighty fine organizers (Emmeline) and KCBS reps (the Grindstead Bros.)!

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COVID-Que 2020

Franklin, IN

Double Header

June 19 &  20

Welcome to “the first, and hopefully last ever, COVID-Que 2020 BBQ Competition” as was inserted into the judge’s oath for the COVID-Que 2020 Double Header BBQ event held at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Franklin, IN.

A community supporting community is how one can best describe the actions over the Father’s Day weekend. Over 70 professional BBQ teams engaged in supporting community efforts behind awareness and relief for Covid-19 in the Franklin, IN community. The event presented a sizeable check to Johnson County, Indiana, in support of COVID-19relief efforts. Several area foodbanks also were assisted with donations of canned goods, sanitizers, and money to replenish dwindled inventory.

Impressive, too, is how this event came together. In five short weeks of planning, Franklin hosted Indiana’s largest BBQ competition ever! Organizers, select teams, and KCBS reps all contributed time and effort to make this two-day event a success!

Masks, gloves, and social distancing were the norm. New rules and procedures were put in place to ensure the safety of the cook teams, judges, and volunteers. 

Day One – June 19

It was a heated competition with 69 teams positioning for “The Best Que in the Land.” Congrats to ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN for capturing Grand Champion with a 693.7 overall score.

Reserve Grand Champion was awarded to Hot Coles BBQ with a 690.8 score. 

To show how competitive Day One was, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN had only two top-ten finishes in the four required meat categories!

Special shout out to JMB BBQ for their first ever First Place in Chicken!

Day Two – June 20

So, if Dad has to cook on Father’s Day, you might as well make it world-class BBQ! Sixty-three teams vied for Champion status, with several additional competitors from the previous day.

Congrats to ONE2BBQ with a coveted 701.7 score and a 700 pin! ONE2BBQ placed no worse than 4th in three of the four required categories…Chicken (4th), Ribs (2nd), and Pork (1st)!

BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. was Reserve Champion with a 686.3 overall score. BLUE ISLAND placed in the Top 10 in two entries, Chicken (10th) and Brisket (5th).

COVID-Que Face Masks

Blue Chip BBQ - Day 1 -3rd place Brisket

BBQ Rigs

Tire Smoke BBQ - Day 1- 3rd place Pork Ribs; 5th Brisket

COVID-Que BBQ Competition Day 1

The sun sets on Day 1 of COVID-Que 2020
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Lansing DAZE Festival – Brew, Blues, & BBQ!

Lansing, MO

May 3 & 4, 2019

Welcome to the land of Kansas City BBQ! Lansing, KS is situated northwest of Kansas City and has a rich tradition for this 17-year event. This family-themed event takes in some notable blues music, local brews, a petting zoo for the kids, and oh yeah, a KCBS BBQ event!

Grand Champion went to local BBQ joint favorite, Slaps BBQ, with a 692.48 score. Joe Pearce, Slaps pitmaster, might just be the nicest guy in BBQ, plus he wins! So, nice guys don’t finish last!

Grand Champion Slaps BBQ

Dirt Road BBQ earned Reserve Grand Champion with a score of 688.48. Founded by Ryan & Karen Murphy, Dirt Road BBQ has been a KC area perrinial competitor on the KCBS circuit. To do well in Kansas City in BBQ says that you know what you’re doing!

Reserve Champion Dirt Road BBQ

Hats off to The Real Wives of Kansas City BBQ Team for their first-place finish in the Chicken category… could we see a syndicated TV show sometime soon?

  • The Real Wives of BBQ Team
  • 1st Place Chicken

Lastly, we must mention the Lansing DAZE event coordinator, Tim Dossey. As with most BBQ competition organizers, there’s much to do, but after heavy rains forced a partial change in venue, Tim managed an avalanche of logistical challenges to pull this event off without a hitch!

We suggest you put Lansing Daze Brews, Blues & BBQ on your list for future years… great support for the BBQ teams, terrific music and food, and family friendly make this a winner!

Also, we suggest you check out nearby Weston, MO for an afternoon visit. It’s close by and we were taken back by what they had to offer. Weston Brewing Company’s O’Malley’s 1842 Pub, with beer and live music in cellars six stories underground, Weston Tobacco with a cigar making facility and smoke room, and an Irish store with a whiskey tasting room in the back.

  • Joe of Slap’s BBQ.
  • Dirt Road BBQ
  • Boxer Q BBQ Team
  • Preparing chicken thighs on Friday night.
  • Preparing chicken thighs on Friday night.
  • Chicken thighs going in the smoker.
  • Team work!
  • Creative team name!
  • Team banner
  • Preparing a turn-in box. Ribbed for Her Pleasure BBQ Team.
  • Is this a Picowken? Yes, it is!
  • Grinders
  • Stretch of Grinders BBQ
  • Team banner
  • Is this a Picowken? Yes, it its!
  • a Judges cooler. Pins are from the competitions this person has judged.
  • KCBS extra entry scoring cards.
  • Pitmaster at work!
  • Turn-in!
  • Another team entry for the judges.
  • KCBS Reps getting boxes ready for the judges.
  • The Awards
  • Grand Champion, Slaps BBQ.
  • Reserve Grand Champion, Dirt Road BBQ.
  • The Real Wives of BBQ Team
  • 1st Place Chicken – Real Housewives of BBQ
  • 1st Place Ribs – Gettin’ Sauced
  • 1st Place Pork – Mad Pig BBQ
  • 1st Place Brisket – Brew ‘N’ Bar-Que
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WashMo BBQ, Bikes, & Blues Festival

Washington, MO

April 27 & 28, 2019

Downtown Washington, MO hosted the 11th annual WashMO BBQ, Bikes & Blues Festival in their historic downtown district. The three-day, the family-oriented event featured a KCBS Master Series barbecue competition, live blues music, a vintage street market, and a motorcycle show.

The Vintage Market in downtown is a primary fundraiser for Grace’s Place, which provides emergency shelter for children.

  • Downtown Washington, MO
  • Downtown Washington, MO
  • Vintage Market during the WashMo BBQ, Bikes & Blues Festival

Thirty-nine teams vied for the Grand Champion Award, which was earned by Hickory Stick BBQ with a score of 691. Congrats to Tim Sheer and his Shake ‘n Bake BBQ team for the Reserve Grand Champion with points totaling 690.8. Shake ‘N Bake BBQ also had a 180 on Chicken and first place in Pork! Hickory Stick BBQ was in the top five in three of four categories!

  • Grand Champion – Hickory Stick BBQ
  • Reserve Grand Champion, Shake ‘N Bake, accepting their award.

The Smoking Hills BBQ Team rounded out the top three with a 690.7772 score, or just .0228 behind Shake ‘N Bake! Goes to show that every point counts in competition BBQ!

Washington, MO is why we love being on the RV BBQ Trail! Washington is a welcoming and progressive city with a bustling downtown. Situated right on the Missouri River and about 45 minutes from St. Louis you can find lots to do with wineries, The Lewis & Clark Trail, shopping and multiple restaurants.

Click on the Find Us tab to see our upcoming competitions. Hope to see you on the trail!

  • The Smoking Hills BBQ Team – 3rd Chicken, 4th Pork Ribs, 3rd place overall.
  • Reserve Grand Champion – Shake ‘N Bake BBQ Team. Oops, looks like Miss Pig spilled BBQ sauce on her apron.
  • Grand Champion & Reserve Grand Champion Trophies
  • Bug House Smokers BBQ Team, 6th Pork Ribs, 4th Brisket.
  • Kids’ Hamburger Challenge winners!
  • Ist Place Pork – Shake ‘N Bake BBQ
  • Bill Arnold & Blues Hogg BBQ Team – 6th place Chicken and 3rd place Pork
  • 1st Place Ribs – Big Boots BBQ
  • Bill Arnold, Blues Hog BBQ Team & Tim of Shake ‘N Bake BBQ
  • 1st Place Anything Butt – Norco Pride BBQ
  • Shiny Smokers!
  • T-Mac Smokin’ BBQ Team’s rig. 2nd place Brisket, 10th place Pork and 7th Overall.
  • Grand Champion – Hickory Stick BBQ Team
  • Norco Pride BBQ Team giving out samples of pulled pork, brisket and mint juleps. That’s how you please a crowd!
  • Norco Pride BBQ Team
  • Big Wigs BBQ Team having fun! 9th in Chicken.
  • Big Wigs BBQ Team handing out People’s Choice samples.
  • La Pasadita BBQ Team from Texas, 4th in Pork.
  • Rusty Pig BBQ Team – 1st Place Brisket
  • Gothic Town Grillers from Eldon, IA, 3rd in Brisket.
  • Meat Me in St. Louis BBQ Team in their team shirts.
  • Outlaw Hawgs BBQ Team, 2nd in Chicken.
  • Blues Hog BBQ Team featuring Legendary Pit Master Bill Arnold, 6th Chicken, 3rd Pork.
  • Bloody Marys, great way to start a bbq competition!
  • Smoke ‘M All St. Louis BBQ Team – 10th place brisket.
  • Oklahoma Joe’s Serious Que BBQ Team – 6th place overall.
  • BYO Grill BBQ Team, 9th Pork Ribs, 2nd Pork, 4th Brisket, 13th Overall.
  • Schaefer BBQ Team
  • Saturday morning, getting ready for the day.
  • Meat Me in St. Louis BBQ Team
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Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown

Huntsville, TX
February 15 & 16, 2019

Pick-up trucks, longhorn steer skulls, and BBQ smokers; why we must be in Texas!

“Shotgun Fred” Pirkle passed away from ALS on March 9, 2012. Before passing, he asked several old friends to make sure that a KCBS sanctioned BBQ Cook-Off took place in Huntsville, Texas each year to raise scholarship funds to be added to his Scholarship Endowment for Sam Houston State University.

Ben Pruitt, one of those ol’ friends and the Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown organizer, ensured the legacy continued at the Huntsville Fairgrounds. Thirty-three teams competed for Texas BBQ bragging rights, drawing Master Series teams from as far away as Australia and Alberta, Canada!

Grand Champion went to Rio Valley Meats BBQ, with a walloping 704.5! Tiny E BBQ won Reserve GC scoring a 699.9. Boomerang BBQ, Iowa Smoky D’s BBQ, and Clark Crew BBQ were other notables in the top ten.

  • Grand Champions! Rio Valley Meats BBQ scored a 700 pin with a 704.4 score.
  • Reserve Grand Champion, Tiny E BBQ, with a 699.9 score.

We loved the stories from “behind the scenes” … such as the Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown awards created by Ben Pruitt, a talented woodworker. The wooden plaques for top finishers had a one-piece arrow through the ‘bullseye’ on the plaque. Everyone asked how he did it, his response, “you give me the secret to your BBQ, and I’ll tell you how I did it” … so, it remains a mystery! Note the RGC trophy; just off the mark!

  • Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Trophies… guess which one is which!
  • Wood maker, Ben Pruitt, constructed these one-of-a-kind trophies… how’d he get that one piece arrow through that little hole?!

The event brought out some newbies, including the Sigma Chi Fraternity, Frat Boys, from local Sam Houston State University sponsored by local rancher Scott Whitehead. Upon asking one of their multiple members why they were located so far from everyone else, his response was, “it’s best for everybody.” Fun and BBQ, a great combo! These guys could be tomorrows GC’s!

  • Scott Whitehead, Frat Boys BBQ sponsor, and coach.
  • Frat Boys BBQ… choose a site way far away from the rest of the teams! Can you say ‘Party Time?’

Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown is an excellent event with friendly folks at a great venue hosted by Huntsville, TX! This event has room to grow and the right people to make it happen! BBQ Teams should consider entering this event in the future.

  • The Australian BBQ Team! From Down Under to The Lone Star State!
  • Boomerang BBQ with Floyd, their official mascot!
  • Pitmasters at decision time!
  • That final check before turn in lead to Grand Champion!
  • A smoker that doubles as a movable tank?! That’s WarPig BBQ!
  • ’nuff said!
  • Brody came along to the comp with the Frat Boys BBQ Team, Sigma Chi.
  • Have Pitmaker will Travel!
  • Old Buzzard Cookers
  • The name pretty much sums it up!
  • Alberta, Canada Smella Q… came to take on Texas’ best!
  • La Pasadita BBQ Team.
  • BBQ Teams deck out their rigs in fun ways!
  • Did you know that dessert is sometimes a category to judge???
  • Yum!!!
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PigMania – Lebanon, OH Miami Valley Gaming

PigMania Lebanon was the fourth & final event in the PigMania Master Series BBQ Competitions & Festivals. PigMania Events take place in Hilliard, Shelby, Lima, and Lebanon, Ohio. Organizers Dan & Ann Hurst are two of the most gracious hosts we’ve come across. Miami Valley Gaming opened its doors for this KCBS State Championship. Of the 46 Professional Competition BBQ teams that competed, three of them are among the top KCBS teams in the country.

This event is unique in that all 46 cook teams along with the vendors were set up on the harness track. Next to the harness track in a grassy area was a terrific bandstand with tables for spectators to sit and listen to music while enjoying their food and beverages. And what could be better than eating BBQ, enjoying live music, drinking local beers, and then when the competition is over, going into the casino to try your luck on a few slot machines?

 

 

Among the teams that competed was Smokin Triggers, led by famed pitmaster Johnny Trigg. PigMania honored Johnny with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to competition BBQ. As always Johnny was cordial and made himself available to cook teams and fans alike!

 

 

It’s rare for a team to earn a perfect score of 180 in a category, but believe it, or not two perfect scores of 180 occurred at PigMania!  Bo B Q BBQ took First Place in Pork Ribs with a 180, and Extra Mile BBQ maxed out in Pork category. Congrats to both teams!

Bo B Q BBQ with their First Place trophy in Pork Ribs with a 180 score!

Extra Mile BBQ, perfect score of 180 in Pork!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PigMania’s Persistent PitMaster Award announced at PigMania Lebanon went to Grey Street BBQ. The team received the soon-to-be famed  PigMania Championship Belt by generating the most points during all four PigMania competitions!  Well Done!

Grey Street BBQ earned  PigMania’s 2018 Persistent PitMaster Award.

Hats off to Slippery Pete’s BBQ for claiming Grand Champion with an astounding 704.6 score followed by Smoke Me Silly as the Reserve Grand Champion with a 697.7. Good job racking up those points!

Grand Champion Slippery Petes BBQ and Reserve Grand Champion Smoke Me Silly.

A highlight of PigMania at least from the judges’ point of view was the Dessert competition. Just take a look at a few of the entries below! First Place went to Continental Barbeque Co., followed by Bo B Q BBQ and Historic BBQ. We’re not sure which entries below earned the top awards, but we wouldn’t turn any of them down, just saying!

 

Despite the torrential downpour that began shortly after the last turn-in, PigMania Lebanon was a huge success. Coordinators Dan and Ann Hurst know how to organize an excellent competition. Host Miami Valley Gaming and Racing offered a first-class venue for a BBQ competition with spectacular entertainment, thank you for having us! PigMania was a fun event for all.

Mike and Marcia

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Ribberfest BBQ & Blues- Madison, IN

The Ribberfest BBQ & Blues, which takes place in Madison, IN on the banks of the Ohio River, has it all! We arrived Thursday for the BBQ Sunset Cruise on the Ohio River with cook teams, organizers, and judges for a light Dinner, beverages, and live music. Friday through Sunday the Queen City Clipper, out of Cincinnati, is available for the general public to enjoy a cruise.

Queen City Riverboat, Clipper

The BBQ teams set up along the Ohio River for a never dull view of life on the river. The teams are very welcoming to anyone walking the venue to take in the ambiance of a bbq competition. Friday evening several cook teams took part in a “pitch in” dinner, complete with all the fixings.

Saturday 54 teams vied for top honors. Grand Champion went to The American Dream BBQ Team from Oklahoma with a 701.7 score and 1st place in pork.  Reserve Grand Champion went to Grey Street BBQ with a 699.4. Smoke Freaks BBQ took first place in pork ribs and was the third overall team.

Ribberfest Grand Champion The American Dream BBQ Team

In addition to the regular categories in the BBQ competition, Ribberfest includes Anything Butt and Dessert categories. Butts-n-Racks BBQ took 1st in Anything Butt with a 180 score. The Dessert category had a 5-way tie with Red Hot Butcher Shop, Charcoal & More, Squealers Award Winning Barbeque, Meat Misters, and WEQ4U all scoring 180! The Gattopuin, an award for the team that exhibits the best hospitality, friendliness, humor, and love of BBQ is voted on by an unknown panel of judges. This year’s honoree was Smoke Freaks for the second year in a row!

But wait there’s more! In addition to the Shade Tree BBQ Competition (backyard/amateur), there are lots of other things to see and do; a 5K Ribberrun & Bike Ride, KidsQue, Pigmania (concrete pig painting contest),

Pigmania

Piglet Pen (inflatables and games for the kids), and Pig Toss (Cornhole Tournament). This event also hosts one of the top Blue Festivals in the region. We enjoyed two days of fantastic blues with some of the top names in the business. This year’s headliners were Walter Trout and Ronnie Baker Brooks. Previous year headliners have been Los Lobos, The Taj Mahal Trio, Keb’ Mo’ and Buddy Guy.

Madison, IN,  is named a Stellar Community Designee and includes one of the largest Historic Landmark Districts in the US. Stellar communities actively work on community and economic projects and events to improve the quality of life in their city.  The organizers of Ribberfest indeed demonstrated their love of Madison the way they went out of their way to engage local volunteers and support both cook teams and judges alike.

Always fun to be had at the competitions

Whoo-hoo, get me to the turn-in station on time!

Madison volunteers shuttle teams to the turn-in station with golf carts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Madison, for another fun and successful competition. We also want to thank the Smoke Freaks for inducting RVBBQTrail into the Lucky Lighter League; we’re true believers! 

Can’t wait to return next year!

Mike & Marcia

Lucky Lighter League, we believe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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KCBS Sanctioned BBQ Events

This is where professional BBQ all comes together! I love the smell of BBQ smoke in the morning! Each team is required to turn in four of the qualifying meats; Poultry, Pork Ribs, Pork Shoulder or Butt, and Brisket. Chicken turn-in typically starts at 12 noon followed by 30-minute increments for the other meats. The cook teams easily spend more than $1,000 just to compete. Yes, there is prize money, typically ranging from $7k – $25k, however, no one is in it for the money… Just getting a call, or better yet, being Grand Champion is rewarding enough!

KCBS is a non-profit organization as are each of the sanctioned BBQ competitions. Most KCBS events are raising money for charitable causes and all workers, including judges, are volunteers. Many are sanctioned State Championships with the winner eligible to compete in the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational.

Location plays an important reason as to why we love KCBS BBQ events. Most are in small out-of-the-way towns that you normally would not have a reason to visit. We leave enamored with the town, community, and rich history each has to offer… and can’t wait to return next year! Many have a Blues, Brews, & BBQ type theme – which just happen to be the three necessities of life!

Mike