The 31st Chicago Blues Festival is this week. It runs from mid-day to mid-evening Friday, Saturday and Sunday and draws blues fans from around Chicagoland, nearby states, around the country and around the world. See the complete line-up HERE. The blues events in the area not related to the fest have already begun Here’s some highlights.
First, there are a couple of Official Blues Fest related events that look real good on Thursday evening. Theo Huff and Nellie “Tiger” Travis will be performing at the Navy Pier Beer Garden. And, the blues documentary, “Big Bill Broonzy: The Man Who Brought The Blues To Britain” will be screening beginning at 6:00 at The Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater. Just before the film there will be a performance by Billy Boy Arnold and Eric Noden who recently released an album of Big Bill Broonzy songs, Billy Boy Arnold Sings Big Bill Broonzy.
The Jazz Record Mart record store in River North is having their annual blues fest brunch beginning at 10am Sunday at the store. There will be performances from many of the artists on the Delmark label.
Here’s an alphabetical listing of some of the finer blues clubs in and around town.
Beer Geeks in Highland, Indiana, is a great place for beer, as you might have guessed, and on Tuesday night it’s also a great place for blues. Tonight it’s the Ronnie Baker Brooks Band. What can I say, I see Ronnie every chance I get. He’s that good. If you’re there tonight, I’ll see you.
B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted is one of the most intimate live blues rooms in town. They’ve got an excellent band every night this week. In fact, the have an excellent act every night of the year, all 365 of them.
Blue Chicago is the only blues club in River North, very convenient to hotels. They feature women who sing the blues and there is never a bad night.
Buddy Guy’s Legends is the biggest blues club in town, the closest blues club to the fest, and for the 17th year in a row the home to the XRT Blues Breakers Blues Fest Broadcast with me Tom Marker and co-host Shemekia Copeland, starring Johnny Winter with “Big Head” Todd Park Mohr and Ronnie Baker Brooks. This will be a live broadcast you can hear on 93XRT from 6:00pm to 7:30pm on Thursday, or, if you’re 21 or older, you can witness it live for free. Get there early as space is limited. Buddy’s is busy every day, all day and all evening with a long list of blues performers all week long. Click on the link for more info.
Kingston Mines in Lincoln Park is the late night blues headquarters. They stay open until 4am weeknights, 5am weekend nights. Always good blues at The Mines.
Reggie’s is not far from downtown on S. State St. They always feature great, live blues during Blues Fest. This year they have two shows on the eve of the fest, Thursday, with Rockin’s Johnny in one room and Johnny Winter in the other. They also have the annual Chicago Women In The Blues show on Friday night and a pro-jam to wrap up the weekend on Sunday night. Click on their link for more.
Rosa’s What a great place Rosa’s is. Really good bookings and a great, blues vibe. Generally considered to be off the tourist map but with acts like The Kinsey Report and Billy Branch and the Sons Of Blues, the blues tourists who are looking for the real thing in a neighborhood place will find it this weekend.
S.P.A.C.E. has some of the best blues bookings in Chicagoland these days, both with local acts and national acts, too. For example, tonight it’s James Cotton, they’ve got Dave Specter’s record release party tomorrow night with guests Otis Clay and John Kattke, and Otis Taylor on Thursday. Being in Evanston it’s not close for some, but it is for others.
Smoke Daddy in Wicker Park has booked some really good blues for the fest week, like Kate Moss and Billy Flynn, and their BBQ is pretty darned good, too.
Please tune us in every Monday evening at 9 for Blues Breakers on 93XRT in and around Chicago, streaming at 93XRT.com and on your phone with the radio.com app.
Visit us on our page at 93XRT.com/Blues.
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Thanks, and see ya’ out there. tm