Your Complete Guide to the Chicago Blues Scene
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Your Complete Guide to the Chicago Blues Scene |
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BEYOND THE BLUES FESTIVAL 2011
By Linda Cain
We’ve been waiting patiently all year for the warm weather that finally
has arrived and now it’s onto the biggest free blues festival in the
world! The Chicago Blues Festival takes place in Grant Park June 10 -12
and festival hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. The blues clubs
haven’t even begun to heat up when the fest closes for the night. There
are events before, during, and after the fest all over town.
Here
are some suggestions for places to go hear live blues beyond the Blues
Fest . Please check back to this page for updates as we get closer to
the Blues Fest 2011. And the countdown begins…
For
a complete list of Chicago area blues clubs, see our
club directory in The Guide section.
See
you in Grant Park and all over town!
Chicago Blues Fest Update
For
your convenience, we have published the entire schedule for the Chicago
Blues Festival 2011, June 10 -12 (see link below). For the second year,
the Windy City Blues Society has announced that it will again host the
WCBS Street Stage featuring top acts like
Kilborn Alley Blues Band, Lurrie
Bell, Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues w/ Peaches, Nick Moss & the Fliptops
w/Curtis Salgado and more.
There also is another stage which isn’t listed on any official schedule.
It’s the Zone Perfect Stage
on Jackson near the Petrillo Music Shell stage,
which hands out free snack bars to blues fans.
Acoustic Delta style picker and slide guitarist
Donna Herula w/ Tony Nardiello
will perform there on:
June
10: 3 - 6 p.m.
June
11: 2 - 6 p.m.
June
12: 2 – 5 p.m.
TO
SEE THE COMPLETE CHICAGO BLUES FEST SCHEDULE,
CLICK HERE.
Blues On The Fox 2011-- New Location
The
official Aurora, IL fest lineup:
Friday, June 17
Eric
Lindell
– 6:30 pm
Robert Cray
– 8:30 pm
Saturday, June 18
Hix
Brothers All-Stars
– 2 pm
Billy Branch
– 3 pm
Kenny Neal
– 4:45 pm
Charlie Musselwhite
– 7 pm
Buddy Guy
--- 8:30 pm
Aurora’s Blues On The Fox
outdoor festival will celebrate its 15th Anniversary on June
17 & 18 with two major headliners, Robert Cray and Buddy Guy. There are
three changes with this
year’s fest, which was previously produced by the city’s special events
office. The historic
Paramount Theater in
Aurora is now in charge of Blues on the Fox. Admission will no longer be
free, but the entrance fee is only $5. And the location has been moved
from its urban street setting to a greener space – the
North River Street Park,
located at New York and River Streets, just west of the Hollywood Casino
on the Fox River. It’s only two blocks from the original location.
CLICK HERE for info.
Blues On The Green Cancelled
After three years of hosting the free outdoor Blues on the Green blues
and art festival, the village of Mt. Prospect, will no longer hold the
popular event, which was traditionally held the weekend after Chicago’s
Blues Fest . Restaurant/nightclub Blues Bar co-hosted the event and
booked Chicago’s best bands. The fest will be missed.
Blues Events at Old Town School
On
Wednesday, June 1,
Sanctified Grumblers, an
old-timey acoustic trio that plays blues and jug band style will perform
in a FREE ticketed concert at the
Old Town School of Folk Music,
4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. To reserve your free ticket call:
773-728-6000. Honeyboy Edwards was originally slated to perform but has
cancelled.
On
Saturday, June 11,
Booker T. Jones will play
two shows at 7 pm and 10 pm. Tickets are $34-$38.
A
Tribute to Big Bill Broonzy
will be held on Friday, June 17
with Billy Boy Arnold, the
Sanctified Grumblers, Mark Dvorak, Joe Filisko, Chris Walz, The Pickin’
Bubs, Paul Kaye and the
Young Stracke All-Stars.
Tickets are $16 - $20.
FREE blues shows in downtown Chicago
June
6
– Erwin Helfer Trio w/ Katherine Davis
12
Noon, Daley Plaza
June
8
– Blues Camp Kickoff Concert & Screening
5:30
p.m., Columbia College Chicago, Music Center.
For
info: www.BluesKids.com
Blues Fest Events at Buddy Guy’s
Buddy Guy’s Legends will host a
variety of special events during Blues Fest week in Chicago.
The club will soon celebrate its First Anniversary in the
spectacular, spacious new location at 700 S. Wabash (at Balboa), just
two blocks north of the original club.
Wed., June 8
– The Chicago chapter of N.A.R.A.S., the organization which awards the
Grammys, will host its annual fundraiser and Blues Fest Kickoff. This
ticketed event includes a catered reception and an all-star concert
lineup, including: Billy Branch, The Brooks Family Blues Dynasty, Cathy
Richardson, Carlos Johnson, Chicago Stone Lightening Band, Deitra Farr,
Matthew Skoller, Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Nick Moss & the Fliptops w/
Curtis Salgado, plus a
tribute to Pinetop Perkins by Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Little Frank,
Kenny Smith and more. Tickets
are $10 - $30, reserved tables for 4 are $200. For tickets call
312-786-1121 or email:
Chicago@grammy.com
Thurs., June 9
– WXRT Radio’s live broadcast of a special blues concert with the
Brooks Family (Lonnie,
Ronnie & Wayne), together and separately, and
Eddy “The
Chief” Clearwater.
FREE admission. Concert runs from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Get there early!
Fri., June 10
– Noon: Guy King (acoustic)
3 pm: Jimmy Burns
6 pm: Guy King & his Little Big Band
9 pm: Carlos Johnson
11 pm: The Kinsey Report
Sat., June 11
– 11 am: Blues Brunch, Nick Moss & the Fliptops w/Curtis Salgado
3 pm: Matt Skoller
6 pm: Nu Blu Band
9 pm: John Primer
11 pm: Magic Slim & the Teardrops
Sun., June 12
– 11am: Blues Brunch w/ Harmonica Hinds
3:30 pm: Michael Coleman
7 pm: Joanna Connor
10 pm: Carl Weathersby
Chicago Live! presents Chicago Blues Fest Preview On Thurs., June 9, the Chicago Live! series will present an all-blues program with Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator Records, with an all-star lineup: Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch, and Fernando Jones with his Blues Camp Kids.
Due to health issues, David “Honeyboy” Edwards has cancelled his performance at this event.
The show will be held at the
Chicago Theater Downstairs, 175 N. State St., starting at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and include a meet and mingle reception after the show.
Tickets at
www.thechicagotheater.com
Three special Blues shows at S.P.A.C.E.
S.P.A.C.E., suburban
Evanston’s premiere music venue, will host three very special blues
shows during Blues Fest week.
On
Wednesday, June 8,
S.P.A.C.E. will host Dave
Specter’s Adventures in Guitar, with
Dave Specter and
Rockin’ Johnny, plus openers
Rick Simcox & the Tonequesters.
Showtime is 8 pm. Tickets are $12-$22.
On
Thursday, June 9 it’s
Blisterstring: Chicago
Blues Guitar Summit with
Jimmy Dawkins, Jody Williams and
Billy Flynn. Showtime is 8
pm. Tickets cost $14 - $22.
Friday, June 10 features a
Tribute to Pinetop Perkins
with Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big
Eyes” Smith Band, Ann Rabson,
Barrelhouse Chuck, Erwin Helfer, Sunny War and more. Proceeds to
benefit the Pinetop Perkins Foundation. Showtime is 8 pm. Tickets are
$27-$40.
S.P.A.C.E. is located at
1245 Chicago Ave (at Dempster), Evanston, IL
Tel:
847-492-8860.
Women in the Blues Event and more at Reggie’s
REGGIE’S
MUSIC JOINT & REGGIE’S ROCK CLUB (2 in 1 venue)
312-949-0120
Reggie’s is not the usual stop on the blues pub circuit, but they have
booked some exciting acts for Blues Fest weekend and earlier.
Wednesday, June 1st,
Mississippi’s
T-Model Ford headlines, plus
The Congregation,
Me & The Devil and more.
Friday, June 3, it’s Jimbo
Delta acoustic duo at 5:30 p.m.
On
Friday, June 10,
Reggie’s Music Joint will
feature a stellar lineup of
Women in the Blues, starting at 8 pm. The cover is $10.
The show is hosted by
Joan Gand & the Blue Road Band
and includes:
Holle Thee Maxwell, Liz Mandeville, Peaches Staten, Vivian Vance Kelly,
Demetria Taylor, Ramblin’ Rose, Dia Madden & Cruise Machine, Donna
Herula and Ebonie Taylor.
Saturday, June 11 get ready
for the
4th Annual Chicago
Blues Fest After-Party
The
joint will be jumpin’ and jam-packed when the party starts at 9:30 p.m.
and goes until 1:30 a.m. Eddie
C. Campbell, Tail Dragger, James Kinds, Mary Lane, Reginald Cooper,
Vernon Harrington and special guests will be backed by the
Rockin’ Johnny
Band with
Rick Kreher.
On
Sunday, June 12, starting at
8 pm, it’s
Deitra Farr, Lurrie Bell Blues Band and
Matthew Skoller Blues Band.
Delmark’s Annual Blues Brunch at the Jazz Record Mart
27
E. Illinois (at Wabash), Chicago, IL
312-
222-1467
Sunday,
June 12
10
a.m. - Noon
Delmark Records’ annual Blues Brunch at the Mart is always FREE to early
risers. This year don’t miss
James Kinds, Tail Dragger, Demetria Taylor, Rockin’ Johnny, Dave
Specter, Nick Moss & Curtis
Salgado.
New Chicago Jazz & Blues Bus Tour
Chicago Detours will launch its educational, interactive bus tour, “Our
Chicago Sound: Jazz, Blues & Beyond,” to coincide with the Chicago Blues
Festival on June 11. The 2 ½ hour event, which will run Saturdays into
September 2011, will provide a look at Chicago’s
rich cultural history by exploring the neighborhoods from the
North to the South Sides, including musical landmarks and hidden gems,
along with stories from experts, documentary video and musical
performances. Tours are curated with a journalistic approach in order to
present a wide variety of perspectives. The tours start and end at the
Jazz Record Mart, 27 E. Illinois. For reservations, call 312-350-1131 or
visit www.chicagodetours.com
The Blues Clubs
536
N.
312-661-0100
Chicago, IL
This
cozy River North club is very tourist friendly and provides a warm
atmosphere with female vocalists belting out good-time blues.
Thursday 6/9
– Shirley Johnson Blues Band
Friday, Saturday 6/10 – 6/11
– Grana’ Louise & the Troublemakers
2519
N. Halsted, Chicago
773-528-1012
This
famous little club, known as “Blues on Halsted,” on the North Side has a
great atmosphere where the blues drips off the walls seven days a week.
Thursday 6/9
– Eric “Guitar” Davis & The Troublemakers and Mike Wheeler
Friday & Saturday 6/10-11
and Saturday 6/12 – Jimmy
Johnson
Sunday 6/12 –
Rob
Blaine’s Big Otis Blues
700
S. Wabash,
312-427-1190
See
above article.
The
music runs all day. A short
walk from Grant Park, this is always a nice option to catch blues either
during or after the Blues Festival.
Tasty authentic Louisiana cuisine will keep your stomach happy,
and the blues music will feed your soul.
CHUCK’S
SOUTHERN COMFORTS CAFÉ & VOODOO LOUNGE
6501
W. 79th St., Burbank, IL
708-229-8700
This
SW suburban eatery serves up authentic Cajun, Mexican and BBQ, not to
mention some mighty tasty blues.
Wednesday June 8
– Dikki Du & his Zydeco Krewe
Thursday June 9
– Nick Moss & the Flip Tops w/ Curtis Salgado
708-484-3610
The
cozy and casual Harlem Avenue Lounge has very special lineup this
weekend.
Friday 6/10
– Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues
Saturday 6/11
– Willie “Big Eyes” Smith w/ J.C. Smith & Bob Stroger
329
N. Dearborn (at
312-923-2000
The
Back Porch Stage at HOB is on the ground floor of the Marina City
multi-storied venue and offers dinner and a late night menu plus live
blues acts and more seven days a week.
Thursday 6/9
– 9 p.m. Little Al Thomas & the Deep Down Fools
Friday 6/10
– 10 p.m. Nick Moss & the Flip Tops w/Curtis Salgado
7 p.m. Jacqui
Horton
4 p.m. Vino Louden
Saturday 6/11
– 10 p.m. Rob Blaine’s Big Otis Blues
Sunday 6/12
– 10 p.m. Cadillac Dave & the
Chicago Red Hots
7 p.m. Dave Herrero
4 p.m. Jimmy Burns
2548
N. Halsted, Chicago
773-477-4646
Friday 6/10
–
Magic Slim & the Teardrops, Joanna Connor
Saturday 6/11
–
Carl Weathersby, Joanna Connor
Sunday 6/12
– Blues jam with Linsey Alexander, 6 – 9 p.m., Charlie Love & the Silky
Smooth Band
REGGIE’S MUSIC JOINT &
REGGIE’S ROCK CLUB (2 in 1 venue)
312-949-0120
See
article above.
3420
W. Armitage, Chicago
773-342-0452
Rosa’s is a great place on the near West Side to hear the blues.
Chicago’s “friendliest blues bar” has a stellar lineup for the
fest weekend:
Friday
June 10 – Lurrie Bell Band
Saturday
June 11 – Nick Moss & the
Flip Tops w/ Curtis Salgado
1804
W. Division
773-772-6656
Blues, BBQ and brews, Smoke Daddy offers all three in spades. This
Wicker Park bar and eatery smokes its own meats daily, while top live
bands “smoke” onstage nightly.
June
9
– Billy Branch & Jimmy Warren
June
10 & 11--
Billy Flynn & Friends
June
12
– Special 20s Blues Fest Wrap Up Party
1245
Chicago Ave (at Dempster), Evanston, IL Tel: 847-492-8860 See above article.
214
Walnut Ave.
Elgin, IL
847-695-2420
This
friendly NW suburban neighborhood bar and restaurant features top local
blues and jazz bands in a casual setting.
June
3
– Liz Mandeville
June
4
-- Pat Smillie
June
10
– Dawn O’Keefe Williams
THE BAH-LOOZE BROTHERS!
(Bleep) They still owe you
money, fool!
Jake
and Elwood are back in Sweet Home Chicago from
July 6 – 24th at
the Auditorium Theater for the U.S. premier of
The All New Original Tribute to
the Blues Brothers, a musical based on the popular ‘70s film
starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
The
play will feature cast members from the London production, where the
show originated and was a smash hit for a 46-week run.
Directed by Brad Henshaw, who also plays Jake Blues, the musical
features songs from the movie including “Shake A Tailfeather,”
“Respect,” and “Gimme Some Loving.”
Jim de Groot portrays Elwood and the duo will be backed by a
seven-piece European band. The Bluettes, three soulful female singers,
will contribute their powerful pipes to the proceedings.
Tickets are $25-$55 and available at the Auditorium Box Office, Phone:
800-982-2787 or through Ticketmaster.
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