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 2016
Where to find the After-Parties outside Grant Park
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 from
June 10, 11 and 12.
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.”
(Scroll down for story.)
For a complete
list of Chicago area blues clubs,
see our
club directory
in The Guide section.
To see the
Chicago Blues Fest schedule,
click
HERE.
Be sure to check
for updates on our website:
www.chicagobluesguide.com
See you in Grant
Park and all over town!
June 6, Monday
– Theo Huff
12 noon – 1 p.m.
FREE at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington, Chicago
June 7, Tuesday
– Mavis!
Documentary film
on Mavis Staples & The Staple Singers
6:30 p.m. FREE
at Millennium Park, Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph, Chgo.
BLUES WOMEN PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENING
June 8:
Women of the Blues: Coast to Coast
Collection, photo exhibition with
60 blues women portraits by 13 photographers. Blues Fest kickoff event,
7-10 pm at
Firecat Gallery,
Chicago. Ends June 18.
Blues Fest Kickoff Event at
Buddy Guy’s
JUNE 9, Thursday -- SPECIAL EVENT: Live Broadcast Concert FREE!!!
WXRT
radio (93.1 FM) will broadcast live from
Buddy Guy’s
Legends
for a FREE concert on June 9, the Thursday before Chicago Blues Fest.
There will be performances by
Shemekia Copeland & Toronzo Cannon w/ special guest
Buddy Guy. The annual show,
which is in its 19th year, will be emceed by DJ
Tom Marker. The FREE event
is from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Get there early!
Live Broadcast at Piano Forte
June 9:
Free concert by Marty Sammon
(Buddy Guy’s pianist) at Piano Forte, 1335
S. Michigan Ave. at 12:15 p.m. The show will be broadcast live by
WDCB (90.9 / 90.7 FM) and hosted by
Leslie Keros.
UPDATE: Delmark’s Annual Blues Brunch at the Jazz Record Mart
4121 N. Rockwell
St.
Chicago, IL
Phone:
773-539-5001
There will be no
Blues Brunch this year.
The vaunted Jazz
Record Mart on 27 E. Illinois, home of the annual
Delmark Records
Blues Brunch, is now closed. Due to never-ending rent increases, shop
owners Bob & Sue Koester, founders of Delmark Records, sold their
inventory to the owners of
Wolfgang’s Vault,
an online music store. The world famous JRM’s doors closed in February.
Happily, the Koesters opened a much smaller music mart in the same
building that houses Delmark Records and Riverside Recording studios
(see address above).
Blues Heaven Foundation/Chess Records
2120 S.
Michigan, Chicago
Phone:
312-808-1286
This historic
blues shrine kicks off its FREE outdoor summer garden concert series
this week which runs from June through August. Shows are from 6-7 p.m.
on Thursdays.
Saturday June 11:
Lamont Harris
Water Street,
Batavia, IL
June 11:
Blues and art fest in this quaint river town with Toronzo Cannon, Andrew
Diehl, Edward David Anderson.
CLICK ON THE VENUE’S NAME TO SEE THE WEBSITE
The Blues Clubs
2683 N. Halsted,
Chicago
Phone:
773-348-9800
June 9:
Frank Bang & The Cook County Kings. FREE at 9 p.m.
536 N. Clark (at
Ohio), Chicago, IL
Phone:
312-661-0100
This cozy River
North club is very tourist friendly and provides a warm atmosphere with
top female vocalists belting out good-time blues.
Thursday, June 9
–
Maurice John Vaughn Band w/ Shirley Johnson
Friday, Saturday
June 10 - 11
– Nellie “Tiger” Travis
Sunday, June 12
–
Nellie “Tiger” Travis
2519 N. Halsted,
Chicago
Phone:
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 June 9
–
Pistol Pete
Friday June 10 –
Vance
Kelly
Saturday June 11
–
Jimmy Johnson w/ Max V, Jay Red Bass, Big Ray
Sunday June 12 –
Lil’
Ed & The Blues Imperials
700 S. Wabash,
Phone:
312-427-1190
The music runs
all day at this two-story world famous blues venue.
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. Cover charges don’t kick in
until the evening shows, so enjoy the free music. Kids are welcome
during the day.
Schedule subject
to change.
Thurs., June 9
-- Noon: Eddie
Taylor, Jr.
2 pm: Blues Today Symposium
6 – 7:30 pm:
WXRT live broadcast w/ Shemekia Copeland, Toronzo Cannon & Buddy Guy
(see above)
8 pm: Marty Sammon
9:30 pm: Mike Wheeler Band
Fri., June 10–
11 am: Low-reen & The Maxwell Street Blues Band
1 pm: Tweed Funk
3 pm: Breezy Rodio
5 pm: Harry Hmura
7 pm: Guy King
9 pm: Ronnie
Hicks
10:30 pm: Larry McCray
Sat., June 11
– 11 am: Anthony Moser
1 pm: JB Ritchie
3 pm: Nu Blu Band
5 pm: Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames
7 pm: Smiley Tillmon w/ Kate Moss
9 pm: Joe Moss
11 pm: Chris Cain
Sun., June 12
– 11
am: Nicholas Barron
1 pm: Jazmin Sky
3 pm: Jamiah Rogers
5 pm: Vino Louden
7 pm: Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials
8:30 pm: Corey Dennison
10:30 pm: John Primer
1200 W.
Randolph, Chicago
Phone:
312-733-WINE
The City Winery
in the West Loop is an impressive place to hear live music (both local
and national acts), wine and dine. Wine casks and corks decorate the 300
plus seat performance space, which is surrounded by rooms where wine is
made and stored.
June 10:
The Weight (former members of The Band, Bonnie Raitt & Levon
Helm’s bands). Two shows: 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm.
6615 Roosevelt
Rd.
Berwyn, IL
Phone:
708-788-2118
This iconic
music venue in the near west suburbs features local and national acts in
a rootsy, American music vein (pretty much everything but rap and heavy
metal).
June 8:
James Harman birthday bash w/ Nick Moss & Dennis Gruenling
June 9:
The Blasters, Chicago Blues Angels
June 11:
Otis Clay Tribute: JC Brooks & The Right Now w/ special guests
Phone:
708-484-3610
The cozy and
casual west suburban Harlem Avenue Lounge has very special lineup this
weekend.
Saturday June 11
– Pistol Pete Band
329 N. Dearborn
(at
Phone:
312-923-2000
The Crossroads
Stage at HOB is on the ground floor of the Marina City multi-storied
theater and offers dinner and a late night menu plus live blues acts and
more, seven days a week. Sundays feature the venue’s famous gospel
brunch in the upstairs concert hall.
Thursday June 9:
Eric Noden, John Primer
Friday June 10:
Corey Dennison, Vino Louden
Saturday June
11:
Windy City Duo, Mike Wheeler
Sunday June 12:
Gospel Brunch, Keithen Banks, Rob Stone
2548 N. Halsted,
Chicago
Phone:
773-477-4646
Chicago’s
longest running blues club, The Mines puts the “unk in funk.”
Two stages, so the music never stops, seven days a week. The club
stays open ‘til 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturdays.
Thursday, June
9:
Chicago Blues Allstars, Joanna Connor
Friday June 10:
Billy Branch & Sons of the Blues, Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang, Joanna
Connor
Saturday June
11:
Billy Branch & Sons of the Blues, Joanna Connor and TBA
Sunday June 12:
Brian BJ Jones hosts blues jam
on south stage, Linsey Alexander Band, Claudette Miller Band on north
stage.
LAGUNITAS
BREWING CO. & TAP ROOM
2607 W. 17TH
Street, Chicago
Phone:
773-522-2097
This California
craft beer brewery opened its second branch here recently and features
early sets of live music 5 days a week, starting at 4:20 p.m.
Great beer (with wacky names) and food are served here.
Thursday June 9:
Jimmy Burns
Friday June 10:
Carlos Johnson
Saturday June 11:
Sugar Blue
June 9:
Nicholas Baron, Sheryl Youngblood & Say Yes,
June 10:
Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames, Tinsley Ellis, Morry Sochat & Special
20s
June 11:
Hank Mowrey & the Hawktones w/ Nick Moss & Dennis Gruenling, Omar
Coleman
1516 N.
Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Phone:
773-252-1155
Friday June 10:
Chicago Bound
Saturday June
11:
Jimmy Burns
REGGIE’S MUSIC
JOINT
& REGGIE’S ROCK CLUB (2 in 1 venue)
Phone:
312-949-0120
Thursday, June
9:
Keith Scott, 5 pm
Super Session
with Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy Burns, Lurrie Bell, Bob Stroger, Brother John
Kattke, Dave Katzman, David Sims, Melvin Smith & special guests. Doors:
7 pm
$15 or $20 for a
combo ticket.
Note: Each show
is in a separate room.
Purchase advance
tix
HERE
(highly
recommended as this show sells out). Saturday, June 11: Lazy Lester, Eddie Taylor, Jr., Rockin Johnny Band & guests
315 N. LaSalle
St., Chicago
Phone:
312-882-0100
Located on
Chicago’s Riverwalk that everyone is raving about, this hip, chef-run
brew pub hosts a Blues and Brews Brunch each Saturday and Sunday from 12
– 3 p.m. featuring top Chicago artists.
June 11
– Smiley Tillmon
June 12
– Rodney Brown
3420 W. Armitage,
Chicago
Phone:
773-342-0452
Rosa’s is a
great place in the western Logan Square area to hear the blues.
Chicago’s “friendliest blues bar” has a stellar lineup for the
fest weekend:
Saturday,
June 11: Carl Weathersby
Sunday, June 12:
Mighty Mo Rodgers
1804 W.
Division, Chicago, IL
Phone:
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
– Smiley
Tillmon
June 10
-- Billy Flynn & Friends
June 11
– Billy
Flynn & Friends (night), Matt Hendricks (afternoon show)
June 12
– Nigel Mack
1245 Chicago Ave
(at Dempster)
Evanston, IL
Phone:
847-492-8860
SPACE is the
place to hear live music in the North Shore ‘burbs. Evanston is on
Chicago’s north border, so it’s easy to get to by car or on the El. The
sound system is top notch, with great sightlines, comfy nightclub
seating and standing room in back.
Monday, June 6:
Sugar Blue
Thursday, June 9:
Delmark Records Blues Bash w/ Dave Specter, Jimmy Johnson, Demetria
Taylor, Corey Dennison, Omar Coleman
Friday, June 10:
Toronzo Cannon & Curtis Salgado
1503 W. Michigan
Ave., Chicago
Phone:
312-588-0230
June 11:
Nick Moss Band w/ Dennis Gruenling, 8 pm show.
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