Reggie's Music Joint

They don’t call this town the World Capital of the Blues for nuthin’.  There’s great Blues all over the place at the usual spots and some not so usual spots, too.

People from around the the state, country and world are in Chicago for some live blues this weekend and our town is all set to give it to them. Some people like to stay close to their downtown hotel, some insist on getting out in the neighborhoods. Some like to visit the established, well known clubs, while some find special shows in places where you don’t always find live Blues.

Full Time Blues Clubs Downtown:

Buddy Guy’s Legends is the city’s biggest Blues club and the one situated closest to Grant Park.  Buddy is out of town this weekend but his club is packed with great live entertainment day and night.  Read more from an earlier post here. Link to Legends.

Like Legends, Blue Chicago is close in and near a lot of  hotels. If you’re still up for going out on Monday night stop by for the CD release party for a new Grana’ Louise record from Delmark Records. Link to Blue Chicago.

The House of Blues features all sorts of music in its big upstairs room, but there’s Blues every night on the Back Porch Stage downstairs.

Other Full Time Blues Clubs:

Rosa’s is a great, neighborhood Blues Club on the Northwest Side.  Lurrie Bell, Nick Moss and others will be there this weekend. Link to Rosa’s.

B.L.U.E.S. has been on N. Halsted St. in the Lincoln Park area for decades now.  An intimate spot for great blues that’s not too far from downtown for a cab ride. Link to B.L.U.E.S.

Just up the street from B.L.U.E.S. is Kingston Mines.  This famous club is open very late, 5:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and has two stages for non-stop Blues. Kingston Mines.

Suburbs

S.P.A.C.E. in Evanston has a Pinetop Perkins tribute show tonight (Friday).  This is a beautiful club  that books Blues along with an eclectic mix of other music. See their site here.

The Harlem Avenue Lounge is in the close-in Western Suburb of Berwyn. This weekend they have shows by Big Rob Blaine and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Wille “Big Eyes” Smith[/lastfm].  See Harlem Avenue here.

Other Blues Events

Reggie’s Music Joint has three nights of excellent Blues programming this weekend. A Women in the Blues show Friday night. On Saturday they present the 4th Annual Blues Fest After Party West Side Chicago Blues Review (don’t be confused, Reggie’s is close to downtown on the near South Side).  Then on Sunday another excellent line-up with Deitra Farr, Lurrie Bell and Matthew Skoller. Visit Reggie’s site here.

Great Blues and BBQ at Wicker Park’s Smoke Daddy.

The Jazz Record Mart is not only Chicago’s biggest and best Blues and Jazz record store, it is also home during Blues Fest to the Delmark Records Annual Blues Brunch beginning at 10 am on Sunday.  And it’s right downtown, just North of the river off Wabash. Here’s a link that will tell you more.

For more info

Check out Chicago Blues Guide

The Chicago Reader has excellent listings. 

Visit the Windy City Blues Society.

Chicago Blues Festivel Line-Up

Read more from Tom Marker here.

Visit XRT’s Blues Breakers page here.