If your heading to the windy city then don't miss Buddy Guy. Hopefully he isn't on the road when you're visiting. Seeing Buddy Guy is worth the trip to Chicago on its own let alone any other reason you have. He's a consummate showman. I recently saw him in a theatre in Milwaukee. He doesn't have any set playlist when he gives a show...he just plays whatever he feels like at the time, including improvisation...and his band just has to (try to) keep up. Occasionally they just give up and wait until he "returns", as he will, eventually. (He has an excellent band) Much like Picasso did in painting, Buddy can (and does) play in the style of about any blues/rock artist you can imagine and he's old enough to have played with most of them. He has a style of working/talking with an audience that's almost conversational and makes you feel he's not so much giving a stock show (which he isn't) as he's just hanging out with you for an evening and doing some jamming. He likes to walk down into the audience while he's playing and talk to people. Sort of a relaxed evening mixed with incredible music. In the show I saw he played long past what he was scheduled for...they had to pry him off the stage as he was just getting warmed up. What can I say that I haven't said...go see him. |
You have some good suggestions here, but I am surprised that no one mentioned Rosa's Lounge. It is unlike the others listed, not as upscale, very local, very "authentic", out of the Loop, located on the West side. The neighborhood is not frequented by tourists. It is small. But the music is the real thing. The Stones performed at Rosa's before their stadium shows in Chicago. If you seek a local, authentic epxerience, very diverse crowd, gritty, then check out Rosa's Lounge. http://centerstage.net/music/clubs/rosas.html |
