Topic: Chicago Bluesfest

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

Anyone else heading for the bluesfest???

I'm going tomorrow morning to see:


SATURDAY
BIG JAY MCNEELY
Irma Thomas
Magic Slim & The Teardrops
Nellie "Tiger" Travis

Sunday
HENRY GRAY

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

Can't wait!!!

[EhLEFTtb]

You went in the cool, cool, cool of the evening. I wish I had.

I wanted to see Alvin Youngblood Hart so I went in the afternoon.  He was really good.  But he broke a high E string on his parlor and didn't play it but half a song.  He couldn't play his single string slide on it and changed to his National for the rest of the set.

Drink Small was a real hoot.  He has quite the voice when he wants to go really low.

I wanted to see Honeyboy Edwards on sunday, but didn't make it. I keep saying I'll see some of these guys, especially the ones playing on thursday and friday, next year.  But every year, some of them don't come back.  This past year it was Robert Jr. Lockwood.

Jim

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

What an amazing two days!!!

Met my hero, Big Jay McNeely and he put on the WILDEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN (After all these years he's still a mad man!!!!)



And I also met Henry Gray who put on a great show too!









BIG JAY PLAYED ON HIS BACK!!

[JTBlue]

Those are great pictures, Calvin.

I was thinking about going to the Chicago Blues Fest this year, but is it a huge crowd, a mile from the stage, kind of festival, or it is manageable and fun?  Would some Chicago BluesFest veterans weigh in on the best way to experience it and the best places near the performances to stay?

Thanks!
JTBlue

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

It's pretty easy to get seats at even the biggest stage if you're there a little early, The Petrillo Music Shell, I got third row to see Big Jay McNeely and this is all entirely free!!


It's incredibly easy to get seats at the little stages such as the Louisiana Bayou Stage where Henry Gray performed.

It's overall an easy-going and fun experience once you arrive there and get settled.

[JTBlue]

It's pretty easy to get seats at even the biggest stage if you're there a little early, The Petrillo Music Shell, I got third row to see Big Jay McNeely and this is all entirely free!!


It's incredibly easy to get seats at the little stages such as the Louisiana Bayou Stage where Henry Gray performed.

It's overall an easy-going and fun experience once you arrive there and get settled.

Thanks -- that's very helpful.  I imagined it as more of a "scene."  Are there some reasonably nice hotels near the venues (walking distance?)?

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

The Hard Rock Motel is somewhat affordable and quite close to all the parks and stages, highly recommended

But I did end up staying on the Madonna floor (BARF)