Chicago After Dark - Chicago - page 160

impressive. Hard-core blues fans shouldn't miss the annual (free) Blues
Fest, held along the lakefront in Grant Park in early June. See the
“Chicago Calendar of Events” in chapter 3 for more on the festival.
Blue Chicago Blue Chicago pays homage to female blues belters
with a strong lineup of the best women vocalists around. The 1940s-
style brick-walled room, decorated with original artwork of Chicago
blues vignettes, is open Monday through Saturday, with music
beginning at 9pm. 736 N. Clark St. (between Chicago Ave. and Superior St.).
& 312/642 - 6261. www.bluechicago.com. Cover $8-$10. Subway/El: Red or
Brown line to Chicago.
Buddy Guy's Legends A legend himself, gifted gui-
tarist Buddy Guy runs one of the most popular and comfortable
clubs in town. Blues paraphernalia, from a Koko Taylor dress to a
Muddy Waters tour jacket, decorates the walls of this club near the
South Loop. You may catch Buddy onstage when he's in town.
(Or, if you're lucky, one of his high-profile friends, such as Mick
Jagger, will stop by for an impromptu jam session.) The kitchen
serves good Louisiana-style soul food and barbecue. 754 S. Wabash Ave.
(between Balbo Dr. and Eighth St.). & 312/427 - 0333. www.buddyguys.com.
Cover $10-$15. Subway/El: Red Line to Harrison.
Kingston Mines Chicago's premier blues bar, Kingston Mines,
is where musicians congregate after their own gigs to jam and social-
ize. Celebs have been known to drop by when they're in town shoot-
ing movies, but most nights the crowd includes a big contingent of
conventioneers looking for a rockin' night on the town. But don't
worry about the tourist factor—everyone's here to have a good time,
and the energy is infectious. The nightly show begins at 9:30pm,
with two bands on two stages, and goes until 4am (5am Sat). The
late-night kitchen serves up burgers and ribs. 2548 N. Halsted St.
(between Wrightwood and Fullerton aves.). & 773/477 - 4646. www.kingston
mines.com. Cover $10-$15. Subway/El: Red or Brown line to Fullerton.
Underground Wonder Bar This intimate club on the Near
North Side only gets better as the night wears on (it's open until 4am
Sun-Fri, until 5am Sat). It's one of the most eclectic live-music spots
in town; you'll hear jazz trios, folk singers, and R&B vocalists play-
ing the quirky, compact, and, yep, below-street-level room early in
the evening. Things really heat up when co-owner Lonie Walker and
her Big Bad Ass Company Band take the stage at 11pm on Friday
and Saturday, playing a raucous blues-rock mix. 10 E. Walton St. (at State

Finds