I am a lifelong blues aficionado. It began when I was a small child in Chicago, listening to AM radio on my babysitter Liz' hand-held transistor while walking home from school.  When I heard the amazing "Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick, it made my heart beat faster.  Tears formed in my eyes, and I loved it. Technically, this might not have been a blues song, but it was blues the way Dionne sang it. Before I was of legal drinking age (don't tell anyone) I was hanging out at Kingston Mines and Blues on Halsted, catching every unknown band that I could. By the time I was in my early twenties, I had discovered the now-defunct Biddy Mulligan's on Sheridan Road.  Every night was a new kind of Nirvana for me as I heard Otis Rush, Screaming Jay Hawkins, and Sugar Blue. My ex-boyfriend, Matt, once shot pool with Bo Diddley in the back room. I don't remember who won.

The Blues Festival is, in my opinion, Chicago's crowning achievement. Tens of thousands of people attend, from the city, the suburbs, and beyond. Free to the public, situated in the middle of Grant Park, in the heart of the Loop, the Blues Festival is a truly populist event.  Almost everything goes.  People set up tents, break out the barbeque grills and marinated ribs, and crack open bottles of ice-cold brew. One year, during the late eighties, mayhem erupted when a group of people tore down a large section of snow fencing and set it on fire. They then stood around it in a circle, ritualistically chanting, "Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, hey hey, goodbye....." until the fire engines arrived. The crowd dispersed as mysteriously as it had formed. 

 This year's lineup promises to be almost as good as the Festival's flagship event, back in 1984.  It even features some of the same artists, most notably James Cotton, Bobby Rush, Sunnyland Slim, and the amazing Koko Taylor, who could surely mow down a brick wall with her powerful voice. In the twenty-four years of its existence, the Festival has grown from an event that was situated almost exclusively at the Petrillo Music Shell, to a six-venue extravaganza, featuring such diverse stages as the Gibson Guitar Crossroads and the State of Louisiana Bayou Station and Social Club. Seeing everything is almost impossible, but well worth a try.  From the time the Festival opens, at 11 AM on Thursday, June 7, to when it closes, some time after 10:30 PM on Sunday, June 10th, the Loop will vibrate with the sound of the blues.  A must-see on Sunday will be a tribute to Howlin' Wolf on what would have been his 97th birthday.  This event will take place from 7:15-8:15 PM, and will feature such luminaries as James Cotton and Smokey Smothers, as well as many others.

I'm countin' the days, and you should, as well.........In the meantime, check out the Festival's website.