16. Visit an authentic Chicago Blues Bar 2/3/12
It’s crazy to me, given how much I love music and how long I’ve lived in this city, that, before last Friday, I’d never gone to a Chicago Blues Bar. The original visit, organized by none other than Tami, was slated for my actual birthday, though we thought it best to reschedule after a blizzard dumped several inches of snow on the city that afternoon. It was worth the wait! We went to Kingston Mines on Halsted where the atmosphere was a mixture of southern charm and Chicago grit – one would never know they were actually in the middle of Lincoln Park! There were two stages with set up and we were lucky enough to get a table right in front of headliner Carl Weathersby. I’ve listed to blues on CD’s and have seen recorded concerts but never had I before seen it live. What an incredible experience! The thump of the speakers, the raspy yet smooth vocals, the beat that causes you to nod in rhythm in your chair… needless to say, I’ll be back!
Some of the items on the list take a lot of planning, money and preparation and some just take a group of good friends and a free evening – that’s the beauty of the list!
Jenn Winter 