Ressman's Report July 2005

The Chicago Blues Festival 2005

What amazing headliners performed at the Petrillo Music Shell: “Honeyboy” Edwards, John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, Savoy Brown, Koko Taylor, Jody Williams (recipient of this year’s Howlin’ Wolf Award), Lucky Peterson, five-time Grammy Winner Buddy Guy, Billy Branch, Mavis Staples, and many more. Five additional stages are set up in Grant Park, and blues musicians play from noon until early evening, giving most people a chance to amble to the main stage for the later show. One can picnic on the lawn or sit in one of the many chairs or benches set up next to each of the stages. Over half a million people from all over the world attend each year. Booths are set up to sell fabulous foods representing a variety of multicultural, ethnic Chicago fare: Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Cheezborgers from the Billy Goat Tavern (made famous on Saturday Night Live), barbeque ribs and giant turkey legs from Robinson’s Restaurant, Pad Thai and other Thai delicacies from Star of Siam, Chicago Style Pizza from Connie’s Pizza, beer, margaritas, and much more. Many inexpensive hotels from the Ohio House Motel and Holiday Inn to luxury hotels from The Four Seasons to the Hilton Palmer House are within easy walking distance of the venue.

If you want to take a break, just walk a few hundred feet to Buckingham Fountain, a Chicago landmark since 1927, and watch the outstanding water show; walk a block in the other direction to Millenium Park, the nearly half billion dollar park featuring sculptures, fountains, and a magnificent bandshell designed by Architect Frank Gehry of Spain’s Bilbao art museum fame. Do you like art? The Art Institute of Chicago is only half a block away. Guess what? It opens before the Blues Festival starts in the morning. Paintings by Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Degas, Manet, Toulouse-Latrec, Van Gogh, and hundreds of others boggle the mind.

By the time the last act finishes at 10 PM, if you're still hungry for Blues, you can find a dozen or more Blues clubs in the City featuring artists, some of whom have just finished playing in Grant Park. Believe it or not, many clubs keep their doors open until 4 AM.

The best part of the Festival in my opinion: Buddy Guy walking through the crowd singing his hit “Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues.” The entire weekend was spectacular; I will come back to “Sweet Home Chicago.”

Richard B. Ressman, M.D., Photosurgeon
www.photosurgeon.net