SeatGeek has the blues
Windy City Blues Fest in Bridgeview Oct. 5
By Steve Metsch
The Windy City Blues Fest scheduled to return in October has a new home, SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
Last year, it was held over a three-day September weekend in Lyons.
This year, it, will be held on a single day, Oct. 5, at SeatGeek Stadium.
Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty said he thinks the new venue will be a good one for the festival, with plenty of parking and two stages for use by performers.
Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek is looking forward to providing a day and night of music to blues fans.
“It is going to happen. Positive and for sure,” Landek said.
Tawl Paul won’t be at this year’s blues fest, but a solid lineup of award-winning artists is on tap for Oct. 5 in Bridgeview. Photo by Steve Metsch.
All ticket sales will take place through Seat Geek .com. Reduced prices are available for children.
The plan is for the event to run from noon to 10:40 p.m. with performers on two stages. The line-up, found on Facebook, is as follows:
Axe & The Hatchetmen; Kevin Purcell & The Nightburners; The Bob Corritore Chi-Town Blues Reunion, featuring Bob Stroger, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Tail Dragger, Will Buck and Oscar Wilson; The Robert Kimbrough Sr. Blues Connection; Tennessee Redemption with Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen; Annika Chambers; and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
Santini recently won the Blues Blast Music Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, said Dave Madlener.
Madlener is president of the Windy City Blues Society, which put together talent for the festival.
“And then, one of our other guys, Bob Corritore, won the Blues Blast Music Award for the Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year,” Madlener said.
Chambers won the Blues Music Award from the Blues Foundation for Female Soul Blues Singer of the Year. “She’s like the top female blues in the world right now,” Madlener said.
“And, of course Robert Randolph and the Family Band, he’s a Grammy nominee. So, yeah, I’m real excited,” Madlener said.
Kimbrough is “coming all the way up from the Mississippi Hill Country,” Madlener said. “His dad was Junior Kimbrough, one of the original delta hill country bluesmen.”
The Chicago Blues Challenge will feature seven bands and two solo artists, he said.
While he enjoyed last year’s festival in Lyons, Mandlener is looking forward to Oct. 5 in Bridgeview.
“The more I explore the location, the more I see opportunities for next year,” he said, noting the large meeting room on the second floor.
“It’s a different animal because it’s a one-day event,” he added.
There will be plenty of food and beverage options available, too.
Desplaines Valley News
Email Steve Metsch at sm4610@sbcglobal.net
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