Chicago Blues Festival
Millennium Park, Chicago
June 6-8, 2025
This year’s Chicago Blues Festival is now just a memory. It is billed as the largest free Blues Music Fest in the country and showcases some of the best local blues, and soul talent as well as national and international acts. It takes place over three days at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, home of Cloudgate (The Bean). The pavilion is a futuristic venue with amazing sound, bathe in soft lighting against the beautiful Chicago skyline. It is truly one of the great places in the country to attend a concert!
This year’s headliners Included Mavis Staples who always puts on an amazing show! Mud Morganfield, the eldest son of the legendary Muddy Waters as part of the 75th Anniversary of Chess Records Celebration. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram made appearances on two nights, the first as part of The BB King Centennial Tribute and the second evening as headliner. He is considered to be one of the best up and coming new generation of blues guitarists.
Local artists making appearance included John Primer, Steve Bell, Jimmy Burns, Thornetta Davis, Sheryl Youngblood and Nora Jean Wallace among others . Guitarist Lurrie Bell made his first big stage appearance at this year’s festival.
Fist timers, which are worthy of mention were Dawn Tyler Watson and her band and guitarist DK Harrell, a newcomer to the scene both of which have a bright future!
Despite a weather related evacuation lasting just over an hour on Sunday afternoon, this year’s fest gave blues lovers lots of great entertainment.
Photos and Review by Roman Sobus
