This year's Blues Fest was one of the best I've seen in years. The weather was exactly perfect and my buddy MarK and I were properly loaded on Vodka Bombs (roughly speaking this is one half a bottle of Gatorade and one half Smirnoff, mix with ice, shake and rock out accordingly).
Although the Main Stage was weak, the side stages were smokin' hot. My favorite act was a guy by the name of Khalif Wailin' Walter, whom I had never heard of before, but perhaps should have. Simply speaking, he tore the place up! I've always been a sucker for bottle-neck Blues guitar, which Walter wails at. At one point I almost felt sorry for his red and gold guitar, which alternately sounded beautiful and in significant pain.
Although the Main Stage was weak, the side stages were smokin' hot. My favorite act was a guy by the name of Khalif Wailin' Walter, whom I had never heard of before, but perhaps should have. Simply speaking, he tore the place up! I've always been a sucker for bottle-neck Blues guitar, which Walter wails at. At one point I almost felt sorry for his red and gold guitar, which alternately sounded beautiful and in significant pain.
All my pictures of Wailin' Walter are blurry for 2 reason: 1, I was rocking and bumpin' on my feet and 2, he would not stand still, not even for a moment. His dreads were flying all over the stage and his "shirt" was flapping in the breeze. Look at that guitar! Fucking sweet!
Although Walter hails from Chicago he has been living in Germany for the last 3 years, and this was his first ever performance at Blues Fest. Although "Sweet Home Chicago" is a heavily covered song, his version was especially apt and he fuckin' ripped it up. I found myself gravitating towards the speaker stack just so I could feel his guitar licks shake my internal organs.
I would write more, but I have to get ready for round 2. Today's lineup is a tribute to the late, great Howlin' Wolf and I will not miss it. I love this fuckin' city!
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