Southern Avenue played a rare small-venue show at Garcia’s in Chicago, offering a set shaped by personal stories, tight arrangements, and longtime chemistry. This review and photo gallery captures the energy of the night and the crowd that gathered to take it in.
Author: Robin Zimmerman
Robin Zimmerman
Robin Zimmerman is a Chicago-based writer who covers live music for American Blues Scene. She brings thoughtful context and careful attention to detail to each performance she documents. She is usually collaborating with ABS photographer Michael Lepek, forming a strong team that captures both the sound and spirit of Chicago’s live music scene.
American Blues Scene brings you a massive exclusive gallery and full recap of the 2025 Chicago Blues Festival—from the Ramova Theater kickoff to Kingfish’s electrifying Saturday-night finale.
With everything from the movie Sinners to the recent release of John Primer’s Grown in Mississippi, which was recorded at Gary Vincent’s Clarksdale Soundstage, the city of Clarksdale, Mississippi has been getting a lot of press lately. But the biggest thing to come out of Clarksdale in the past 22 years, is their annual Juke Joint Festival, which is held every April. It’s been described as “half blues fest, half county fair, and all about the Delta.” No matter how it’s spun, this one-of-a-kind festival is like no other. And if you look beyond the county-fair fun and slew of…
Their undeniable chemistry was on full display as they exchanged scorching guitar solos and took turns on vocals. Drawing from their impressive backgrounds in Phil Lesh and Friends and collaborations with artists such as John Hiatt and Beyonce, Simo and Dickinson highlighted their extraordinary skills, further elevated by Abarashoff’s intricate drumming.
Corritore continues to honor his Chicago roots and the sacred traditions of the blues, with a relentless passion for preserving its history and fostering collaborations. His mission is clear: “It’s hard to understand the character of the blues, without knowing some of the characters of the blues.”
With 30 albums and countless musical memories, his dedication to the blues legacy and community remains as strong as ever.
John Primer takes flight into a new decade of music, demonstrating once again that you can’t paint the blues without the Primer!
With a dynamic live show and a fresh album in tow, Lake Street Dive blends soul, funk, and jazz as they gear up for their European tour following a memorable Chicago performance!
The Allman Betts Family Revival kicked off their eighth tour at a sold-out Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL, delivering an unforgettable night of musical magic. Devon Allman, Duane Betts, and a star-studded lineup honored the Allman Brothers’ legacy with epic jams on classics like “Whipping Post” and “Midnight Rider.”
The concert was a heartfelt tribute to family, collaboration, and timeless music, leaving the crowd thankful and in awe. With the tour crossing iconic venues, fans can look forward to more memorable performances before it wraps up on December 21st.
Still on the road, Blues Traveler rocks the Riviera with 30th anniversary tour celebrating the magic of ‘Four.’ While musical history was on the bill that night, the show also featured an appearance by the fast-rising multi-instrumentalist Vanessa Collier as the opening act.
Whether it was a tale about Sonny Boy Williamson horning in on Otis Rush’s club gig or Musselwhite’s experience of penning his “Stranger in a Strange Land” as a new arrival to Chicago in 1962, Musselwhite’s stories were as engaging as the music that’s garnered him a Grammy win, numerous Blues Music awards and several other accolades.
Ivan Singh expressed his admiration for the Chicago blues tradition, before serving up his own Argentinian twist on the genre.