By Amy Schwartz, cbbfestival.com Senior Correspondent,
The Chicago Blue Grass & Blues Festival’s Pavilion Stage, to be placed atop the Congress Theater’s epic grand staircase, shouldn’t be overlooked this coming November at the fest’s inaugural gathering. Showcasing an eclectic mix of unique and newsworthy up-and-comers, the Pavilion Stage eight will host artists from around the corner and around the country, adding Nashville, Colorado, and Cleveland staples to a roster of Chicago’s local crowd pleasers.
Blackdog, sounding like something old made new, stays true to the roots of rock with an upbeat blues sound full of riffs that make you feel like a badass if you happen to be enjoying them while walking down the street. They are the type of band that rockers of many different colors can agree on.
Blue Mother Tupelo has a soulful richness that sometimes sounds as if literally created atop an Appalachian foothill or knee-deep in a bayou. This duo proclaims itself to be “swampadelic.” Micol Davis belts and soothes as she sings soft-yet-soulful and energetic ballads. Ricky Davis brings a southern twist to the vocals as the couple sings both together and apart on their tracks.
How Far to Austin is a Chicago-based rock band with a bright future. Poised to soon work with famed Elton John, Led Zeppelin and George Harrison producer Stuart Epps, HFTA boast the unique combination of Derrick Mitchell and Katie Troelstrup on vocals. Separating them even further from the typical rock act, Nick Ranucci’s injects an edgier incarnation of another Epps project; Fleetwood Mac.
Jessica Lee is an R&B entrepreneur with a taste for sultry jazz , gospel, and a hint of soul. Her passion for live music shows with every note she belts.
Mike Mangione is a Chicago-based folk rock band with strong ties to Milwaukee. They’ll calm your nerves with its uplifting and smooth sound made whole by the gracious flow of the cello, violin, vocals and guitars.
The Lindsey O’Brien Band & Friends returns to Chicago via Colorado, with a sound that’s frankly too hard to characterize. From a rich musical Chicago family, count on host of siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, and friends to join Lindsey on stage.
Cobalt & the Hired Guns is a young band with a folk-punk sound and a strong dose of energy. They mix it up as they remind us that the piano always has a place in rock ‘n’ roll, and never forget to add some horns as they sing about their hometown of Chicago. Lately, their carbon-neutral record production has brought this group of good people some added momentum.
Blackdog: Fans of Zeppelin? Probably.
Blue Room Hero is a former Madison band that carried their crowd with them to Chicago after college. They’ve built up a fanbase of folks that know their lyrics and remember them when, but never discourage a newcomer from joining the circus that is their live sets.
Check out each of these acts at their individual artist pages at cbbfestival.com.
Pavilion Stage Lineup:
Noon – 12:45 – Blue Room Hero
1 – 1:45 – Cobalt & the Hired Guns
2 – 2:45 – Lindsey OʼBrien Band & Friends
3- 3:45 – Mike Mangione
4 – 4:45 – Jessica Lee
5-5:45 – How Far to Austin
6 – 6:45 – Blue Mother Tupelo
7 – 7:45 – Blackdog
