Of all the craziness that was four days in Chicago over Thanksgiving, Buddy Guy's Legends blues club will be the etch-a-sketch image I'll draw for you here. Why? Because it was the most blogworthy event, that's why, boo. Though Ding Dong might get his own story later.
I'm going to do this like a movie that shows you the end first. And then I'll say: "4 days earlier" or something like that. I hate movies that do that. But I thought it would be fun. So here goes.
Picture two inebriated dudes skipping across the skating rink at Millenium Park. The security guard was particularly jovial, but I couldn't tell if he w
as being sarcastic when he screamed "GET OFF THE ICE!" - I could only assume he was watching out for our own safety. Everybody (sober) knows that recently zambonied ice is hell to walk on. He was just making sure we didn't fall on our bums. Right?5.5 hours earlier ---------
We were just finishing our meal at PF Chang's (which, might I say, was subpar at best), when we officially decided to make the move to a blues club. I had never been to one, and for most in our group, visits to blues clubs in the past had been lackluster. But we had our heads up. We expected greatness. So we got a cab, told him where we were heading, and I couldn't help but notice a smirk on the cabby's face. I chalked it up to him thinking "this bunch of honkies is in for quite a surprise" - ten minutes later I figured out why the smirk. It was 9pm and the particular corner he dropped us on was dead quiet. Like it was waiting for a gunshot to break the silence. We hurried in and we were 5 of the first 10 people there. But the door guy promised a big time, so we decided to feel it out. I arranged for us to sit beside the stage, within sweat-dripping distance of the band.
The first beer went down well. A Kalamazoo, which I'm told is one of the better draft beers from the region...Anyway, the first band started, the Cash Box Kings. The lead guy was on a harmonica, and he seemed a bit out of his element. He improved as the set went on, but the first couple songs were pretty rough. The guitarist, Billy Flynn, was a badass. He's playing all the guitar on the soundtrack to the upcoming Beyonce movie "Cadillac Records" - wow.
Second band. Four beers in. All Kalamazoos. Hey, I dig the stuff. Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials. Lil Ed is 5'4" and dressed all in red. Hilarious. But he's not just a cartoon character. These guys are the real deal. Two guitars, drums and a bass. Solid set. But the kicker...Buddy Guy shows up. In his Bill Cosby holiday sweater and red Doc Martens. He sang some ditty about trying to sassify a 19-year-old. Dirty. Funny. Creepy. Talent oozed from this 72-year-old dude. Amazing really.
After six beers, PJ and I mustered up the courage to go meet Mr. Guy. Here's the full exchange:
Me: Hey Buddy
Buddy: Hey guys, what's crackin?
Me: Love your place!
Buddy: Thanks guys. Thanks for coming.
Me: So you getting back up on stage tonight?
Buddy: Nah, gonna let Ed and the boys have the spotlight tonight. They deserve it.
Me: What's all this jive about the 19-year-old you're singing about? [opening can o' worms]
Buddy: Aw man, you don't even know. These young ones are impossible to handle!
Me: What do you mean?
Buddy: What do I mean? I mean, I only need one viagra with those! With any female my age, I need at least two!
[awkward silence]
Me: That right? Well...I don't need any viagra. No matter how old the girl is!
Buddy: Just wait my young brother.
Me: [changing subject] Say Buddy, what you drinking? [looking at the plastic cup filled to the brim with ice and a yellow liquid]
Buddy: This? Oh its a Heineken.
Me: But it has a ton of ice in it?
Buddy: Yep. Traveling around Europe drinking hot beer will make a man do some crazy things! So I had to put some damn ice in it. Haven't ever gone back. Beer just can't be cold enough to me.
And that was it. Easily the most famous person I've ever talked to. And here's proof. A) Buddy Guy on wiki, B)
The night ended with a cab ride to the park, where we parked 6 hours earlier. Freaking awesome Friday night in the windy city. Would highly consider doing it all over again.
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