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Archives: May 2006
Checkerboard Lounge, features Blues-O-Matic™ Thursdays
Chicago guitarist Chainsaw Dupont & the Blues Warriors invite the audience to participate in Blues-O-Matic™, a new feature of their weekly Thursday show at Chicago's legendary Checkerboard Lounge, 5201 S. Harper (773-684-1472). Each week, starting on June 15th, at the end of the first set, the band will take suggestions on postcards from the audience, select some at random, and then promise to write a blues song incorporating those elements on the spot, playing it sometime during the second set. One of the suggestion cards will be picked, and the winning audience member will get to name the song. The song will be recorded, and all audience members who join the email list get an MP3 of the song sent to them.
The Checkerboard is proud to introduce the bright songwriting talent of guitarist Dupont to a new generation of Chicago fans. Dupont previously was lead guitarist for harpist Wells, and has released 2 critically-acclaimed CDs of original blues in just over 2 years, and is currently in rehearsals for a third, which completes a "street trilogy" of records paying tribute to the Chicago, Louisiana, and Memphis blues styles. The Blues-O-Matic™ experiment is an attempt to revive the improvisational elements which long were at the core of the blues tradition, but have become less prominent as many bands rely heavily on old catalogs of blues hits. "Most of those songs are older than the guys playin' them", says Dupont, vowing to change the reputation of blues as an historic artifact irrelevant to today's music scene.
Checkerboard Lounge recently re-opened in a new facility in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood after a two-year absence, and has a storied history that includes all of the greatest names in Chicago blues, and in fact was once owned by Buddy Guy, and was home away from home for his longtime partner, the late Junior Wells. The Rolling Stones and other notable rock stars have paid visits to the 'Board, and often sit in on sets.
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Chainsaw Dupont on Chicago Blues Tour™ May 27th
Chicago guitarist Chainsaw Dupont will be a featured performer on the Chicago Blues Tour™, a Memorial Day weekend pub crawl of Chicago blues lounges. He'll be appearing at Wabash Tap, 1233 S. Wabash, in a guitar battle with Killer Ray Allison. The tour features 7 clubs and 9 bands, with shuttle bus transportation and all admissions included for one ticket price. Details, tickets, and other tour information can be found at http://www.chicagobluestour.com, or by calling the toll-free Chicago BluesLine at 866-LIVEBLUES.
Dupont, former Junior Wells guitarist, and Allison, longtime drummer (Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters) turned guitarist, will engage in a 3-round guitar bout, with each performing their own tunes as well as mini-tributes to departed blues heroes, in the spirit of Memorial Day. Dupont will feature Albert King songs in his sets, while Allison will feature his former boss, Muddy Waters.
Music starts at 8:30 PM, and there's no cover, unless you're joining the bus tour.
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Chainsaw Dupont featured in Spring 2006 Chicago Blues Tour
Chicago blues guitarist Chainsaw Dupont is one of the featured performers on the Chicago Blues Tour, Saturday, May 27th. Killer Ray Allison will challenge him in a rematch of last year's guitar showdown, at the Wabash Tap, 1233 S. Wabash. The tour also features 6 other venues and 7 other bands, in a pub crawl. One $30 ticket includes all admissions and shuttle bus transportation between some of the coolest blues lounges on the South and West sides, as well as a special outdoor blues jam at Wallace's Fish Market. The night will feature tributes to blues heroes in the spirit of Memorial Day Weekend. Chainsaw will pay tribute to Albert King during his sets, while Killer Ray will pay tribute to Muddy Waters. The guitar duel starts at 8:30, and you don't have to go on the tour to attend the duel.
Buses start rolling at 6:15 p.m., and until May 13 at noon, advance and group discounts of up to 33% apply. You can get full information, tickets, and group discount information at
http://www.chicagobluestour.com
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