Normal's Sweet Corn Blues Festival

One of my favorite events here, the Sweet Corn Blues Festival, is almost here! Whoever came up with this idea, combining blues and sweet corn - two staples here in central Illinois - deserves some kind of reward.

Nothin' But the Blues Festival

We went to the Nothin' But the Blues Festival here in Bloomington, Saturday afternoon and evening. The event was very well-attended and very impressive. In places I've lived outside Illinois, I was used to horrible music festivals. But, here in Bloomington-Normal, all of the blues festivals have been terrific. I've been more impressed with the cultural offerings here than in the larger towns I've lived in, such as Tucson and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

On Saturday, we first heard the Bloomington-native Matt Curry and the Currfew, then B.J. Allen and Blue Voodoo, Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, and Sharrie Williams. The only downside were the ribs and Bud lites that threw me off my diet!

Chicago Blues Fest

The Chicago Blues Fest this year, my first, was impressive to say the least. Click here to get my Flickr pictures of the festival.

In all, I got to see Gloria Thompson Rogers, Eddie Taylor Jr. with Harmonica Hinds, the Maxwell Street Revisited band (Dancin' Perkins, Iceman Robinson, Smilin' Bobby, Bobby Too Tough, and Frank "Lil Sonny" Scott), Cyrus Hayes and Lady Lee, Eden Brent, Little Dave Thompson, Tre' and the Blueknights with Lady Kat, Big Jack Johnson, David Honeyboy Edwards with Devil in a Woodpile, and Johnny Drummer and the Starlighters.

Gotta' start making my plans to attend next year!

Summer plans 2009

13 days until summer! I'm actually starting to get my summer plans thought out a little early this year. Besides writing my capstone paper for work and other projects, I'm planning on attending a few festivals and visiting friends. My plan so far:
June 12-14: Chicago Blues Festival
July 22-26: One Day in July (Minneapolis, MN)
August 15-16: Sweet Corn Blues Festival (Normal, Illinois)