Tweedling Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 In a couple weeks me, my wife and some of our friends will be going on the Blues Cruise. My friend had suggested it and I love Taj Mahal so we decided to go. I would like to see if you well educated lovers of music would mind checking out the line up and tell me if any of the performers are familiar to you. I am aware of the more notorious artists such as, KWS, Taj, Joan Osborne (didn't know the girl did blues, Matt "guitar" Murphy, Dion and Corey Harris. I'd love it and appreciate it if you are familiar, you would let me know and possibly refer me to something from their catalog that you might enjoy. And by all means if you see someone who you can't stand to listen to then please advise me as well. Thanks to any responses! Here is the list of performers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have seen Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin with Pinetop Perkins. He also toured with Muddy Waters back in the 70s. He's worth seeing, but definitely check out Joan Osborne's band. I saw her as guest vocalist with The Dead around 2003 and she really is a true professional. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have seen Tommy Castro a few times and he always puts on a good show. It leans a bit towards R&B rather than straight blues. Good singer and guitar player and usually gets the crowd dancing. I would recommend checking him out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Terence Simien is lots of fun--should be great for a cruise. And Taj Mahal can be wonderful, but don't talk too much during his performance: I saw him once waaaay back when and he stopped in the middle of the show and walked off because, in his opinion, we were "the rudest motherfuckers" he'd ever seen. It shut everyone up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Terence Simien is lots of fun--should be great for a cruise. And Taj Mahal can be wonderful, but don't talk too much during his performance: I saw him once waaaay back when and he stopped in the middle of the show and walked off because, in his opinion, we were "the rudest motherfuckers" he'd ever seen. It shut everyone up! Taj might be making a mistake playing on a cruise ship. I've been on (far more than) my share of cruises, and they are almost always crowded with very demanding, self-absorbed, impatient people who love to hang around where live music is being performed and loudly run their mouths. I've never been on a music-themed cruise, though, so hopefully this one will be a little more artist and listener friendly. I still haven't seen Taj. I'll need to correct that at the next opportunity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Taj does this cruise once or sometimes twice a year and from what I can tell the people attending are blues lovers. All the input has been great. I really appreciate the reccomendations and the stories! Keep it coming. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 This looks moderately fun. Taj Mahal is very good. Kenny Wayne is a flashy white guy, playing white guy blues (does he sing now?) Ronnie Baker Brooks is the son of Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks and is also good. Dion..really? LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I would go for Taj, alone! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Taj plays just about every year at the Chicago Blues fest, so you could save your cruise money and just come to Chicago. Blues Fest is free. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Taj plays just about every year at the Chicago Blues fest, so you could save your cruise money and just come to Chicago. Blues Fest is free. LouieB Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Yeah, that makes perfect sense.Perhaps you are being sarcastic (if so I probably had it coming...) but the fact is the entire fest is free, has tons of great talent and you won't get sea sick. Guys like Taj, Bob Margolin and Ronnie Brooks play these events all the time. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Perhaps you are being sarcastic (if so I probably had it coming...) but the fact is the entire fest is free, has tons of great talent and you won't get sea sick. Guys like Taj, Bob Margolin and Ronnie Brooks play these events all the time. LouieBHow often do you get to see Taj at the BF? Most of the times these festivals are short sets. There are multiple opportunities during the cruise to visit with the performers too. Is that common at the BF? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 And, on the Blues Cruise you can be on a cruise. For me that sounds like hell on earth, but if you like cruises, I'll bet BF is a terrible waste of time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 How often do you get to see Taj at the BF? Most of the times these festivals are short sets. There are multiple opportunities during the cruise to visit with the performers too. Is that common at the BF?Okay I suppkse this is true. Sometimes folks do multiple sets at the Chicago music fests though. And, on the Blues Cruise you can be on a cruise. For me that sounds like hell on earth, but if you like cruises, I'll bet BF is a terrible waste of time.If you like the blues it is not a waste of time and certainly not a waste of money since it is free. If you don't like crowds and drunk people in the evening it is a waste of time, otherwise it is a fine time and if you don't like it, just walk away, no problem. On a cruise you can't just walk away (you can go to your cabin I suppose) and it isn't free. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 But it's a vacation, and if you live in Chicago a vacation in Chicago will still cost you money but won't be nearly as exotic or cruise-y. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 But it's a vacation, and if you live in Chicago a vacation in Chicago will still cost you money but won't be nearly as exotic or cruise-y.Plus you'll have to deal with the B.S. and crowds associated with any of the fests at Grant Park. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Never went to a fest in Chicago because I never did have the desire to get humped by a 5,000 person herd. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 But it's a vacation, and if you live in Chicago a vacation in Chicago will still cost you money but won't be nearly as exotic or cruise-y.All this is true. Coming to Chicago is not like a cruise....actually it is beter if you live in a less exciting local. You can go see all kinds of stuff you can't see on a cruise. I am not dissing a cruise, but you have to eat their food, be with cruise people, be on a boat for a week (or whatever) and be cooped up. Here in Chicago you can go to dozens of clubs, museums, restaurants, plays, meet folks from all over the world, etc. It isn't bad, but it isn't a cruise. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Plus you'll have to deal with the B.S. and crowds associated with any of the fests at Grant Park. Never went to a fest in Chicago because I never did have the desire to get humped by a 5,000 person herd. Most of the Grant park and Millenium fests and concerts aren't nearly as bad as you are portraying them. Once again,they are free so how can you lose? You can play good money to go to concerts or clubs and be with tons of jerks, but generally the outdoor shows at these two venues are pretty mellow anymore. WXRT's 4th of July, well that's different. I don't do that. (Okay and She and Him sounded kind of like a drag too.) But I have seen all kinds of cool stuff over the yaars at both these venues with a minimum of hassle and no cost. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Which would be a fun discussion for the Chicago thread, but this is the Man-from-Chicago-Going-on-a-Cruise thread. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Which would be a fun discussion for the Chicago thread, but this is the Man-from-Chicago-Going-on-a-Cruise thread.True, I give up. In that case none of those acts look like anyone I would want to spend a week with, but that's just me. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 It's kinda man-from-Texas-going-on-cruise-looking-for-opinions-on-artists thread. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I just wanted to point out that this thread is hilarious. A big thanks to all of the posters. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 It's kinda man-from-Texas-going-on-cruise-looking-for-opinions-on-artists thread. So how was the cruise? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 So how was the cruise?I hope we find out... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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