$5
Dan Eli, Dave Hawkins, Kris Nichols, Luke Sayer, Marlin St. James -- active song writers with great voices take turns and sometimes accompany each other. And then, as if magically, the evening's music starts taking a shape of its own...from the LilFest Songwriter's Circle.
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
Beverage Specials- One Night Only May Day Party!
Time:
6:00pm
Description:
Taste great wine, sample fine food, and never flinch again at a restaurant wine list. All this- plus great live blues- at Bill's Blues Premium Wine Tasting Event. Tickets are $100 per per person or $150 per couple. Appetizers will be supplied by Mark
Grosz, owner and head chef of Oceanique. Bill Gilmore, Bill's Blues owner and resident wine expert will be conducting the tasting and will be available to answer any wine queries. Tasting ticket holders are welcome to be our guests for the 8:30 p.m. blues show featuring The Eddy Clearwater Blues Band. This includes free admission with guaranteed reserved seating, complimentary premium beverages, and a chance to meet Eddy Clearwater.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$12
Sets at 8:30 pm. 10:30 pm, and Midnight
One admission is good all night
Alligator recording artist, Eddy Clearwater, is out of town more often than not these days, headlining festivals in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Here is your chance to catch Eddy in Bill's Friendly Confines- up close and personal. Patron's Tickets and Platinum Passes- available at etix.com guarantee seating, no matter how crowded we get.
Description:
Midnight Music- FREE ADMISSION 21+
Indie Rock from Northwestern University with
Lolita- Drink and Dance until (nearly) Dawn!!
Time:
8:30pm - 11:45pm
Description:
$10
Sets at 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
One $10 admission is good all night.
Delta and Chicago blues from one of the masters of traditional blues guitar and his rock steady band. LV and his band rarely play north of Madison Street- this is a rare opportunity to catch the real deal South Side blues.
Time:
4:00pm
Description:
The family-friendly afternoon begins with the LilFest "Your Turn" Open Mike, 4:00PM first-come, first-served sign-up for a fifteen minute performing slot (includes your set-up time). Every genre of music, spoken word and performance is welcome. This mike is particularly entertaining fun to watch, from Irish a cappella singing to drum soloists, cover bands to trad singer-songwriter guitarists, student jugglers to storytellers. Nancy Emrich created the LilFest “Your Turn” Open Mike at Bill’s Blues, to showcase the depth and breadth of talent in and around Evanston, Chicago, the Midwest. It’s become a stopping point for musicians and performing travelers from points as far flung as Italy, Australia, Israel, Montana, Massachusetts, and Texas. "LilFest Selects" on some Sundays feature Open Mike performers at the 7:00 Sunday Night Folk Concerts. Some Open Mikes feature touring guest hosts, and bands may sign-up by making an appointment. The band slot will be first, with set-up at 3:30 pm, and then the equipment stays and is available to others until 6:30. The Open Mike usually ends at 6:30 as the set up and sound checks begin for the Sunday Concert Series.
Time:
7:00pm
Description:
The SASS! Trio: Sandy Andina, Susan Urban with Kate Early
Scintillating three part harmonies accompanied by guitar, six string banjo, mountain dulcimer, hand drum and other percussion instruments, plus a wicked sense of humor on the part of all three of these fine musicians make for a great evening of entertainment.
Time:
9:00pm
Description:
$4 per person entry fee- all money collected goes to the prize fund. Bring your brains and show us how smart you are! Questions can range from Baseball to Bach to Bourbon (or The Bourbons). Bring a team or play as an intellectual army of one.
Time:
10:30pm
Description:
21+
Free admission, beverage specials include $7 Bud Light Pitchers.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
FREE ADMISSION AND DRINK SPECIALS
Play your instrument, sing your song, or just sit back and listen - you are welcome at Bill's Jam . Join us in supporting the blues- everyone from seasoned professionals to talented newcomers jams at Bill's.
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Description:
Free Admission, Beverage Specials
Join Evanston native, Mike Finnerty and The Heat Merchants for hot Jazz and cool drinks every Wednesday night. See why Howard Reich recently gave Mike- and Bill's Blues- a rave review in The Chicago Tribune. This is a Pro Jam- everyone is welcome to sit and listen, but you need to check with Mike Finnerty or a band member before going on stage.
Time:
6:00pm
Description:
BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: BILL'S BLUES BAR...
6 PM START TIME
ALL AGES SHOW... 7+ Bands, 5 Hours... yep, we bad.
Come See a Show You Can't See Anywhere Else. Brilliant Young Talent~! 7+ Different Bands. ALL AGES!!! Bring your Mom.
Featured Artists Include:
Jeanne T. Arigo
Jesus Chrysler Supercar
Dear Violet
COMPLIANT
Sheat
thriftstore beatniks
The Horrids
& guests
BILLS BLUES--EARLY EVENING SHOW- 6 PM START
1029 Davis
Evanston IL, 60201
Show Time: 6:00 PM
All-Ages, & Bar w/21+ID
$8 Adv Tix, $10 Door
Time:
6:00pm
Description:
Free admission- donation requested
They may call themselves The Sidemen, but our regulars know that these Jazz artists could headline on any stage. We suggest coming early- this big band tends to pull a big crowd.
Time:
8:00pm
Description:
Art Event from 8 pm until 2 am
Get Plastered for Mother's Day with Anne Elisabeth Hogh
Free Admission, Original Art Available For Purchase
Evanston native, Anne Elizabeth Hogh, has exhibited at New York City's prestigious Agora Gallery. Join Anne Elizabeth as she does live body casting at this unique art event.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$10
Sets at 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., and Midnight.
One $10 admission is good all night.
Join us for a look at the future of Chicago blues- Eric "Guitar" Davis. Eric plays blues standards- as well as original tunes- with the kind of energy and passion that identify him as one of the rising stars of Chicago blues guitar.
Time:
4:00pm
Description:
The family-friendly afternoon begins with the LilFest "Your Turn" Open Mike, 4:00PM first-come, first-served sign-up for a fifteen minute performing slot (includes your set-up time). Every genre of music, spoken word and performance is welcome. This mike is particularly entertaining fun to watch, from Irish a cappella singing to drum soloists, cover bands to trad singer-songwriter guitarists, student jugglers to storytellers. Nancy Emrich created the LilFest “Your Turn” Open Mike at Bill’s Blues, to showcase the depth and breadth of talent in and around Evanston, Chicago, the Midwest. It’s become a stopping point for musicians and performing travelers from points as far flung as Italy, Australia, Israel, Montana, Massachusetts, and Texas. "LilFest Selects" on some Sundays feature Open Mike performers at the 7:00 Sunday Night Folk Concerts. Some Open Mikes feature touring guest hosts, and bands may sign-up by making an appointment. The band slot will be first, with set-up at 3:30 pm, and then the equipment stays and is available to others until 6:30. The Open Mike usually ends at 6:30 as the set up and sound checks begin for the Sunday Concert Series.
Time:
7:00pm
Description:
LilFest presents Chad and Jeremy's Return to Chicago on Mother's Day Weekend. For information contact: LilFest 312-371-2284 or info@lilfest.com
Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde became a sensation in America on the wave of the British Invasion charting 11 Top 40 hits including the smash “Summer Song,” “Yesterday’s Gone,” “Willow Weep for Me,” and “Distant Shores.” The duo made appearances on numerous TV shows in the 60’s including “Dick Van Dyke,” “Patti Duke,” “Batman” and “Danny Kaye.” They also appeared on “Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show,” “Andy Williams,” “American Bandstand,” and “Hullaballo.” They continued to rack up the hits and tour throughout the 1960’s, but have rarely performed together since then, as an ocean and many acting and musical projects diverted their life paths.
Two other concerts are planned by LilFest as well.
This is a Bill's Blues "Special Event", we are not able to accept any passes, discounted tickets, trade coupons, or donation forms for this show.
Time:
9:00pm
Description:
$4 per person entry fee- all money collected goes to the prize fund. Bring your brains and show us how smart you are! Questions can range from Baseball to Bach to Bourbon (or The Bourbons). Bring a team or play as an intellectual army of one.
Time:
10:30pm
Description:
21+
Free admission, beverage specials include $7 Bud Light Pitchers.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
FREE ADMISSION AND DRINK SPECIALS
Play your instrument, sing your song, or just sit back and listen - you are welcome at Bill's Jam . Join us in supporting the blues- everyone from seasoned professionals to talented newcomers jams at Bill's.
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Description:
Free Admission, Beverage Specials
Join Evanston native, Mike Finnerty and The Heat Merchants for hot Jazz and cool drinks every Wednesday night. See why Howard Reich recently gave Mike- and Bill's Blues- a rave review in The Chicago Tribune. This is a Pro Jam- everyone is welcome to sit and listen, but you need to check with Mike Finnerty or a band member before going on stage.
Time:
7:00pm
Description:
Fast and Cheap, created by professors from Lake Forest College, features:
Jim Cubit – mandolin, guitar
Cynthia Hahn (French) – bass
Don Meyer – keyboard
Richard Pettengill (English & Theater) – guitar, bouzouki
Rand Smith – guitar, mandolin, dobro
Their energetic and upbeat repertoire includes elements of old-time, Irish, blues, country, folk, and bluegrass music, as well as several originals.
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
18+ Until Midnight ID Required $5 WILDCARD ADVANTAGE!
NU Band THE FRENCH HORN REBELLION... HAS CANCELLED. We hate when that happens. If you missed them at the April 3rd show, YOU CAN MISS THEM AGAIN ON mAY 15 There's another chance to see THIS incredible act... STAY TUNED. TBA
www.frenchhornrebellion.com
Time:
5:30pm
Description:
Free Admission- Donation Requested
Great big band jazz featuring the top tunes from the Prohibition Era. Thankfully, Prohibition is long gone- even in Evanston. Equally thankfully, the Prohibition Orchestra plays on. Come and hear great music accompanied by your favorite libation-it's all legal now!
Time:
9:00pm
Description:
$10
18+ Until Midnight; 21+ After Midnight
Classic Chicago blues plus a heady homage to a certain Mr. Hendrix. If the high energy end of blues is your style, Pistol Pete is your man.
Time:
3:00pm
Description:
BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: BILL'S BLUES BAR... 3pm ALL AGES SHOW... 7 Bands, 5 Hours... yep, we bad.
Come See a Show You Can't See Anywhere Else. 3 pm MATINEE! Brilliant Young Talent~! 7 Different Bands. ALL AGES!!! Bring your Mom.
Featured Artists Include:
Tenstrike
Sylis Assigned
The Midwestnigthmare
BLUE FOG
Semper Infractus
Bea Mircea
jmo
Blib
& guests
BILLS BLUES--Early Matinee
1029 Davis
Evanston IL, 60201
Show Time: 3:00 PM
All-Ages, & Bar w/21+ID
$8 Adv Tix, $10 Door
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$10 in advance; $12 at the door
Sets at 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and midnight
One admission is good all night. Patron's Tickets- available at etix.com- guarantee a great reserved seat!
Down and dirty, down home Chicago blues with blues guitar master Sammy Fender. It doesn't get any blusier than Sammy on a Saturday night at Bill's Blues.
Time:
4:00pm
Description:
The family-friendly afternoon begins with the LilFest "Your Turn" Open Mike, 4:00PM first-come, first-served sign-up for a fifteen minute performing slot (includes your set-up time). Every genre of music, spoken word and performance is welcome. This mike is particularly entertaining fun to watch, from Irish a cappella singing to drum soloists, cover bands to trad singer-songwriter guitarists, student jugglers to storytellers. Nancy Emrich created the LilFest “Your Turn” Open Mike at Bill’s Blues, to showcase the depth and breadth of talent in and around Evanston, Chicago, the Midwest. It’s become a stopping point for musicians and performing travelers from points as far flung as Italy, Australia, Israel, Montana, Massachusetts, and Texas. "LilFest Selects" on some Sundays feature Open Mike performers at the 7:00 Sunday Night Folk Concerts. Some Open Mikes feature touring guest hosts, and bands may sign-up by making an appointment. The band slot will be first, with set-up at 3:30 pm, and then the equipment stays and is available to others until 6:30. The Open Mike usually ends at 6:30 as the set up and sound checks begin for the Sunday Concert Series.
Time:
7:00pm
Description:
Malcolm Holcombe - FOLK
Malcolm is currently #9 on the Americana radio play charts - just behind the likes of Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Robert LaPlante (!)....
It was LilFest Festival IV when Malcolm Holcombe brought down the house. Unknown to many of the regulars, (including the other musicians) -- everyone was spellbound. No name has tripped more frequently off audience members' tongues in the ensuing two years. Everyone wants Malcolm back. As one artist said upon hearing Malcolm "I don't know about him, but I can tell he's the real deal."
Try as you might to use other adjectives, when you write about Malcolm Holcombe and his work, you always come back to rugged and rustic. His visage appears to be carved of granite, and his voice is a sculpture crafted of tree bark and discarded railroad iron. His words and images cling to you for hours, even days, like wood smoke. All of those things certainly apply to his new CD Gamblin' House, produced by Ray Kennedy (Steve Earle, Ray Davies), a gentleman that Malcolm has wanted to work with for a long while. Come hear the results of another great Kennedy production.
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
21+ $5 Admission - Show Starts at 10pm - ID Required For Entry!
Live R&B performances
Time:
9:00pm
Description:
$4 per person entry fee- all money collected goes to the prize fund. Bring your brains and show us how smart you are! Questions can range from Baseball to Bach to Bourbon (or The Bourbons). Bring a team or play as an intellectual army of one.
Time:
10:30pm
Description:
21+
Free admission, beverage specials include $7 Bud Light Pitchers.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
FREE ADMISSION AND DRINK SPECIALS
Play your instrument, sing your song, or just sit back and listen - you are welcome at Bill's Jam . Join us in supporting the blues- everyone from seasoned professionals to talented newcomers jams at Bill's.
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Description:
Free Admission, Beverage Specials
Join Evanston native, Mike Finnerty and The Heat Merchants for hot Jazz and cool drinks every Wednesday night. See why Howard Reich recently gave Mike- and Bill's Blues- a rave review in The Chicago Tribune. This is a Pro Jam- everyone is welcome to sit and listen, but you need to check with Mike Finnerty or a band member before going on stage.
Description:
7PM - Jazz Explorers - JAZZ
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
18+ (until midnight) -ID Required- $6 cover - $3 with any student ID
New Colossus The poignant, storytelling lyrics of Springsteen and Dylan... the driving rock of Pearl Jam and U2... the creative songwriting integrity of Radiohead... and the explosive ambience of Sigur Ros...
http://www.myspace.com/newcolossus
This is what New Colossus aspires to. Thus far, the result has been an undeniably dynamic array of songs characterized by intricate piano melodies, soaring guitar leads, and euphoric crescendos. The atmospheric quality of the New Colossus sound combined with the sincere urgency of the lyrics provides a platform for emotional upheaval that few bands can match.
Inspiration for the band’s name came from a poem by Emma Lazarus that was written for, and is now engraved upon, the Statue of Liberty in 1883.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$12
Sets at 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and midnight
One admission is good all night
Melvin Taylor displays a blues guitar mastery that must be experienced- think Jimi Hendrix crossed with Wes Montgomery. Melvin usually packs Bill's, so seating can be at a premium. Patron's tickets guarantee a seat- for guaranteed reservations, go to etix.com online.
Time:
3:00pm
Description:
BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: BILL'S BLUES BAR... 3pm ALL AGES SHOW... 7 Bands, 5 Hours... yep, we bad.
Come See a Show You Can't See Anywhere Else. 3 pm MATINEE! Brilliant Young Talent~! 7 Different Bands. ALL AGES!!! Bring your Mom.
Featured Artists Include:
Edgar Gabriels SringFusion
Jared Malmfeldt
Hour of Silence
MATT ROME
The Oath We Took
AURA
& Guests
BILLS BLUES--Early Matinee
1029 Davis
Evanston IL, 60201
Show Time: 3:00 PM
All-Ages, & Bar w/21+ID
$8 Adv Tix, $10 Door
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$10
Sets at 8:30 PM, 10:30 PM, and Midnight
One $10 admission is good all night.
Sing along with- and dance to- all your favorite Motown hits. The front of Bill's will be cleared for dancing.
Time:
4:00pm
Description:
The family-friendly afternoon begins with the LilFest "Your Turn" Open Mike, 4:00PM first-come, first-served sign-up for a fifteen minute performing slot (includes your set-up time). Every genre of music, spoken word and performance is welcome. This mike is particularly entertaining fun to watch, from Irish a cappella singing to drum soloists, cover bands to trad singer-songwriter guitarists, student jugglers to storytellers. Nancy Emrich created the LilFest “Your Turn” Open Mike at Bill’s Blues, to showcase the depth and breadth of talent in and around Evanston, Chicago, the Midwest. It’s become a stopping point for musicians and performing travelers from points as far flung as Italy, Australia, Israel, Montana, Massachusetts, and Texas. "LilFest Selects" on some Sundays feature Open Mike performers at the 7:00 Sunday Night Folk Concerts. Some Open Mikes feature touring guest hosts, and bands may sign-up by making an appointment. The band slot will be first, with set-up at 3:30 pm, and then the equipment stays and is available to others until 6:30. The Open Mike usually ends at 6:30 as the set up and sound checks begin for the Sunday Concert Series.
Time:
7:00pm
Description:
7PM - John Elder & Jim Gary Double Bill - Folk
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
21+ $5 Admission - Show Starts at 10pm - ID Required For Entry!
Live R&B performances
Time:
9:00pm
Description:
$4 per person entry fee- all money collected goes to the prize fund. Bring your brains and show us how smart you are! Questions can range from Baseball to Bach to Bourbon (or The Bourbons). Bring a team or play as an intellectual army of one.
Time:
10:30pm
Description:
21+
Free admission, beverage specials include $7 Bud Light Pitchers.
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
FREE ADMISSION AND DRINK SPECIALS
Play your instrument, sing your song, or just sit back and listen - you are welcome at Bill's Jam . Join us in supporting the blues- everyone from seasoned professionals to talented newcomers jams at Bill's.
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Description:
Free Admission, Beverage Specials
Join Evanston native, Mike Finnerty and The Heat Merchants for hot Jazz and cool drinks every Wednesday night. See why Howard Reich recently gave Mike- and Bill's Blues- a rave review in The Chicago Tribune. This is a Pro Jam- everyone is welcome to sit and listen, but you need to check with Mike Finnerty or a band member before going on stage.
Description:
7-9:30PM - The Railjacks - ROCK
Time:
10:00pm
Description:
Niteskool Benefit
Time:
5:30pm
Description:
Russell and Period Six Band Graduation Party
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
TFB Band
$10
Tom Crivellone and The TFB Band play our Final Friday big blues show.
Time:
3:00pm
Description:
BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: BILL'S BLUES BAR... 3pm ALL AGES SHOW... 7 Bands, 5 Hours... yep, we bad.
Come See a Show You Can't See Anywhere Else. 3 pm MATINEE! Brilliant Young Talent~! 7 Different Bands. ALL AGES!!! Bring your Mom.
Featured Artists Include
My My My
Shilly
The Boy Named Crow
Roboggan
The Exchange
Heather Lanasa
Stephanie Picarra and Jeff Aquino
Mark Wudtke
& Guests
BILLS BLUES--Early Matinee
1029 Davis
Evanston IL, 60201
Show Time: 3:00 PM
All-Ages, & Bar w/21+ID
$8 Adv Tix, $10 Door
Time:
8:30pm
Description:
$10
Ron Prince is one of Chicago's premier guitar slingers. His high energy pyrotechnics have made hism one of Bill's Blues favorite acts. We recommend coming early or geting advance tickets at etix.com.