Chicago concerts

Of all the things I miss about Chicago, the biggest one right now is the Old Town School of Folk Music. I used to volunteer for their concerts—and I forgot to tell them that I moved—so I got a sign-up sheet for the spring 2005 concerts. And now my heart hurts from missing all these good ones:

Jan. 16: Robbie Fulks’ Secret Country (Bill Kirchen, Phil Lee)

Jan. 23: Eric Bibb
I volunteered for a Leo Kottke show about four years ago, and the then-unknown blues guitarist Eric Bibb opened for him. I was absolutely blown away. It was just him on stage with his guitar. He did slap bass, stomped his feet, and had a fantastic voice. He’s now my favorite contemporary blues guitarist. Fantastic!

Jan. 30: Danu
When I studied in Ireland the summer I was 20, one night we were out at a pub with a live band that night (I think it was the Quays). Officially a live band, not a pick-up group like most pubs there had in the afternoon. One of my classmates, Stephanie, had some connection to them (maybe she picked them up in another pub earlier in the day? Those were the sorts of connections she made.), and knew them. We drank a lot of Murphy’s, and pretended to Irish step dance on the dance floor (annoying drunk Americans, I know, I know). The band was amazing. I think we may have met them afterwards (but by now, one pub night in Galway eight years ago tends to blend with another). What I particularly remember from the evening is: 1. Irish guys know where Kansas is because everyone in the world is familiar with “The Wizard of Oz.” 2. Danu was amazing.

Feb. 5, 6: Alejandro Escovedo
Alt-country god.

Feb. 12: Lhasa
Slinky melancholy tango. The woman (never sure if she is Lhasa, or if that’s the group’s name) has an incredible god. This is what the Old Town Web site says about her: “She is a strange and unusual singer who is part hippie blues singer, part Edith Piaf and a smokey, murky version of Tom Waits as Mexican jazz diva.”

March 12: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
I know them mostly as the South African singers who were on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album.

I would kill to go to any of these shows.