chuckography

Behind the scenes...

Taj Mahal had not been to Charleston for a few years so I looked forward to seeing him again this week at the Charleston Music Hall on John Street.

What a great venue! It's an entirely different atmosphere from The Music Farm or The Plex and just needs to be used more often.


As I recall, my first experience in the Music Hall was watching SERENADE, the annual Christmas show directed by the talented Brad Moranz, starring him and his wife Jenny. Really fun shows.

Since then I have seen Taj and Keb' Mo', Little Feat, Ricky Skaggs, John Hiatt and others.

Each performance reminds me what a perfect jewel box this place is and I'm surprised it's "dark" so often. However, for November, it looks pretty booked up. Terrific!

Another venue way up north in the Windy City, offers Chicago Blues with a familiar look. As I approached the club, the huge painting of a blues player on the side of the building reminded me of John Carroll Doyle's art at his studio on Broad Street.

Looking closer, there was a credit to the artist and the website http://www.bluechicago.com confirmed you could buy his works there in the two clubs, or in the blues store or back here in Charleston. A Sister City musicial connection.

As the slogan at Cumberland's says "Support Live Music."

posted by chucker @ 5:55 PM