CIW Lab Attendees Enjoy Exclusive House of Blues Concert and Tour
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| Chicago’s House of Blues opened its doors for Chicago Ideas Week Lab goers. |
About 20 Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) Lab participants sat patiently in the House of Blues auditorium Oct. 16, staring at a blank red curtain in front of the stage. The legendary Chicago concert hall was ornately decorated with folk art, and symbols of the world’s major religions framed the top of the stage.
And then the curtain rose, revealing vocalist Rosa Harris and five band members playing everything from classic blues to modern R&B in an exclusive morning jam session. The two-hour behind-the-scenes look at the Windy City’s storied music venue at 329 N. Dearborn was just one of about 100 intimate Lab experiences CIW attendees dove into during its annual seven-day innovation festival Oct. 14 – 20.
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| In addition to the concert, attendees got a grand tour. |
The concert wove together powerful performances with colorful history lessons.
“Why would we want to learn about the blues?” Harris asked. “Because the story of blues is the story of our country.”
Blues has permeated almost every genre of music available today, Harris said, dating back to slave spirituals and West African songs.
“Music is creative expression,” she said.
For the next hour the band played songs spanning from the late 19th century through the present day, rocking out to songs by popular artists like The Beatles, Big Mama Thornton, Michael Jackson and Mary J. Blige.
Following the concert and dynamic history lesson, bass guitarist Jeff Michael gave the group a grand tour of the House of Blues. And its art collection – with everything from sculptures to abstract paintings to chairs adorned with bottle caps – can be just as impressive as some of the music.
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| The House of Blues boasts a massive folk art collection. |
“We have more folk art in all of our House of Blues locations than anywhere else in the world,” Michael said.
For former educator and Chicagoan Siobhan Lau, 26, the Lab was a way to combine her passion for music and teaching – all for just the CIW event ticket price of $15.
This felt like a way to bridge the gap,” Lau said. “I didn’t know about the educational arm of House of Blues.”
*Experience the magic of the House of Blues for yourself by clicking here!*
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Written by: Fran Hoepfner
Photography by: Fran Hoepfner
