Kingston Mines Blues Club / Historic Bar / Jazz Club / Restaurant

Lincoln Park, Chicago –

Founded in 1968 as one of Chicago’s first blues clubs, Kingston Mines has stood witness to more than a few big players in the industry wailing about how their woman left them.

Playbills from past performances, old photos of legendary singers, and vintage murals of African American history dot the room, while mismatched ceiling tiles and peeling linoleum floors add a down-and-dirty touch for the young hipster music lovers and older fans who groove to the twang that kicks off at 9:30 each night.

The space consists of two nearly identical rooms, each with a dance floor, a few scattered wooden tables, a basic bar, and a simple stage built to resemble a southern porch, complete with shutters and plants painted on the front and a large “Dancing Aloud” sign to one side.

Narrow tables and a salvaged church pew in front of the stage fill up quickly with blues aficionados, while the more outgoing show off their dance moves, pausing just long enough to scarf down a few southern dishes like fried okra and catfish.

Mounted TVs in the back of both rooms, which take turns hosting performances, project a live video of whoever is onstage – often the only glimpse much of the audience will get on crowded weekend nights.

Dim and loud, lively and long-running, Kingston Mines is conducive to tappin’, clappin’, and full on booty poppin’ alike…so long as somebody’s heart is broken or their dog has run away.