New Video: Chuck Berry at Blueberry Hill 10-20-2010

Suddenly, from nowhere, fuzzy video from the October 20, 2010 performance at Blueberry Hill.  And I was there!

Four nights prior Chuck and crew had played at The Pageant.  THAT show had been sublime with Chuck just feeling it.  He played almost every note perfectly and with great flair.  Here's my review of that spectacular show at The Pageant.

At Blueberry Hill it was rougher, especially during the slow blues "Rock Me Baby" that led to Chuck using the Stratocaster.  The tuning of his big Gibson got totally out of whack for that one song, and you can see him begin to tweak the Strat on this one.  I wrote two pieces about it-- a review HERE and post of pictures HERE.But hey-- it was a fun show, as you can see from these videos!

I love this quiet version of "School Day," a song he strips to the bone.

(When he mentions the Cubs he was pointing to this guy!)

According to my original, flawed notes, (typed in exhaustion after the show that night) the next song he played was "Sweet Little Sixteen," and our beloved videographer caught it.



What my flawed notes don't reflect is that he played "You never Can Tell" when he had the Stratocaster.  I do remember him beginning to tune that guitar, and the meaningful look he got from CBII.  He laughed, stopped tuning, and, with a cue from Ingrid, started singing one of my favorites.



Towards the end he played a song I hadn't heard in my previous two Chuck Berry shows: Johnny B. Goode.



I shouldn't reveal that someone was kind enough to send me a long tape of last number-- "Reelin' and Rockin" and "House Lights."  It's too long to post, and I don't know how to use YouTube.   But I'm really pleased to have these clips-- rougher than at The Pageant, but rough in a beautiful way.

One of the pleasures of the evening was meeting Chuck's friends Karen and Judy for dinner and the show.  Karen and Judy did something special that night, presenting Chuck with a painting of himself by artist Brian Tones.  Read about that (and see the painting) HERE.   Hail! Hail!