The Best Audio & Video From Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival delivered two solid weekends packed with highlights. Fortunately, the good times don't have to end at the festival, as some of the strongest sets of the festival have been recorded, and we're happy to share them with you. Three keys sets from 1/21 at the Auditorium are available here in their entirety to stream or as iPod ready downloads. Page Two of this post features a roundup of the best videos we've found yet, capturing lots of excitement from both nights, including some intimate backstage moments.  Stay tuned and we'll try to add more as it becomes available.

David Grisman Quintet

?, Janice, Newly Wedded, Mad Max, Dawg's Waltz, Grateful Dawg, Slinky, Dawg-matisicm*, Happy Birthday Bill Monoroe*, Opius 38* > Shady Grove * * with Don Stiernberg (mandolin)

Download Entire Set (mp3 .zip)

Del McCoury

Loneliness and Desperation, There'll Be No Tomorrow, Quicksburg Rendezvous, Deeper Shade of Blue, ?, Nashville Cats, Orange Blossom Special, Kentucky Waltz, Hello Lonely, Blackjack County Chains, Never Grow Up Boy, Eli Renfro, High On The Mountain, Cheek to Cheek With The Blues

Download Entire Set (mp3 .zip)

Big Mon Jam

Long Journey Home, I Tried My Little Heart Out, In Despair, ?, Will You Be Lovin' Another Man, A Good Woman's Love, Back To The Old Home, I'm Blue and Lonesome Too, Blue Ridge Mountains, Uncle Penn

Download Entire Set (mp3 .zip)

Click over to page 2 for videos of these sets and more, including Dawes, Van Ghost Acoustic Duo, The Bluegrass Ball w/Austin & Nershi, Joe Purdy & The Giving Tree Band, and Henhouse Prowders

Rex-a-vision captured some incredible backstage footage with Dawes

This was a special set from the second weekend featuring Michael Harrison Berg as a part of a Van Ghost Duo with Chris Gelbuda

Here they are taking on the Beatles

Righteous Jam with The McCoury's, Jeff Austin & Bill Nershi

Joe Purdy & Giving Tree Band Backstage working up "Stand By Me"

...and on the mainstage.

A couple of great tunes from Barn favorites Henhouse Prowlers

The Prowlers' "Lonesome Road"

Beautiful vid of Del and Dawg, without the rest of the band, picking during the Big Mon Set.

I've loved this song forever. Del and his band do it justice. "Working On A Building"

Return to page 1 with full streams and downloads of select sets.