West Fest!

Summertime in Chicago is officially in full swing! Farmer's Markets are fraught with fresh produce, tan lines are increasingly growing bolder and street festivals are taking over even the busiest of intersections. On Sunday, after a busy brunch shift, I put on a flirty dress, strappy sandals and sunglasses, and headed down the street to West Fest.  

Those Darlins @ West Fest!!

One of the main reasons I attended West Fest this year was to see Those Darlins perform. I was going to see them live back in April when they opened for Black Joe Lewis & the HoneyBears at the Double Door, but my late arrival made me miss their act. Despite being bummed about missing some fabulous ladies rock out that night, I spotted Rahm Emmanual at that show, so that kind of made up for it.

 Thus, since the beginning of April I've been itching to catch a Those Darlins performance. And I am proud to report that finally scratching that itch on Sunday was extremely satisfying. The ladies of Those Darlins totally commanded the stage, staying true to the sound you can find on their latest album Screws Get Loose. 

After they left the stage I definitely had some girl envy. Oh how I wish I could be bad ass and sexy with a guitar and microphone. As an adult I'm extremely realistic. It only takes a split second to conjure up childhood memories to know why a career in music will never be in the cards.

 Growing up I did a lot of musical theatre. Despite having stage presence, I couldn't sing my way out of a paper bag. Consequently, I would be cast in roles with a lot of dancing and/or speaking, but with the least amount of singing. Additionally, in fifth grade I joined the school band. Initially I played trumpet. After a couple of months, my teacher switched me to trombone because she thought it would be easier for me to grasp. It was quickly evident that the trumpet hadn't been the problem. I was the problem. There was not one musically inclined bone in my body. Within a few weeks of making the switch, I packed up my trombone and left my dreams of being a part of the fifth grade band horn section behind. 

Don't worry U&B readers, I've recovered since those rough times of crushed childhood dreams of musical stardom. My rightful place is in the audience when music is involved, and that is a-okay with me. 

Anyways, below are a few more images from my West Fest evening. Enjoy!

These people had the best view of the show for sure!

Sharing a hot summer evening with amazing people is always a bonus!
(from left to right) Rachel, Barb, Josh, & Chris.

Josh held his drink in his army cargo shorts. Genius! I was little
 envious of him at this moment for sure.

The lovely ladies of the evening.
Me! (left), Rachel (middle), Barb (right)