Queen Explosion

 Jeff Fest Coming Down Hard On Chicago Like An Avalanche 

Okay music lovers, you might want to grab a cup of coffee and sit down for this article. The Jeff Fest has celebrated it's 20th anniversary this year with musical acts such as Northside Band, One Way Street and Queen Explosion. With that in mind, the park is  located on the corners of Lawrence & Milwaukee and is nestled in a tight niche community with angry bikers and cop lovers all around. Not only that, there is a small community stage in back, a "Kid's Zone"  with plenty of food and limited beer choices for the park goers. I was not impressed this year and when our friends at Blackened performed back in 2013 the Jeff Fest ran out of beer to sell. You can ask the band's manager, Rich Nestler if you want fact find this information if you'd like? Yes, let's live for the moment of truth and check out Mr. Fahrenheit traveling at the speed of light on this Saturday afternoon. 

There was going to be much drinking that night and only a fool would drink on an empty stomach. So, I went to a Harold's Chicken food truck and ordered some chicken tenders with fries. When I went to the beer tent there was Harold Thruburt, a Jefferson Park icon. Everyone in this community knows Harold because he is a triple Scorpio and he is more dangerous than Charles Manson. I wasn't happy with the beer selection this year and ordered a Goose Island IPA. And so much for that, eh?

In any case, I was too busy with meet and greets with old friends, I failed to take notes on Queen Explosion. However, once they started playing the 1970's classic "Stone Cold Crazy" it was time to get back to work. Other songs with a warm summer breeze included: "Radio Ga Ga" and "We Are The Champions" kicked off the night, and too bad for those Chicago Cubs and cleaning house, right? There are no more champions and most folks want to play hero with that Mask Shit. Not me, Mr. Jefferson! Just leave me the fuck alone!! 

The crowed was too laid-back as the day felt like a lazy Sunday afternoon and the last song performed by Queen Explosion was "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the crowd seemed pleased that night. There is no press on these guys and again I am not chasing down band managers for not listing their band members on the information superhighway system. The singer was fair and had great stage presence and I am sure that Roger Taylor and Brian May would be proud to see Queen Explosion with their performance. There would, of course, be not need covering Kashmir tonight because they are Super-Rock Stars with a super attitude, convinced that they are God's gift to Led Zeppelin. I am an Outlaw journalist and there is no need for ego in this crude ugly world of music. I suggest that you check out Queen Explosion before the Summer comes to end. There isn't much time left folks before we become victims of "Hammer To The Fall" only to endure another Polar vortex.