Checking Out Chris McDaniels Live at Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall, Bike Night on Beale Street

On Wednesday night, I drove down to Beale Street because I saw that Chris McDaniels was performing at Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall, a small, juke-joint-like venue on Beale. McDaniels had a decent album called A Woman’s Love on the local MegaJam label back in 1989, so I wanted to hear him. It also happened to be Bike Night on Beale Street, so the street was actually crowded. McDaniels is a consummate showman, and he has a first-rate band, but unfortunately he did few originals because performers on Beale generally redirect their repertoire to what tourists expect. Still, Handy’s Blues Hall has the best ambiance of any club on the street, and there’s no cover charge.