B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted welcomes lifelong blues aficionados and casual listeners alike to its daily performances primarily by local artists. Sets by groups such as Vance "Guitar" Kelly and the Backstreet Blues Band begin each night at 9:30 p.m., and patrons can linger as late as 3 a.m. to grab more drinks or wait for the band's bass to turn back into a pumpkin. The intimately sized venue clusters all of its tables near the stage, ensuring that the entire audience remains within earshot of the soulfully crooned melodies.