“Wild Bill & the Bruisers” On Tour in Chicago on June 12, 2026 → Weekly Wilson

Took in Wild Bill & the Bruisers show tonight in Chicago at the Broken Hearts Bar on Lake & Randolph. It was a fantastic high-energy, low-impact evening—except for when I nearly ripped poor Louis’s shirt off while dancing the two-step. (Something I have only done once before in my life. The dancing; not the ripping. I may have done the ripping previously a time or two. Louis is the white-haired gentleman who can be seen dancing, if YouTube will let me upload the clip, which is always dicey. Otherwise, use your imagination. Lewis is probably very happy that I am not a full-time local resident who might seek out his instruction. Also dicey.)

Louis (Lewis?) is a dance instructor somewhere nearby and a regular customer at Broken Hearts Chicago. Lewis, when asking me to dance, knew my first name. (I think Reily, who works at Broken Hearts Chicago, told Lewis my name and that I wanted to dance. I failed to get a picture of darling Reily, sadly. I may have captured Lewis in action, but, again, will YouTube let me make the video into a post? Always a question. If so,I’ll add it tomorrow and you can enjoy Lewis before I unintentionally attacked his shirt.)

I also didn’t get a picture of 25-year-old Atticus from California, who said he had an NDA that prevented him from having his picture taken. Atticus complimented me on my “great memory.” I think he was just surprised that someone as old as me could remember her own name, let alone the names of several of the bar’s patrons.

Lewis apparently thought I knew what the basic “two step” was prior to the dance invitation A: no.At one point, my little finger got caught in the snap closings of Louis’s shirt. (He was twirling me, at the time.) Not good for Louis’s shirt, and I definitely need better instructions for future two-step outings.

KATE

Kate & husband, from Wicker Park.

Kate and her husband of 10 years live in Wicker Park. She was seated near the photo booth and they were very congenial and said they had (originally) seen Wild Bill & the Bruisers in Nashville and knew they were very good. She mentioned other times that she and her husband had come out to hear Wild Bill & the Bruisers play. Wild Bill, the talented group lead, mentioned from the stage that the sound at tonight’s show (the trio has been on tour in New York, Ohio and elsewhere) was the best sound of the venues they have played while on tour.

BRIE

Brie was getting married in the morning. She looked very happy and Brandon, 23, was in town from Missouri for the wedding. I made Brandon take a turn on the dance floor, although he claimed to not know how to dance. My advice: “fake it till you make it.” So, we did, and, later he brought over a very pretty girl whom he described as the World’s Greatest Taylor Swift fan.

Also stopping by our table was the groom, Chosen, and Jason, the Best Man. Jason also sells cars in the Chicago area. He said he was planning on dancing with me, but the group then left to hit other bars in the area, so that didn’t happen. (After Lewis’s shirt incident, wise move on Jason’s part.)

The bride, Brie, on June 12, 2026, the night before her wedding,at Broken Heart Bar in Chicago. The groom, Chosen, and Best Man, Jason, smile for the camera.