It's Wednesday night and you walk into the smoke filled hardwood bar room.,”Walking toward the west end of Marquette's campus on Wells Street, you might spot a poorly lit neon bar sign. An Old Style's logo appears on the top of the sign, below it reads Conway's. This is Conway's Smokin' Bar & Grill, 2127 W. Wells St.
When walking into the bar on a random Wednesday night, smoke fills every corner of the hardwood bar room. A semi-crowded seating area is typically filled with college students, blues musicians and local fans who sip on their Pabst Blue Ribbon bottles (the bar's Wednesday night deal).
With that first step you hear the wail of a blues guitar from an old man picking the strings with the ferocity of a teenage punk rocker. Wednesday nights at Conway's are blues jams nights, open mic forums for blues music.
Marquette graduate Bryan Balzer frequents Conway's on Wednesdays and said it offers a unique blend of people and music.
"I remember the first time I went there on a Wednesday and Milwaukee Slim (a local blues musician) was playing and I thought to myself 'Why has it taken me so long to find this place,'" Balzer said.
Conway's prides itself on its variety of people and simplicity of décor. The stage for blues jam night has a faded green wall as a background, four multi-colored lights and more microphones than musicians.
"We have a very eclectic group of people that come here on Wednesdays," said manager Devin Farmer, "whether they play the blues or love the blues you're bound to find a wide range of people."
Not only does the bar feature local blues legends like Lee Gates, Stacks Edwards and Big Johnson and The Thrusters, but it also spotlights many lesser known Milwaukee musicians.
"I love the blues jam because you see the greats, but a lot of great players come from out of the woodwork too," Balzer said.
Marquette graduate and Conway's bartender Meara Downey enjoys the assortment of players as well.
"The coolest thing to me about Wednesdays is you go from hearing a guy in his late 50s to a guy in his early 20s and sometimes they'll even play together," Downey said.
Even if you do not have a strong affinity for blues music, the bar also has other things to offer such as pool, darts and a kitchen.
Farmer laughingly said he thinks Gates likes the pool table as much as the stage.
Conway's begins its blues jam between 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and usually kicks on until right before closing time at 2 a.m. For a night of blues and something different, Conway's has much to offer.
"Wednesdays are like our Saturdays here and you're bound to hear something you like and meet some cool people," Downey said.
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