J.J.'s Blues Cafe, San Jose

This blues joint has been around forever, and nearly everyone who is everyone in the world of blues has played here. It is a tiny, casual, almost-a-dive sort of place with photos of jazz greats and other celebrities covering the walls. Come into this long, skinny music venue and drown your sorrows while bluesmen of all ages crank it out on stage to fans from all over the Bay Area. Admission varies by event.