The Chris O'Leary Band at the 443

Devastatingly soulful vocalist, dynamic harmonica master, and superlative songwriter Chris O’Leary is among the blues and roots world’s most talented unsung heroes. The award-winning O’Leary—disciple and friend of both The Band’s legendary drummer/vocalist/songwriter Levon Helm and iconic blues harmonica giant James Cotton—has been playing professionally since the 1990s, with five previous solo albums to his credit. The Marine veteran, ex-Federal police officer, former lead singer of The Barn Burners (featuring Levon Helm on drums), and loving father has walked a hard line from his upstate New York home to stages all over the world. No Depression magazine says, “O’Leary’s voice contains startling emotion…reaching an intensity and emotional rawness [that’s] primal. The performances practically vibrate with an authenticity that stays with you.”

In 1986, O’Leary joined the Marines, following a tradition of military service in his family. Deployed to the Middle East, he and his fellow infantrymen experienced life-threatening combat. The raw emotions left by this experience would soon find expression in his deeply personal songwriting. He left the service in 1993 and headed to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he soon fell into the local music scene. Before long he was jamming with area musicians. Not long after, he formed his own band, quickly making a name for himself as the area’s foremost practitioner of authentic, classic Chicago blues. As luck would have it, an acquaintance who worked with Levon Helm gave Levon a tape of O’Leary’s band. Helm, who was still recovering from throat surgery at the time, liked what he heard, met up with O’Leary and recorded on some of O’Leary’s demos. He soon began showing up unannounced at many of O’Leary’s local gigs, often sitting in with the band and playing drums.

In 1997, Levon, out of the blue, asked Chris to pack his bags and move to New Orleans. He wanted Chris to front the house band—featuring Helm on drums and his talented daughter Amy sharing vocals—at his new club, Levon Helm’s Classic American Café, on Decatur Steet. For over a year, O’Leary and Helm performed five nights a week, often backing famous touring musicians, from Hubert Sumlin to Bobby Keys to O’Leary’s harmonica hero James Cotton, whom O’Leary befriended. While in New Orleans, O’Leary’s musical vision grew to include soul, jazz, country, and straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. With each performance, O’Leary was becoming a more fully formed artist.

When Helm’s club closed, Levon took the house band—The Barn Burners—on the road. For the next six years, they barnstormed across the U.S. and Canada. But then O’Leary experienced problems with his voice, and his doctors told him he needed to stop singing for a while. He all but quit music and took a job as a Federal police officer. But he couldn’t let go of the music and began hitting the blues jams once again, putting together his own band. As he grew musically stronger, he became an internationally touring bluesman while still holding his police officer’s job. O’Leary would save, trade, and use his time off work to tour the world, playing as many as 100 nights a year. Eventually, old injuries sustained as a Marine made it impossible to work both jobs. It was time to concentrate on his music.

O’Leary made his recording debut playing harmonica on blues legend Hubert Sumlin’s About Them Shoes in 2003. The album was produced by Keith Richards and features, among others, Helm, Cotton, and Eric Clapton. It also included O’Leary’s good friend, blues guitarist and Muddy Waters’ band alum Bob Margolin (who also appears on both The Last Waltz and on Hard Again and has a number of solo albums, including three on Alligator). In 2010, Margolin helped O’Leary release his first album, Mr. Used To Be, on the Vizztone label. The album was nominated for a Blues Music Award and won the Blues Blast Award for Best New Artist Debut. Four more solo albums followed—two on Vizztone and two on American Showplace—as O’Leary grew his audience one scorching performance at a time.

O’Leary has always been a monster road warrior, playing hundreds of shows a year all over the world, personally connecting with his audience through his fervent, heartfelt performances. Outside of the U.S., he’s played in Canada, Ireland, Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Portugal.
With The Hard Line, Chris O’Leary is at the peak of his creative powers, delivering memorable, thought-provoking original songs informed by the complex road he’s traveled. “I’ve lived a life,” he says. “Going to war, playing with Levon, getting to know Cotton.” And now, at long last, O’Leary is set to take his place among the blues world’s most passionate and exciting blues and roots artists. His astonishingly honest material, fierce harmonica work, and torrid vocals stun his listeners to attention and bring his live audiences to their feet, all while making a lasting, personal connection.

• The 443 has a $15 per person/seat required minimum purchase for our shows, which can be any combination of food and drink.
• If your party (or part of it) does not show up, the ticket buyer will be charged $40 per person. Please let us know if you're not coming at least 24 hours before the show to avoid this charge.
• The 443 is an 18+ venue
• No outside food or drink allowed.
• Ticket limit: 3 tables for two or 6 single seats.
• Be respectful to the artist on stage and considerate to your neighbors - put your phone away, limit your conversation, and plan to be settled in your seats before the show starts.

We have 3 tiers of ticket options:

Tier 1 – (YELLOW) – Most expensive tickets. Regular height ables for two and single barstools at the bar.

Tier 2 – (BLUE) – Mid-priced tickets. High and low tables for two with excellent sight lines – particularly the high tables.

Tier 3 – (LAVENDER) – Least expensive tickets. Two low tables for two (15 & 16), plus (potentially shared) high tables for single attendees (25, 26, 27)

Green squares/circles on the floor plan are bar-height tables, orange squares are regular-height tables.

* If anyone in your party needs special seating arrangements - walker, cane, service animal, wheelchair, or low table requirement - please email us after you place your order. *

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The 443 Social Club & Lounge, 443 Burnet Avenue, Syracuse, United States