Whatever cliches and stereotypes may surround Irish music, Luka Bloom has devoted his career to dismantling them. He defied all expectations a decade ago with his acoustic cover of LL Cool J’s “I Need Love.” His latest work, “Salty Heaven,” draws from a wealth of traditions. Friday, Bloom plans “to witness the phenomenon that is Chicago on Paddy’s Day”; at 9 p.m. Saturday, he’ll play the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. Tickets: $25.
Q: You told me you’ve never had a bad show in Chicago. What is it about the city that brings out the best in you, or vice versa?
A: It’s very good for your state of well-being to come to this country, because Americans love to be sung to. This is particularly true in Chicago. I don’t know enough of Chicago to know why it is, but when you’re coming to Chicago — no matter how much you’ve enjoyed other gigs and other places — your adrenaline just goes up a little bit, because you know you’re gonna have a good experience.
Q: You incorporate a variety of styles on “Salty Heaven,” but at the end of the day, it’s still recognizably you. You’re not trying to be some sort of musical tourist.
A: Well, at the end of the day, there’s a guy alone with a guitar and his voice. When I first came to America in 1986-87, I felt that people had a very one-dimensional perception of what a person on their own with a guitar was capable of. I’ve always had the sense that the only limitations are within ourselves and that there’s no reason in the world why I shouldn’t be singing with LL Cool J, Willie Nelson, Elvis … as long as I can bring something of myself to it. So no matter what influences you hear, they’re gentle and they come about as a result of me simply loving those people’s music.
Q: At the risk of putting you on the spot, people have asked me to ask you: Are you available?
A: Listen, this is gonna sound like a really tacky thing to say, but when I’m in Chicago, I’m always available. (laughs)
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