Bad Moon Saloon

Photographs & Drawings by
Max C. Kim

I remember Til Two, a down-home blues bar tucked away on the Oakland side of Shattuck Avenue in the early '80s. With its red brick walls, low ceilings, and dimly lit interior, it felt like a secret sanctuary. Nestled between a fish market on one side and Flint's BBQ on the other, it was my little corner of paradise. As a regular, the waitress knew me well and always saved a small bowl of peanuts just for me. The place was alive with the pulse of blues music, soulful dancing, and colorful characters—like the guy who used to offer a line of blow near the men's bathroom. Those nights brought me a kind of joy I can still feel, a nostalgia that thrills me every time I think back.

I can still vividly picture "Chicken-Legs Jimmy," his Blues Harp Badolier slung across his chest, commanding the stage with performances that resonated deep in my soul. Those moments left an indelible mark on me. Til Two holds a special place in my heart, and "Bad Moon Saloon" is my way of immortalizing its influence on my life, paying tribute to the spirit of that time and that space. It’s my homage to the place I miss the most. I can still hear Chicken-Legs Jimmy closing his sets with his trademark line: “If you ain't got the blues, you ain't got the soul.” Oh, how I miss those days.