I’ve mentioned here before that the second Saturday of June is one of the best days of the year for Chicagoans to entertain out-of-town guests. Events have come and gone over the years, but there are always a variety of ways to showcase our city’s music and arts scene around this time. And it’s likely the weather will cooperate with your indoor and outdoor adventures. Here are just a few recommendations for things to do this Saturday.
Fans of well-crafted power pop will find plenty to like when Material Reissue and Frisbie perform at Schubas on Chicago’s north side. The original Material Issue was a trio comprising lead vocalist-guitarist Jim Ellison, bassist-vocalist Ted Ansani, and drummer Mike Zelenko that helped put Chicago on America’s rock and roll map back in the early 1990s. Videos of “Valerie Loves Me” and “Diane” from the band’s International Pop Overthrow debut were in regular rotation at MTV, and other gems would surface on future albums. A number of years after we lost Ellison, Material Reissue emerged with Ansani and Zelenko, along with Chicago rock scene veteran Phil Angotti on lead vocals and guitar. Frisbie, led by guitarist-vocalist Steve Frisbie and also including drummer Gerald Dowd and guitarist-vocalist Liam Davis, has garnered critical acclaim for close to 25 years for its live performances and albums such as The Subversive Sound Of Love.
The Cure’s 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour will bring the U.K. new wave band to the United Center for an evening of classic hits such as “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Just Like Heaven,” and “In Between Days.”
Amazing Heeby Jeebies will perform as part of a three-act showcase at Montrose Saloon on the north side. Led by vocalist Ary Jeeby and propelled by guitarists Bob Hyatt and Tom “Boss X” Klein, the Chicago-based quintet’s 2018 Bad Feeling debut album combined garage rock and rockabilly while spinning tales of werewolves, mummies, and cannibals. The Metalliques and Feral Faucet will also be on the bill at Montrose Saloon.
The 73rd annual Old Town Art Fair, which features over 200 juried artists, live music, and a garden walk, takes place this Saturday and Sunday. The event opens at 10:00 am each day, with the main gate being located at Lincoln Avenue and Wisconsin Street. I don’t see a specific amount on the website, but usually a donation of around $10 is suggested.
It’s much less crowded if you visit the Old Town Art Fair right about when it opens. Plus, that leaves you enough time to walk a few blocks south and check out The Wells Street Art Fair. This event appeals to a younger audience, with two stages of live rock music, along with all that art and photography. The main entrance is at Wells Street and North Avenue, and a donation policy is involved here as well.
The 2023 Chicago Blues Festival will be at full power on Saturday, starting at noon and running through 9:00 pm. Scheduled performers include Sugaray Rayford, Demetria Taylor with The Mike Wheeler Band, Mud Morgenfield, John Primer with Steve Bell, and a Rosa’s Lounge Jam Session with Mary Lane, Lil Ed, Willie Buck, and Billy Branch.
The Andersonville Midsommarfest runs this weekend from Foster to Gregory on Clark Street, and Saturday provides an opportunity to catch one of Chicago’s best bands, The Handcuffs. Their 4:30 pm show will no doubt include songs their latest album of adventurous indie rock Burn The Rails. Other bands performing Saturday include Pravda Records Artists MIRRORS; Neptune’s Core, who’ve released two albums of indie rock and have a new EP on the way; and Chicago Soul Spectacular, whose latest EP Don’t Be Afraid Of Love came out last year. The Andersonville Midsommarfest will also feature merchandise, artisans, and food vendors. General admission is $10.
If you’ve been planning to check out the new State Of Sound exhibit now open at Navy Pier, you might want to squeeze it into your June 10 carousing. This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.
No comments:
Post a Comment