- Cambria Harkey
- Heartless Bastards
The festival announcements are rolling in. This week’s Early Warnings include a few of the more momentous warm-weather fests.
Taste of Chicago runs June 25 through July 4 in Grant Park and plates some solid old-school fare, with performances by Salt-n-Pepa, Bell Biv Devoe, and Gavin Rossdale (you remember Bush, right?), among many, many others. The Chicago Folk & Roots Festival (July 10-11), presented by the Old Town School of Folk Music, brings six stages of music to Welles Park; main-stage acts include Etran Finatawa, the Budos Band, Shemekia Copeland, and the Occidental Brothers Dance Band International featuring Samba Mapangala (Peter Margasak has more to say about this year’s lineup). Lastly, the Do-Division Street Fest runs June 5 and 6 along a stretch of Division (duh) between Damen and Leavitt and features music booked by the Empty Bottle and House Call Entertainment (talent buyers at the Beat Kitchen and Subterranean). This year’s lineup is mighty strong and includes YACHT, the Night Marchers, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, the Ponys, Pelican, and the Good Life.
That’s not to say there weren’t any plain old shows worth mentioning announced this week, of course: there’s Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs at Subterranean, the Heartless Bastards at Bottom Lounge, Jack-O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers at the Empty Bottle, Matt Pond PA at Lincoln Hall, and a blowout at Soldier Field with Deadmau5, Brazilian Girls, and Designer Drugs. Just to name a few.
Check out my list of notables after the jump: