Summer preview 2010: 12 concerts/festivals you need to see
Free shows
Thermals/Disappears: Portland indie rockers the Thermals headline, and they’ll deliver a high-energy set. But be sure to show up on time so you can catch openers and hometown rockers Disappears, whose debut album, “Lux,” is a fierce and expansive guitar-rock document. 6:30 p.m. July 5 at Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park. Free; millenniumpark.org.
Old Town School of Folk Music’s Folk & Roots Festival: One of the city’s best-run festivals is a kid- and family-friendly event that presents a wide array of music from around the world. This year’s lineup includes the Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int’l and Shemekia Copeland (July 10) and the Wiggleworms’ 25th birthday party and the Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo (July 11). Noon July 10-11 at Welles Park, 4400 N. Lincoln. Free; oldtownschool.org.
Kid Sister/Konono No. 1: South suburban native Melisa Young (a k a Kid Sister) is at the forefront of dance-rap with her terrific 2009 album, “Ultra Violet.” She’s paired with Congolese thumb-piano maestros Konono No. 1, who turn junkyard remnants into rocking percussion instruments. 6:30 p.m. July 19 at Prizker Pavilion, Millennium Park. Free; millenniumpark.org.
Thermals/Disappears: Portland indie rockers the Thermals headline, and they’ll deliver a high-energy set. But be sure to show up on time so you can catch openers and hometown rockers Disappears, whose debut album, “Lux,” is a fierce and expansive guitar-rock document. 6:30 p.m. July 5 at Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park. Free; millenniumpark.org.
Old Town School of Folk Music’s Folk & Roots Festival: One of the city’s best-run festivals is a kid- and family-friendly event that presents a wide array of music from around the world. This year’s lineup includes the Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int’l and Shemekia Copeland (July 10) and the Wiggleworms’ 25th birthday party and the Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo (July 11). Noon July 10-11 at Welles Park, 4400 N. Lincoln. Free; oldtownschool.org.
Kid Sister/Konono No. 1: South suburban native Melisa Young (a k a Kid Sister) is at the forefront of dance-rap with her terrific 2009 album, “Ultra Violet.” She’s paired with Congolese thumb-piano maestros Konono No. 1, who turn junkyard remnants into rocking percussion instruments. 6:30 p.m. July 19 at Prizker Pavilion, Millennium Park. Free; millenniumpark.org.
Most artistically promising shows
Pitchfork Music Festival: More than 40 bands and artists congregate for this annual three-day gathering of the indie-music tribes. Headliners include Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem and Pavement, but per usual it’s the less widely exposed acts that give this festival its well-earned reputation for breaking fresh talent. This year’s most buzzed-about up-and-comers include the Smith Westerns, Cave, Bear in Heaven and Sleigh Bells. 3:30 p.m. July 16 and 1 p.m. July 17-18 at Union Park, Randolph and Ogden. $40, ticketweb.com.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: The veteran rocker has a new album, “Mojo,” loaded with blues-based songs that Mike Campbell and the rest of the boys should be able to rock mightily in concert. Don’t expect a greatest hits set; Petty often plays newer material in concert rather than leaning on old standbys – which is one of many reasons he’s still relevant. 7:30 p.m. July 17 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison, $49.50, $75, $99, $125; ticketmaster.com.
Wicker Park Fest: A ridiculously cool hodge-podge of bands at a low, low price. Artists include a reunion of emo legends Cap’n Jazz on July 31, and metal gods Torche and Baroness, plus Local H on Aug. 1. Noon July 31-Aug. 1 on North Milwaukee Avenue (between North Avenue and Wood Street). $5 donation; wickerparkbucktown.com.
Boris: Playing with the pitiless precision of Samurai warriors, this Japanese trio has pushed the boundaries of heavy music with a style that echoes the past even as it refuses to be bound by it. 9 p.m. Aug. 13 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. $18; etix.com.
Slayer, Megadeth, Testament: Three of the guiding forces in ‘80s thrash metal can still bring the godless thunder with the best of them. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Slayer’s as good a band as America has produced in the last 30 years. 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine, $9, $38, $58; ticketmaster.com.
Iggy and the Stooges: Even in his 60s, Iggy Pop is still a terrifyingly entertaining live performer, a man who eats chaos for breakfast. The Stooges lineup has been reconfigured since the death of founding guitarist Ron Asheton, with James Williamson stepping in. He was Iggy’s primary collaborator on the Stooges’ most popular album, the recently reissued “Raw Power,” so expect to hear the title track, “Search and Destroy” and “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell,” among other timeless pieces of fear and loathing. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Aragon, 1106 W. Lawrence, $47.25; ticketmaster.com.
Hidden gems
Bert Jansch: Guitar aficionados, especially of the acoustic variety, should be lining up around the block to see this guy. Jansch is one of the key figures in the British folk scene of the ‘60s, an influence on Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Beth Orton, Devendra Banhart and countless others. He put out a fine comeback album, “The Black Swan,” on the Chicago-based Drag City label in 2006, and this marks a great opportunity to see him at close quarters before he plays the Crossroads Festival with Eric Clapton at Toyota Park two days later. 8 p.m. June 24 at Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln Av., $15; musictoday.com.
Mission of Burma: Bands rarely sound as good or better the second time around, but this Boston trio is one of the exceptions. After breaking up prematurely in the early ‘80s after laying the groundwork for indie-rock, Clint Conley, Roger Miller and Peter Prescott are back louder and harder than ever with Chicago-based engineer Bob Weston handling the live mixing. 9 p.m. July 30 at Subterranean, 2011 North Av. $15; ticketweb.com
Phosphorescent: Matthew Houck brings plaintive twang and beautifully evocative arrangements to his soul-searching songs. There’s a backwoods feel to his music that evokes the Band with Rick Danko singing lead, or the country soul of Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner. 9:30 p.m. Aug. 5 at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Av. $12; ticketweb.com.
greg@gregkot.com
Pitchfork Music Festival: More than 40 bands and artists congregate for this annual three-day gathering of the indie-music tribes. Headliners include Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem and Pavement, but per usual it’s the less widely exposed acts that give this festival its well-earned reputation for breaking fresh talent. This year’s most buzzed-about up-and-comers include the Smith Westerns, Cave, Bear in Heaven and Sleigh Bells. 3:30 p.m. July 16 and 1 p.m. July 17-18 at Union Park, Randolph and Ogden. $40, ticketweb.com.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: The veteran rocker has a new album, “Mojo,” loaded with blues-based songs that Mike Campbell and the rest of the boys should be able to rock mightily in concert. Don’t expect a greatest hits set; Petty often plays newer material in concert rather than leaning on old standbys – which is one of many reasons he’s still relevant. 7:30 p.m. July 17 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison, $49.50, $75, $99, $125; ticketmaster.com.
Wicker Park Fest: A ridiculously cool hodge-podge of bands at a low, low price. Artists include a reunion of emo legends Cap’n Jazz on July 31, and metal gods Torche and Baroness, plus Local H on Aug. 1. Noon July 31-Aug. 1 on North Milwaukee Avenue (between North Avenue and Wood Street). $5 donation; wickerparkbucktown.com.
Boris: Playing with the pitiless precision of Samurai warriors, this Japanese trio has pushed the boundaries of heavy music with a style that echoes the past even as it refuses to be bound by it. 9 p.m. Aug. 13 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. $18; etix.com.
Slayer, Megadeth, Testament: Three of the guiding forces in ‘80s thrash metal can still bring the godless thunder with the best of them. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Slayer’s as good a band as America has produced in the last 30 years. 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine, $9, $38, $58; ticketmaster.com.
Iggy and the Stooges: Even in his 60s, Iggy Pop is still a terrifyingly entertaining live performer, a man who eats chaos for breakfast. The Stooges lineup has been reconfigured since the death of founding guitarist Ron Asheton, with James Williamson stepping in. He was Iggy’s primary collaborator on the Stooges’ most popular album, the recently reissued “Raw Power,” so expect to hear the title track, “Search and Destroy” and “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell,” among other timeless pieces of fear and loathing. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Aragon, 1106 W. Lawrence, $47.25; ticketmaster.com.
Hidden gems
Bert Jansch: Guitar aficionados, especially of the acoustic variety, should be lining up around the block to see this guy. Jansch is one of the key figures in the British folk scene of the ‘60s, an influence on Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Beth Orton, Devendra Banhart and countless others. He put out a fine comeback album, “The Black Swan,” on the Chicago-based Drag City label in 2006, and this marks a great opportunity to see him at close quarters before he plays the Crossroads Festival with Eric Clapton at Toyota Park two days later. 8 p.m. June 24 at Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln Av., $15; musictoday.com.
Mission of Burma: Bands rarely sound as good or better the second time around, but this Boston trio is one of the exceptions. After breaking up prematurely in the early ‘80s after laying the groundwork for indie-rock, Clint Conley, Roger Miller and Peter Prescott are back louder and harder than ever with Chicago-based engineer Bob Weston handling the live mixing. 9 p.m. July 30 at Subterranean, 2011 North Av. $15; ticketweb.com
Phosphorescent: Matthew Houck brings plaintive twang and beautifully evocative arrangements to his soul-searching songs. There’s a backwoods feel to his music that evokes the Band with Rick Danko singing lead, or the country soul of Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner. 9:30 p.m. Aug. 5 at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Av. $12; ticketweb.com.
greg@gregkot.com
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