Summer preview 2011: 10 must-see concerts and festivals
As usual the summer calendar is overwhelmed with concerts. Here are a few of the more promising ones arranged chronologically:
Downtown Sound: Each Monday evening through July 25, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events joins forces with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture to curate a series of shows at the right price (free) at the right venue (the visually spectacular, sonically pristine Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park). Must-sees include Low with Glen Hansard on June 27, Seefeel and Cave on July 4, Blonde Redhead on July 18 and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists on July 25, 6:30 p.m. Mondays through July 25, Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, free; www.millenniumpark.org or 312-742-1168.
United Sounds of America: This series presents six nights of music inspired by six American cities and regions, including New York (June 10 with hosts Bill Charlap and Suzanne Vega), Route 66 (June 11 with Arlo Guthrie), New Orleans (June 12 with the Rebirth Brass Band), Memphis (June 16 with Kirk Whalum), Detroit (June 17 with Marshall Crenshaw) and June 18 (Austin with Alejandro Escovedo), 8 p.m. June 10-12 and June 16-18 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Av., $25 to $70; cso.org or 312-294-3000.
Loretta Lynn: The 79-year-old country icon has never gone out of style with her no-guff attitude and classic songs such as “Fist City,” “Rated X” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” 5 p.m. July 1 with Court Yard Hounds at the Petrillo Stage in Grant Park during Taste of Chicago, free; explorechicago.org.
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