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Concert Mon May 23 2011
Get Grooving With The Downtown Sound Series
Monday's don't have to be all bad this summer — not when you can cap them off with a free concert in Millennium Park nearly every week. Tonight marks the start of one of Chicago's best (and thankfully still active) musical traditions: the Downtown Sound: New Music Mondays series. This year's free concerts range from offerings from local labels, local bands, national (and international) acts, and sweet rare performances from not often touring bands. Grab a friend and a blanket, maybe a sandwich and some cheese cubes, and settle in under the web of speakers down a the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park to wash away the taste of those Monday blues. All shows start at 6:30pm.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy (right) and Emmett Kelly of Cairo Gang
The season starts off tonight (rain or shine) with the roots/acoustic punk/Americana sounds of Bonnie "Prince" Billy featuring the Cairo Gang. Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Will Oldham) brings his beardy, rootsy, often edgy songs to the stage tonight along with ample backing power from the Cairo Gang. Bonnie and the gang recently put out a benefit 10" EP Island Brothers whose proceeds go to bringing clean water to Haitians. Fans of good harmonies, sad stories, broken hearts, and all things that come with an acoustic guitar attached, should definitely hit up this show. Opening support comes from Eleventh Dream Day whose drummer Janet Bean broke her ankle over the weekend. Luckily, handy (pun intended) substitute Jim Elkington (The Zincs, The Horse's Ha) will fill in tonight. Did we mention it's free? Yeah.
2011 Downtown Sound Series Schedule:
May 23 - Bonnie "Prince" Billy featuring The Cairo Gang, Eleventh Dream Day
May 30 - Justin Townes Earle, Andre Williams and The Goldstars
June 6 - Iron and Wine, The Head and the Heart
June 13 - Phosphorescent, Campbell Brothers
June 20 - Kings Go Forth, Ben L'Oncle Soul
June 27 - Low, Glen Hansard
July 4 - Seefeel, CAVE
July 11 - Delicate Steve, Bombino
July 18 - Blonde Redhead, My Gold Mask
July 25 - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Rachel Ries