August's Five Can't Miss Shows
(Tom Lynch)

1. Rise Against
(Congress Theatre)
Because "The Sufferer & The Witness" is incredible and still exciting, even after a year on shelves. Because the band's live show seizures with intensity. Because they're a local band that got huge and hasn't sold out (well, not too bad anyway).
(August 24)

2. Lollapalooza
(Grant Park)
Lineup-wise, the least interesting of the three years of the festival. But still, seeing Daft Punk, Interpol, Iggy and The Stooges, Spoon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lupe Fiasco, Yo La Tengo, Silverchair (yes!), Ted Leo, The Hold Steady and even headliners Pearl Jam in one weekend ain't so bad.
(August 3-5)

3. Rufus Wainwright
(Ravinia)
Singer-songwriter Wainwright impresses again with "Release the Stars," his latest record of orchestral, heart-heavy pop that manages to inspire and confound at once.
(August 25)

4. Tegan & Sara
(Lakeshore Theater)
The cult-followed Canadian duo--twin sisters, complete with onstage sibling bickering--tours in support of the upcoming "The Con," which is produced by a whole all-star team of indie-pop musicians, including Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and The Rentals' Matt Sharp.
(August 7)

5. Ozzfest 2007
(First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre)
It's Ozzy. And, hey, it's free. Free. What the hell? Why not?
(August 10)


August's Five Can't Miss Shows
(Duke Shin)

1. Lollapalooza
(Grant Park)
Daft Punk is playing at our park. Riding high on a new wave of French disciples that have emerged over the last year, watch the originators drop "Da Funk." Plus: M.I.A., LCD, !!!, PB&J and many more musical abbreviations.
(August 3-5)

2. A-Trak
(Smart Bar)
From DMC scratch champion to Kanye's man on the decks, this DJ party-rocks his way through sets that balance his choice cuts and turntablist skills. He's also teamed up with another Chicago MC in Kid Sister, and did we mention older brother Dave is half of Chromeo?
(August 10)

3. Wet Grooves
(Crobar)
The biggest pool party at Miami's Winter Music Conference is manifesting at Crobar, with afternoon activities outside which will spill into the glittered interior at night. Big name headliners, local favorites and, yes, there will be a pool. Seriously.
(August 11)

4. Bleep! Remixing Pong to Donkey Kong
(Claudia Cassidy Theater)
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs offers up this game installment of the innovative Ohm Multimedia Series featuring Mark DeNardo (Gamma Bros) performing game-influenced music on laptop, Gameboy and guitar. If it ain't fun, it must be your controller.
(August 24)

5. Stereo Total
(Abbey Pub)
French/German duo bring their cheeky blend of retro new wave, future techno-pop and other uncategorizable efforts, like their bizarre rock cover of Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It," or hummable favorite "L'Amour A 3."
(August 31)


August's Five Can't-Miss Shows
(Dennis Polkow)

1. Mahler Sixth Symphony
(Ravinia Festival)
James Conlon's traversal of the Mahler symphonies with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra continues this year with the ever-popular Mahler Fifth (July 6, also performed by Carlos Kalmar and the Grant Park Orchestra August 10-11) and this far rarer performance of the Mahler Sixth, perhaps less popular than other Mahler symphonies because of its much darker sound world (it is often dubbed the "Tragic").
(August 1)


2. Placido Domingo
(Ravinia Festival)
Long after fellow "Three Tenors" Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras have burned their voices out, this legendary tenor is still going strong, having released his first "Tristan und Isolde" last year with spectacular results. This is a rare opportunity to hear Domingo sing in concert with James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony, with soprano Ana Maria Martinez on hand for duets.
(August 4)

3. Madama Butterfly
(Ravinia Festival)
Back in the early years of the twentieth century, "Ravinia Opera" was the summer opera capital of the country, a tradition that James Conlon has revived since becoming the festival's music director. And though some might quibble about his choice of one of the most popular operatic warhorses that is heard far too often already for this season's opera, at least with soprano Patrica Rocette in the lead and Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony, the sound should be glorious. Too bad Ravinia insists on skimping by not having the CSO Chorus participate as well.
(August 11)

4. Chicago Jazz Philharmonic on Tap: Songs from the Chicago Songbook
(Pritzker Pavilion)
One of six free "Made in Chicago: Home-Cooked Jazz" concerts this summer, the fifty-piece Chicago Jazz Philharmonic directed by trumpeter Orbert Davis will present a concert showcasing the songwriting history of the Windy City with guest artists Maggie Brown, Jackie Allen and Terisa Giffin, plus Lane Alexander's Chicago Human Project collaborating with the orchestra on a world premiere work written to expressively integrate tap as a percussive musical voice.
(August 27)

5. Grant Us Peace
(Pritzker Pavilion)
This season finale to the Grant Park Music Festival features a selection of works about peace inspired by the word of Walt Whitman and dedicated to the men and women of the United Stated armed forces. Carlos Kalmar conducts the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in Britten's "Sinfonia da Requiem" along with John Adams' "The Wound Dresser" and Vaughan Williams' "Dona nobid pacem."
(August 17-18)

(2007-05-22)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment