loudlooppress.com | Amplifying Chicago's Music Scene

3
Sep
North Coast Music Festival Preview

And you thought music festival previews were done for the summer, didn’t you? Not by a long shot seeing how tomorrow begins the inaugural North Coast Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park. This festival, unlike Pitchfork Music Festival or Lollapalooza, focuses on music genres that are usually put on the backburner such as jam band, Hip-Hop and electronic music. Did we mention the number of awesome local acts that will also be rockin’ out? (Like the always awesome Loyal Divide?)

Anyway, as per usual, we’re not going to sit here and talk every band on the lineup, and we don’t think you’d be too into that either. Therefore, we’re highlighting our picks for the can’t miss acts at the festival. So, let’s get to it, eh? This is your Loud Loop Press North Coast Music Festival Preview…

By Staff \ comments

31
Aug
Fifth annual Umbrella Music Festival releases schedule

Chicago’s Umbrella Music Festival, celebrating jazz and improvised music from Chicago and more, have announced the final schedule for this year’s event, which goes down this November 3 – 7.

Things kick off on Wednesday, November 3, with an evening of free concerts titled “European Jazz Meets Chicago,” which is co-presented by Umbrella Music, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and ten European consulates and cultural organizations. This concert will feature some of Europe’s best improvisers, some with their own groups, some solo and some collaborating with their Chicago counterparts. Additionally, the “European Jazz Meets Chicago” event will be expanded to a second night of concerts this year on Thursday, November 4.

The festival continues into the first weekend of November with performances at Chicago venues including the Hideout, the Hungry Brain, Elastic and the Chicago Cultural Center, which will feature world-renowned artists such as David S. Ware, Ellery Eskelin, Mark Helias, Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, Wadada Leo Smith and more.

By Richard Giraldi \ comments

There’s a new end of summer slash Labor Day weekend event heading to South Belmont Harbor in two weeks.

UPDATE: The Metro confirmed last week the additional bands set to perform at the event. The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir will perform on Saturday, September 4, and Purple Apple will close things out on Monday, September 6.

The Joyous Outdoor Event, or J.O.E. for short, is a Labor Day festival for all ages and hits South Belmont Harbor this September 2 – 6 and includes the tag line “Fun doesn’t have to be escapist. Culture doesn’t have to be tedious.” J.O.E. is an inaugural outdoor festival of performance, live music and art, but for now, we’ll focus on the music.

J.O.E. will offer a main stage curated by The Metro and SmartBar and featuring exciting local acts. So far, the only confirmed acts, according to their website, are JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound performing on Thursday, September 2, and Ezra Furman and the Harpoons on Friday, September 3. But according to this Myspace event, Kansas City punk band Ssion and Chicago art-rock duo My Gold Mask will perform on Sunday, September 5.

By Richard Giraldi \ comments

It’s almost here! The inaugural electronic, hip-hop and jam band-focused North Coast Music festival touches down at Union Park this September 3 – 5, and today, we’ve got the last minute details as well as the full schedule.

First up, when you first look at the schedule (which you can do so after the jump), notice that three spots are reserved for the “Toast of the Coast” winners. Who will be taking these three spots? Find out on Thursday, August 26, as 10 “Toast of the Coast” contest finalists perform for festival organizers, friends and family at the Tonic Room.

“Toast of the Coast” Finalist show tickets are only $5, and the 21+ event kicks off at 8 p.m. Participating artists include Na Palm (MC), Khaled M (MC), DJ Pasha (DJ), Sidewalk Chalk (MC/Band), Johnny Rumble (Band), Probable Cause (MC), Adam Ashbach (Band), Art Garden (Band), DJ Belly (DJ) and Skeetones (DJ).

Tickets for the North Coast Music Festival are still available for $85 for a three-day pass, and $40 for a single day pass, which you can purchase right now at Northcoastfestival.com.

By Richard Giraldi \ 1 comment