Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Events (Next Stop: Double Door, 4/8-9)

In between each winter’s Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival, the CBB Team gets antsy.  So we spend our time helping bring our favorite knee-slapping roots musicians to Chicago’s best venues.  Take in some of the great local shows on the horizon that we’re glad to be a part of…

Featured Show:

Past Shows:

Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Dr. Dog, Emmitt-Nershi Band (Saturday, 12/12/09)

“The Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival will prove to be the next great landmark in Chicago music culture” - Herschel Concepcion, Jambase.com

The all-ages one-day event, held on Saturday, December 12th,2009 from 11am to midnight,  featured 3 stages and 25 bands, including six-time Grammy-winner Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on their first Chicago date together since mid-2007. They’ll were joined by Philadelphia’s psych-folk harmonizers, Dr. Dog, and the Emmitt-Nershi Band, who unite Leftover Salmon’s mandolin and vocals (Drew Emmitt) with the songwriting and flatpicking of the String Cheese Incident. And Eddie “The Chief” Clearwater, proudly declared “Chicago’s premier blues entertainer” by the Chicago Tribune, will properly represented the scene that put his city on the international music map.

In addition to 13 hours of 3 stages worth of nonstop music, the day’s activities includeda pickin’ circle, a live-art exhibition and indoor gallery, charitable raffles, film screenings, and impromptu marching band performances from one of Burning Man’s very own house bands, Environmental Encroachment

Last Banjo Standing Contest:
We will once again held the “LAST BANJO STANDING,” an online contest that scours Chicagoland to find the top bluegrass or blues inspired artist. The winner, as voted on by fans, family, friends and music lovers around the city will join the headliners on the main stage roster. The Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival’s “Last Banjo Standing” tallied over 20,000 votes from Midwest music fans in the last month, yet a mere handful of votes separated 1st and 2nd place when voting ended at midnight on 11/16. Two bands earned it, so, two winners were crowned: Sexfist and Great Divide

About the Charities:
And while the festival will serve to break a band or two, festival-goers helped save children. A portion of ticket proceeds were donated to two non-profit organizations, the Saving tiny Hearts Society (www.savingtinyhearts.org), and Prevent Child Abuse America (www.preventchildabuse.org)

Lineup:
The complete artist roster included….

Béla Fleck & the Flecktones
Dr. Dog
Emmitt-Nershi Band
Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater
Van Ghost
The Giving Tree Band
Josh Phillips Folk Festival
Majors Junction
Chicago Farmer
Jaik Willis
Mike Mangione & The Band
Holy Ghost Tent Revival
Tangleweed
Environmental Encroachment
Squeeze-bot
Sexfist
Great Divide
Alex Wilson Band
GreenSugar
How Far to Austin
Liberty Bluegrass Band
The Right Now
Cobalt & the Hired Guns
The Shams Band
Goodbyehome
The Junior League Band

Congress Theater 2135 Milwaukee Ave Chicago IL 60647 -  All Ages - Children 12&Under Free

Windy City Dawg: David Grisman & Friends @ the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Fest - TRAILER from Kingtello Presents on Vimeo

Metronome Celebration: Chicago’s Most Environmentally-Friendly and Musically-Diverse Street Festival

Kingtello Presents, The Empty Bottle, The Congress Theater, MP Shows, and the Logan Square Neighborhood Coalition are pleased to announce Chicago’s newest music, art, and sustainability-minded street festival.

On Saturday, June 6th & Sunday, June 7th the Metronome Celebration will bring dozens of restaurants, green product and service providers, artists, vendors, jewelers, craftsman, 5 stages, 40 bands, and 30,000 people to a bustling quarter-mile strip of Milwaukee Ave (between Armitage/Western and Rockwell).

The Metronome Celebration will benefit the Logan Square Neighborhood Coalition, which will distribute proceeds to the Greater Goethe Neighborhood Association, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Goethe School, Chase Elementary and a Sustainable Project Competition that will help to provide a better life for area residents. And with an aggressive recycling and bio-degrable sourcing program, we have set a goal of keeping 50% of our refuse from clogging local landfills.

LINEUPS
Find set times, links to music and band info at metronomechicago.com/lineup

Saturday, June 6th

Rock Stage by Empty Bottle Presents (south)
Melodic rocker John Vanderslice headlines, immediately following Brooklyn’s Here We Go Magic. Apostle of Hustle, Kid Congo Powers, Rock Plaza Central & Turbo Fruits lead the way.
Electronic Stage by Congress Theater (north)
Electro/Prog outfit Future Rock works their spaced out sound on this stage following Los Angeles DJ/Producer Eliot Lipp. Zebo, Willy Joy, Papa G and Kid Color man the stage in the early hours.

Sunday, June 7th

Punk Stage by MP Productions (south)
Local legends Deals Gone Bad and The Methadones head a machine gun lineup of punk on the south stage. The Effigies, The Del Moroccos and Prizzy Prizzy Please will also appear.

Folk Stage by Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival (north)
Prodigal son Justin Townes Earle holds down the top spot on the folk stage following Ezra Furman & The Harpoons. The Giving Tree Band, The Right Now, Majors Junction and Jaik Willis, all local musicians, will jam on through the day time.

Applications for Sustainable Project Award
In an effort to inspire innovation and sustainable living in our local community, a portion of the proceeds from this event are will be used to fund green projects in the Logan Square and GGNA boundary area. If you have an idea about how to better recycle, save energy, develop green space, educate the public or otherwise promote sustainability, you now have a way to get funding and make your idea happen. Just fill out an application to be considered. For more info and applications, go to the ‘exhibitors’ page at metronomechciago.com.

Event Partners
We are proud to announce a number of new event partners and exhibitors at this year’s event. In addition to a varied group of local restaurants and artists, we are now working with Chipotle, Zip Car, Owens Corning, Bud Light and Goose Island’s 312; Jack FM (104.3FM) is also an official media partner.

The Metronome Celebration takes places from Noon to 10pm on both Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th. Admission is $5 and times are Saturday Noon to 10 pm and Sunday Noon to 10 pm. FOR MORE DETAILS GO TO METRONOMECHICAGO.COM

About The Logan Square Neighborhood Coalition
The Logan Square Neighborhood Coalition is a group of community organizations in Chicago’s Logan Square area focused on providing a better life for the neighborhood’s residents. The Greater Goethe Neighborhood Association, The Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, Chase Elementary School and Friends of Goethe School are all a part of the coalition and will all directly benefit from the Metronome Celebration. In addition, these four groups will select a local green project to receive funding and provide a more sustainable life for the residents of the GGNA area.