Buddy Guy, Counting Crows (?), Others To Headline Taste 2009

By Johnny Loftus in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 31, 2009 7:15PM

Lost in the chatter over Lollapalooza 3-day passes, the Flaming Lips playing Pitchfork (but not taking requests), and bankruptcy call-outs at both major dailies was yesterday's announcement that Ne-Yo, Buddy Guy, Counting Crows, and the Wallflowers will be headlining this year's Taste of Chicago along with a major player to be named later.

If the thought of devouring paper boats of food to the impenetrably bland sounds of Adam Duritz and co. doesn't make you long for the hot sun of July, then maybe Barenaked Ladies will. No? Well, then you might agree with Greg Kot (we do) that a new Taste stage at Balbo and Columbus might be the more palatable salve for your Italian beef coma and egg roll heartburn. Curated by local indies like Bloodshot, Thrill Jockey, and Earwig, the stage will feature performances from Eleventh Dream Day and Bobby Conn, among others.

In even more local-music-at-Taste news, those always thinkin' types at the Hideout will unveil a musical salute to our 44 Commanders-In-Chief with a song for each POTUS. That event hits Taste of Chicago on July 4 itself, naturally, which means there's still time to lobby the Hideout folks to accept your post-punk opus to James Knox Polk.

BY: Johnny Loftus