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Sharon Van Etten, Daniel Lanois, Psalm One Highlight Downtown Sound Concert Series

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 3, 2013 3:30PM

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Psalm One closes out the Downtown Sound series with Dessa July 29.
Millennium Park’s Downtown Sound concert series is as sure a sign of summer in Chicago as bicyclists fighting with strollers for space on the lakefront trail and nigh-oppressive humidity. This year’s lineup shows the programming for the series continues to be strong, two years after programming wizard Mike Orlove left the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Top to bottom, this year’s Downtown Sound lineup is one of the series’ stronger efforts, and it kicks off in a big way May 27 with the Lee Ranaldo Band and Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog. Ranaldo, the longtime guitarist in Sonic Youth, has plenty of time on his hands now that that band is on hiatus while Ribot, a genre-hopping six-string master best known for his work with Tom Waits, should be able to get the crowd ready for Ranaldo.

Fans of Sharon Van Etten (June 3) and Glen Hansard (June 10) may want to claim their spots on the Pritzker Pavilion lawn early. Hansard will be playing with Lisa Hannigan and members of The Frames. We’re particularly looking forward to seeing Daniel Lanois June 17. The multi-instrumentalist and producer was instrumental in U2’s early success and helmed the career renaissances of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris, among others. Hell, if he simply stopped producing records after Harris’ Wrecking Ball and Nelson’s Teatro, we’d be satisfied.

Other highlights of the schedule include The Handsome Family and AZITA (July 22) and Dessa with opener Psalm One July 29. The full lineup is below. All shows are free and start at 6:30 p.m.


May 27
Lee Ranaldo Band; Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog


June 3
Sharon Van Etten; Speck Mountain


June 10
An Evening with Glen Hansard featurintg Lisa Hannigan and members of The Frames


June 17
Daniel Lanois; Brokeback


June 24
Carolina Chocolate Drops; Angela James


July 1
Lee Fields & the Expressions; Theo Huff and the Platinum Band


July 8
Dawes; The Cairo Gang


July 15
Fatoumata Diawara; Alasdair Roberts and Friends


July 22
The Handsome Family; AZITA


July 29
Dessa; Psalm One