Wicker Park Fest 2009: A Little Something For Everyone
By Veronica Murtagh in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 24, 2009 4:00PM
Wicker Park Fest makes its 2009 appearance this weekend and is slated to bring out 25,000 over the course of Saturday and Sunday. If three music stages and over 40 acts is enough to make the mob scene of hipsters co-mingling with Bugaboos bearable for you, then we'll see you at the beer tent.
The North Stage caters to rock fans throughout the weekend and on Saturday we recommend checking out Minnesota three-piece Retribution Gospel Choir. Don't be fooled by the name, there's nothing "gospel" sounding about the trio's dub and psychedelic influenced, sometimes improvised tunes. Swing back by the North Stage Sunday for headliner Elvis Perkins in Dearland's multi-instrumental folk-rock set. Expect Perkins lilting vocals to be accompanied by an eclectic array of instrumentation including organ, harmonium, clarinet, saxophone, trombone and harmonica.
Electronic music fans will want to stake out spots surrounding the Center Stage for two days of nightlife in the daylight. Milwaukee duo The Glamour have DJ'd many a set on Chicago's dancefloors, but Saturday finds the boys back in town to do what they're best at—putting on an energetic live show. It's been a long time since we've seen these guys live, but if you're a fan of Matt & Kim's shows, you'll love The Glamour. Don't stop dancing after Saturday, come back on Sunday for Chicago mash-up monsters Hood Internet. Hood Internet are an act that have carved a genuine niche for themselves, mashing up hip-hop anthems and indie rock gems and releasing them through their blog. You never know what they'll pull out of their archives next, and it's this unexpectedness, coupled with their sense of humor that make Hood Internet a must-see act.
If you want to sample a little bit of everything, the South Stage will be your pick for the weekend. Rapper and Cool Kids cohort Mickey Factz hits the stage Saturday. There's entirely too little hip-hop on the Chicago street fest circuit, and we look forward something different in the mix. Sunday's South Stage offerings end the fest on a high note with the country meets indie-folk tunes of local outift Van Ghost and our pick for the headliner we don't plan to miss, Canadian electronic blisspop duo Junior Boys.
Wicker Park Fest runs Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, noon-10 p.m., Milwaukee Ave. (between North Ave. & Wood St.), $5 donation at gate. A full list of the weekend's musical offerings can be found here.