17 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 26, 2017 5:23PM
Image via Millennium Park's website.
Films, music and more make the summertime shine this week.
MONDAY JUNE 26
MILLENNIUM PARK MUSIC SERIES: Check out two very different electronic music artists at the Millennium Park Music Series this Monday at 6:30 p.m. Nu-jazz group Jaga Jazzist comes to us from Norway and Chadian producer AfrotroniX mixes African beats with electro and choreography.
ROOFTOP SCREENING: Want to feel like you’re dancing atop the city? Head to ROOF on theWit for a screening of the Oscar-nominated film Lala Land at dusk. Free. Visit their website to reserve a table.
TUESDAY JUNE 27
MILLENNIUM PARK FILM SERIES: The Millennium Park Film Series continues this week with an outdoor screening of Julie and Julia at 6:30 p.m. Get ready for the Taste of Chicago with this movie starring Meryl Streep as cooking legend Julia Child. All screenings take place on the 40-foot LED screen at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Free.
HARRY POTTER EROTICA: Here’s your chance to see things get a little awkward at Hogwarts. Believe it or not, Harry Potter Erotica is a thing, and the Chicago-based Potterotica will be live taping their podcast this Thursday at Quenchers Saloon at 7 p.m. Expect racy stories, wands and themed drinks. Tickets are $10.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 28
JAWS IN CONCERT: Get the feeling you’re really in the water with sharks as that iconic score is played live at Jaws in Concert at 7:30 p.m. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will play John Williams’s Academy Award-winning music while the film plays on the big screen. Performances run through Friday. Tickets start at $45.
OUTDOOR CINEMA SCIENCE: Movies At The Park at Wrigley is back with another outdoor screening at 7 p.m. The Music Box-curated series teams up with the Field Museum for a presentation of The Jungle Book, plus special guest ornithologist Sushma Reddy will provide visitors insights behind the science of the film. Free.
THURSDAY JUNE 29
MILLENNIUM PARK MUSIC SERIES: Thursday is all about R&B Soul at the Millennium Park Music Series at Pritzker Pavilion at 6:30 p.m. Virginia-born singer/songwriter Lady Wray has bounced around the scene, originally signed by Missy Elliott and providing backup vocals for the Black Keys, but now she’s out with her own debut showcase. Zeshan B & the Transistors hails from Chicago and has a new album coming out on local label Minty Fresh. Free.
THE RETURN OF OK GO: OK Go is one of the best live bands out there, period. We know many folks seem to think of them only as "the band that makes crazy videos," but that completely overlooks the fact that they are one of those rare acts who actually has gotten better and better with each album they've released. As much as they feel the need to one-up themselves in the video realm, they apply the same thinking doubly when it comes to their music. And that translates into live shows with stellar set lists and amazing visuals that veer from the highest of tech to the simplest of DIY. We're still waiting patiently for the follow up to 2014's Hungry Ghosts, but will sate our huger with this rare hometown show when OK Go plays Thursday night at The Vic.
ROOFTOP YOGA: How about a little rosé with your namaste? Boleo hosts a Summer Rooftop Yoga Series featuring a 60 minute class followed by lounging with a mini bottle of Moët Rosé. Tickets start at $40.
LACROIX BOI LIVE: Big Dipper made waves with his LaCroix Boi video, glamorizing the popular seltzer drink from our northern neighbors. Catch the queer artist live at Berlin Nightclub this Thursday along with FEE LION and DJ sets by Teen Witch Fan Club and [X]P. 10 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance.
CHEF COLLAB DINNER: Travelle’s “Chef Collab” Dinner Series continues this Thursday with Won Fun Chinese’s Chef Ben Ruiz in the kitchen. Collaborating with Chef Ricardo Jarquin, they’ll present a five-course, family-style dinner where diners will be able to watch the meal come to life through a glass enclosed show kitchen. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour. Tickets are $65.
AVANT-FOLK: News that Wintres Woma, out this week, was James Elkington’s solo debut confused us greatly. Elkington has released quite a few albums, many with his previous bands The Zincs and The Horse’s Ha, but we didn’t realize he’d never gone the full on solo route. Wintres Woma sees Elkington exercising his strengths, creating intricately woven webs of acoustic delights to complement Elkington’s sonorous singing. Lyrically, there’s a heavy “stranger in a strange land” vibe going on, which isn’t surprising since Elkington is an Englishman living in Chicago, and it appears no longer how long you live here there are still some mysteries that refuse to unravel. As a whole, Wintres Woma is a beautiful platter of avant-folk presents itself gently but lands with great weight. Elkington celebrates the album’s release with a show at Constellation on Thursday night.
TOM PETTY AT WRIGLEY FIELD: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been together for 40 years now, so they decided it was high time to celebrate such an auspicious anniversary. The party got started when the band's complete catalog was reissued on vinyl earlier this year, and they've decided to continue the celebration with a series of tour dates, including Thursday night's stop at Wrigley Field. Do we really need to twist your arm to convince you to see one of the finest songwriters and most amazing team of musicians kick out classic song after classic song on a beautiful summer night?
FRIDAY JUNE 30
Image courtesy of Special Events Management.
WINDY CITY RIBFEST: Robinson Ribs, Chicago BBQ Company, Rancho Mateo and more will be serving up ribs in Uptown this weekend at the 9th annual Windy City Ribfest. The fest also has live music from funk and soul groups JC Brooks Band and Get Up With the Get Downs and others. Entry is a $5 gate donation benefitting Business Partners, The Chamber for Uptown.
70MM FILM FESTIVAL: The Music Box Theatre says thousands of pounds of film will be shipped across the country for this year’s 70mm Film Fest. Some of the top titles for this year’s festival include West Side Story, Top Gun, Hook, Interstellar and a brand new 70mm DTS print of 2001: A Space Odyssey commissioned by the Music Box. For a full list of films and showtimes, visit the Music Box’s website. The festival runs through July 13.
Changes. Photo by Josh Hawkins.
SCI-FI TAP OPERA: Chicago Tap Theatre presents a sci-fi dance opera inspired by the music of none other than David Bowie. This is the third remount of Changes twisting science fiction serials and tap dance with new arrangements of Bowie’s music. Changes runs through July 16 at Stage 773. Tickets are $37.
RATBOYS RELEASE PARTY: Chicago's Ratboys' new album GN (a.k.a. Goodnight) sees the band adding unexpected new dimensions to their repertoire. Previously the band, built around the core duo of Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan, specialized in the fields of lo-fi indie pop, constructing winning little numbers that were powered by charm and fuzz pedals. On GN, Ratboys turns their skills toward a full-blown technicolor production when compared with their previous work. The music is more ambitious without ever losing sight of the easy, loping charms that endeared the band to us in the first place. The band's live shows have grown similarly tighter and more accomplished, so expect the group to be a force to behold when they play Schubas Friday night to celebrate the release of GN.