CHICAGO — We're yet another step closer to summer now that the lineup for Millennium Park's free summer concert series Downtown Sound: New Music Mondays has been announced.
The roster includes Irish crooner and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard of "Once" fame, along with Lisa Hannigan, Brokeback, Carolina Chocolate Drops and more.
The city also announced the schedule for Loops and Variations, a free concert series, usually presented on Thursdays, which will feature musicians such as Dan Deacon and Olafur Arnalds, among others.
The mix includes bands that might be less familiar than the ones on tap for summer music festivals Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, which both recently released their lineups.
In 2009, Hansard shared a Best Original Song Oscar with co-collaborator Marketa Irglova for the hit "Falling Slowly" from the movie musical "Once." He's also known for performing as part of the Irish group The Frames and the duo he created with Irglova, The Swell Season. Now he'll perform with Lisa Hannigan and members of The Frames on June 10.
Folk band Carolina Chocolate Drops, set to play on June 24, took home a Grammy Award in 2011 for the band's "Genuine Negro Jig" album.
Downtown Sound takes place in Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion Monday evenings from May 27 until July 29. The series features two bands each Monday night with the exception of the Hansard performance.
Loops and Variations features new music and electronica in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on most Thursdays from June 13 to July 18 with a Wednesday concert on Aug. 28.
Concert schedules provided by the City of Chicago:
Downtown Sound schedule:
Monday, May 27, 6:30 p.m.
Lee Ranaldo Band and Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog
Monday, June 3, 6:30 p.m.
Sharon Van Etten and Speck Mountain
Monday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.
An Evening with Glen Hansard featuring Lisa Hannigan and members of The Frames
Monday, June 17, 6:30 p.m.
Daniel Lanois and Brokeback
Monday, June 24, 6:30 p.m.
Carolina Chocolate Drops and Angela James
Monday, July 1, 6:30 p.m.
Lee Fields & the Expressions and Theo Huff and the Platinum Band
Monday, July 8, 6:30 p.m.
Dawes and The Cairo Gang
Monday, July 15, 6:30 p.m.
Fatoumata Diawara and Alasdair Roberts and Friends
Monday, July 22, 6:30 p.m.
The Handsome Family and AZITA
Monday, July 29, 6:30 p.m.
Dessa and Psalm One
Loops and Variations schedule:
Thursday, June 13, 6:30 p.m.
Falty DL and Bill Kouligas
Thursday, June 27, 6:30 p.m.
Matmos and Fonema Consort
Thursday, July 4, 6:30 p.m.
ICE and Nosaj Thing
Thursday, July 11, 8 p.m.
Dan Deacon (no opening act)
Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m.
Olafur Arnalds and Sarah Neufeld
Wednesday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m.
eighth blackbird with Glenn Kotche and Lesley Flanigan
