- Denny Renshaw
- San Fermin
This morning the city released the lineup for the 2015 season of Downtown Sound, the free concert series that happens at Pritzker Pavilion. In the past Downtown Sound was just one of several series focused on different styles, but this year everything—apart from the annual Made in Chicago jazz series—has been folded into the Downtown Sound rubric. Instead of only Monday night shows, the series will take place on Thursdays as well. There are some exciting pairings, such as the season opener featuring the arty pop ensemble San Fermin and the innovative new-music group So Percussion. There are some great international offerings, including Nigerian juju legend King Sunny Ade, reggae vets Mighty Diamonds, and the killer old-school cumbia project organized by Quantic’s Will Holland called Ondatrópica. Rock shows like Poi Dog Pondering and Matthew Sweet seem less inspired, geared more toward Ravinia-style nostalgia than the more forward-looking bookings in years past. There are a fair number of locals featured, including bassist Matt Ulery, In Tall Buildings, Glass Lux, Birds of Chicago, Andrew Belle, and Third Coast Percussion, the latter of whom are pulling together a slew of contemporary classical folks to perform Terry Riley’s classic In C. All shows start at 6:30 PM, unless otherwise noted. The full lineup is below.
