By Joshua Mellin | September 14th, 2012
Ah, my favorite weekend of the year is upon us once again. After a rigorous summer of music festivals, there’s nothing finer than winding down in the parking lot normally reserved for the city’s dump trucks at the cozy confines of the Hideout Block Party.
In it’s sixteenth year, the Hideout Block party has expanded to two days and combined forces with the Onion’s A.V. Fest to deliver one of its most impressive lineups ever.
"Glen Hansard - Astral Weeks (Van Morrison Cover)"
Friday, 8:00PM - Last time Hansard graced the Block Party stage was in 2007, along with his band The Frames, when he pulled a fan on stage to sing Marketa Irglova's part from The Swell Season's Falling Slowly before closing with an unforgettable take of The Pixie's "Where Is My Mind." This year, Hansard kicks off the fall leg of his 2012 solo tour at the block party. Expect a set complete with Swell Season and Frames standards as well as songs off his most recent solo effort Rhyhtm And Repose also a live set staple, a busking rendition of Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks" -- and as of late Hansard has even thrown in covers of songs by both The Band and Bruce Springsteen.
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Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Iron & Wine - Me and Lazarus"
Friday, 9:15PM - The understated charms of Iron & Wine may sometimes be lost on a large festival crowd, but Sam Beam has reworked most all of the band's catalogue into a bouncier live form that breathes fresh air into past songs and makes new songs sound even grander than on the album. If it's anything like their last stop at the Hideout, their peaceful blend of folk will play perfectly under the Hideout's green plank.
Download from: Soundcloud
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Kelly Hogan - We Can't Have Nice Things"
Saturday, 2:00PM - A former Hideout bartender, Kelly Hogan has become one of Chicago's recognizable voices as a full time member of Neko Case's backing band, singing on Andrew Bird's past two albums, and appearing on the Queen of The Hideout, Mavis Staples' 2010 You Are Not Alone. Her most recent release, I Like To Keep Myself In Pain, is as star-studded as her resume, featuring songs written for her by a slew of respected musicians like Robyn Hitchcock, M. Ward, Andrew Bird, and the late Vic Chestnutt. The stand out "Golden" is a song Hogan penned herself in commiseration with her friend and fellow former Hideout bartender, Neko Case.
Download from: Soundcloud
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Lee Fields & The Expressions - You're The Kind of Girl"
Saturday, 6:00PM - Though Lee Fields & The Expressions work a good amount of modern influence into their unique blend of R&B, it isn't retro soul, it's pure soul. Fields, who's R&B fred stretches back to his first release in 1969, is a force of funk nature. A legend amongst soul enthusiast, he remains largely under the radar, despite his superb 2009 album My World and appearances on Sharon Jones' Naturally.
Download from: Soundcloud
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Wilco - Dawned On Me (iTunes Session)"
Sunday 7:30PM - After last December's incredible shrinking tour, in which the Chicago favorites played increasingly smaller venues over the course of 5 shows - beginning at the 3,500 seat Civic Opera House and eventually closing at the the 500 capacity Lincoln Hall - there was nowhere left to play but the tiny Hideout, where they haven't played in nearly a decade. Though it's not in the 150 capacity bar, this is as an absolute Chicago dream bill.
Download from: Soundcloud
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).