7 things to do around Chicago: Chicago Blues Festival, The Cure and Chi-Soul Fest at Navy Pier
If your music is the blues, electronic dance music or Dead & Company, Chicago has a concert for you this weekend. And we haven’t even mentioned the art festivals.
The Cure
Lead vocalist Robert Smith founded the band that built goth music in England in 1978. Several decades, some lineup changes and 13 studio albums later, the band is touring with new material from the upcoming “Songs of the Lost World,” playing in Chicago this weekend and then again as a Riot Fest headliner in September.
7:30 p.m. June 10 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.; sold out, more information at www.unitedcenter.com
Old Town Art Fair
This weekend, the Old Town Triangle neighborhood will welcome more than 200 artists selling drawings, paintings, photography, ceramics, glass, jewelry, metal, stone and wood works at this juried event. Art lovers can browse the booths, enjoy the garden walk, listen to live music and grab a bite to each from the food court.
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 10 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 11 in the Old Town Triangle Historic District on North Park Avenue, Menomonee and surrounding streets; $12 suggested donation, oldtownartfair.org
Wells Street Art Festival
If you just can’t get enough art, the Wells Street Art Festival is also taking place in Old Town this weekend and will feature juried artists representing a variety of disciplines, including painting, sculpture, woodworking, metalsmithing, jewelcraft and digital arts. This event also has a performance stage where local bands will play, including Sixteen Candles and Hello Weekend. 10 a.m. to dusk June 10-11 on Wells Street between North Avenue and Division; $10 suggested donation, more information at wellsstreetartfest.us
Navy Pier’s Chi-Soul Fest
This two-day free music festival highlights Chicago soul music and traditions. DJ Lee Quentin starts off the event Saturday with the Chi-Soul Fest Lawn Party. Sunday’s schedule includes LeftJones and DJ Steve Gerard at the Beer Garden House Party.
June 10-11 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.; free, more information at navypier.org
Chicago Blues Festival
This festival celebrates this Chicago-born music tradition’s past, present and future. Headliners include Los Lobos, Blind Boys of Alabama with Bobby Rush and Mud Morganfield. Wally’s BBQ Pit in the park’s North Promenade Tent will offer barbecue, cornbread and drinks.
Noon to 9 p.m. June 9-11 at Millennium Park, 201 E Randolph St., with entrances at Michigan Avenue and Washington, Madison, Randolph or Monroe; free, more information at chicago.gov
Heatwave Music Festival
This two-day fest that celebrates dance music from around the world moves to a new home this year at Northerly Island on the lakefront. The lineup includes the Chicago debut of Kx5, a collaboration between the Chicago-born DJ Kaskade and deadmau5; producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist GRiZ; Tiësto and Slander.
June 10-11 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Linn White Drive; single-day tickets from $129 (ages 18+), more information at heatwavemusicfestival.com
Dead & Company
If there has to be an end to the long, strange trip, this just might be it. Dead & Company, the band consisting of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (along with John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti and Oteil Burbridge), is playing two nights at Wrigley Field as part of The Final Tour. Chicago, of course, was the last stop for the Fare Thee Well tour of the Grateful Dead in 2015 with five shows at Soldier Field. A decade before that, the Grateful Dead performed their last concert with lead Jerry Garcia at Soldier Field before his death in 1995. Ask any Deadhead in attendance this weekend and they will tell you, the music will live on.
6:30 p.m. June 9-10 at Wrigley Field, 1060 W Addison St.; sold out, more information at www.mlb.com
