- The Stranglers
Soundboard has as many concert recommendations as ever over the next few days, but the music that matters most to Chicago this weekend is the blues. This is a time to wallow, to sing raggedly about love lost, to slide on a guitar because there’s nothing else. The Chicago Blues Festival kicks off this evening at Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park with a show headlined by Shemekia Copeland (joined by teenage Buddy Guy collaborator Quinn Sullivan). On Friday, the festival moves to its usual home in Grant Park, where it runs through Sunday. Five stages host music all day and blues and soul legends headline at night, including Irma Thomas, Bobby Rush, and Otis Clay.
Darren Criss plays House of Blues on Saturday, prompting me to learn via Google that Glee is still on TV. Also, Chicago free-jazz bassist Joshua Abrams leads a quartet at Constellation. On Sunday, handlebar shunners Flobots play at Mayne Stage. Oscar winner Glen Hansard plays at Metro.
