Many moons ago, there were evening DJ-centered events held in Grant Park’s Spirit of Music Garden, attended by thousands and loved by them all. There were some magical moments, including the time – I know how this sounds, but hear me out – that Andre Hatchett seemed to control the weather by playing a Chaka Khan record. It was that kind of a thing.
A collection of fuzzy YouTube clips – recorded not that long after YouTube was created – wouldn’t seem like they could capture those types of feelings. But somehow, they do. The beauty of House Music somehow pushes through all of the static and pixelated blocks of year 2000 technology and exquisitely captures moments like these:
Well, the good times are back. As part of the City of Chicago’s summer initiatives focusing on our city’s role in the creation of House Music, SummerDance is back in Grant Park and the Spirit of Music Garden, and it all starts tonight with the granddaddy of all Chicago House Music’s pioneers.
Marshall Jefferson performs on July 10, 2015 from 6pm to 9pm at Grant Park’s Spirit of Music Garden (601 S. Michigan Avenue).
DJ Pierre and Phuture perform on July 17, 2015 from 6pm to 9pm at Grant Park’s Spirit of Music Garden (601 S. Michigan Avenue). (You may find some of these around on this date…)
Finally, Derrick Carter closes out the summer season on August 22, 2015 from 6pm to 9pm, also at the Spirit of Music Garden from 6 to 9.