AI PlannerEvanston in December
Exciting events and experiences happening this month in Evanston.
Cursive w. AJJ (duo) welcomed by CHIRP Radio
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Very few bands manage to last decades, and for the ones that do, its often easy to settle down and get a little too comfortable. But theres nothing comfortable about Devourer, the explosive new album from Cursive. The iconic Omaha group is known for their intensity, ambition, and execution, and has spent 30 years creating a bold discography thats defined as much by its cathartic sound as its weighty, challenging lyrical themes. And Devourer is as daring as ever. Full of intense and incisive songs, the album proves exactly why Cursive have been so influential and enduringand why they remain so vital today.In the years since their 1995 formation, Cursive developed into one of the most important groups to emerge from the late-90s/early 00s moment when the lines between indie rock and post-hardcore began blurring into something altogether new. Albums like Domestica (2000) and The Ugly Organ (2003) became essential touchstones whose echoes can still be heard in new bands today. The pull of nostalgia can be strong over time, but Cursives work has often felt like a rejection of those comfort zones; the band has continually pushed themselves, with frontman Tim Kashers artistic restlessness steering them ahead. In fact, for Kasher, whose pointed observations always begin with looking inward first, it was an interrogation of this voracious creativity that planted the seeds of Devourer. I am obsessive about consuming the arts, he explains. Music, film, literature. Ive come to recognize that I devour all of these art forms then, in turn, create my own versions of these things and spew them out onto the world. Its positive; youre part of an ecosystem. But I quickly recognized that the term, Devourer, may also embody something gnarly, sinister. Devourer delves into that darker space. The characters populating the album have bottomless capacities for consumption, whether its resources, material goods, art, or even each other. Then they are consumed by larger forces, whether its humanity, Earth, dreams, time, or life itself. Maybe a better word for it is imperialism, Kasher says. But its in many different forms. Its not just the political. Its personal imperialism and the imperialism of relationships, the way we imperialize one another, even ourselves.
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Donna the Buffalo
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Donna The Buffalo is not just a band, rather one might say that Donna The Buffalo has become a lifestyle for its members and audiences. Since 1989, the roots rockers have played thousands of shows and countless festivals including Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride, Austin City Limits Festival, Merle Fest, and Philadelphia Folk Festival.Theyve opened for The Dead and have toured with Peter Rowan, Del McCoury, Los Lobos, Little Feat, Jim Lauderdale, Rusted Root, and Railroad Earth to name a few. They also toured with Ben s co-founder Ben Cohen to help raise awareness about increased corporate spending in politics.In 1991, the band started the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY. The four day festival has become an annual destination for over 15,000 music lovers every year and was started as an AIDS benefit. It continues as a benefit for arts and education. To date, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and is now one of three Grassroots Festivals; the Bi-annual Shakori Hills fest in North Carolina and Virginia Key festival in Florida. In 2016 GrassRoots Culture Camp was introduced in Trumansburg, New York as four days of music, art, dance and movement workshops, including nightly dinners and dances.
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SOLD OUT - Spafford
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Spafford is known for their astonishing improvisational ability and off-the-cuff extended jams, Spafford paints a picture in real-time each night with a musical palette known only to each other. Its a private language comprised of both their talent as musicians as well as their formidable catalog of influences, spanning 90s alt-rock radio hits to Steely Dan and The Crystal Method. Each Spafford show is a sonic pilgrimage, the journey of a team of musicians so in tune with each other that a single note communicates intent and purpose. Spafford is amongst the most creative and hard-traveling bands on the contemporary jam scene, performing countless sold-out headline dates along with high profile festival sets at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Firefly Music Festival, and many others.
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Mens Basketball
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Jason Narducy: “Mostly The Van” Book Release and Solo Performance
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Join us for Jason Narducys Mostly The Van book release show, with a special interview by WXRTs Marty Lennartz, followed by a solo performance.
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Ariel Posen w. Wendlo
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Ariel Posen stands as a beacon of artistic ingenuity, transcending conventional boundaries with an unparalleled musical vision that defies categorization. At the core of his creative odyssey lies an unwavering commitment to artistic expression, weaving together a sonic tapestry that resonates with profound authenticity and emotional depth. His music is a testament to the boundless possibilities of artistic exploration, seamlessly melding elements of heartland rock s artistic brilliance has garnered widespread acclaim, earning him standing ovations from enraptured audiences and accolades from industry luminaries alike. Rolling Stone heralds him as a modern-day musical virtuoso, recognizing not only his exceptional skill as a guitarist but also his innate ability to evoke profound emotion through his artistry. Furthermore, Posens impact extends far beyond the confines of his instrument, as evidenced by his nominations for Breakout Artist of the Year and subsequent recognition in categories such as Rock Artist of the Year and Recording of the Year at the esteemed Western Canadian Music Awards. In every facet of his craft, Ariel Posen epitomizes the essence of artistic excellence, leaving an indelible imprint on the landscape of contemporary music and inspiring generations to come.
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The Humboldt Jungle
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Doors/Music 7 PMComedy 8 PMPizza & Jam Session 9:30 PMFor the past 4 years The Humboldt Jungle has solidified itself as the best independent comedy show in Chicago.Historically it has taken place in a basement in Humboldt Park, but for one night only the Jungle is joining forces with Evanston Space to bring you a night of stand up, music, and slices by Professor Pizza. We have a lineup of heavy hitting comedians, a smacking band, and some of the best za in town.$5 per slice1. Deluxe Pepperoni2. Deluxe Sausage & Pepper3. Mushroom & Leek4. Margherita
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Jackson State Tigers Mens Basketball
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Leo Kottke
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Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia, but left town after a year and a half. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11.After adding a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the music of John Phillip Sousa and Preston Epps, Kottke joined the Navy underage, to be underwater, and eventually lost some hearing shooting at lightbulbs in the Atlantic while serving on the USS Halfbeak, a diesel submarine.Kottke had previously entered college at the U of Missouri, dropping out after a year to hitchhike across the country to South Carolina, then to New London and into the Navy, with his twelve string. The trip was not something I enjoyed, he has said, I was broke and met too many interesting people.Discharged in 1964, he settled in the Twin Cities area and became a fixture at Minneapolis Scholar Coffeehouse, which had been home to Bob Dylan and John Koerner. He issued his 1968 recording debut LP Twelve String Blues, recorded on a Viking quarter-inch tape recorder, for the Scholars tiny Oblivion label. (The label released one other LP by The Langston Hughes Memorial Eclectic Jazz Band.)After sending tapes to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed to Faheys Takoma label, releasing what has come to be called the Armadillo record. Fahey and his manager Denny Bruce soon secured a production deal for Kottke with Capitol Records.Kottkes 1971 major-label debut, Mudlark, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer. Still, despite arguments with label heads as well as with Bruce, Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like 1972s Greenhouse and 1973s live My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water found him branching out with guest musicians and honing his guitar technique.With 1975s Chewing Pine, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 30 for the second time; he also gained an international following thanks to his continuing tours in Europe and Australia.His collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Clone, caught audiences attention in 2002. Kottke and Gordon followed with a recording in the Bahamas called Sixty Six Steps, produced by Leos old friend and Prince producer David Z.Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations; a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Valparaiso Beacons Mens Basketball
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Leo Kottke
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Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia, but left town after a year and a half. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11.After adding a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the music of John Phillip Sousa and Preston Epps, Kottke joined the Navy underage, to be underwater, and eventually lost some hearing shooting at lightbulbs in the Atlantic while serving on the USS Halfbeak, a diesel submarine.Kottke had previously entered college at the U of Missouri, dropping out after a year to hitchhike across the country to South Carolina, then to New London and into the Navy, with his twelve string. The trip was not something I enjoyed, he has said, I was broke and met too many interesting people.Discharged in 1964, he settled in the Twin Cities area and became a fixture at Minneapolis Scholar Coffeehouse, which had been home to Bob Dylan and John Koerner. He issued his 1968 recording debut LP Twelve String Blues, recorded on a Viking quarter-inch tape recorder, for the Scholars tiny Oblivion label. (The label released one other LP by The Langston Hughes Memorial Eclectic Jazz Band.)After sending tapes to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed to Faheys Takoma label, releasing what has come to be called the Armadillo record. Fahey and his manager Denny Bruce soon secured a production deal for Kottke with Capitol Records.Kottkes 1971 major-label debut, Mudlark, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer. Still, despite arguments with label heads as well as with Bruce, Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like 1972s Greenhouse and 1973s live My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water found him branching out with guest musicians and honing his guitar technique.With 1975s Chewing Pine, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 30 for the second time; he also gained an international following thanks to his continuing tours in Europe and Australia.His collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Clone, caught audiences attention in 2002. Kottke and Gordon followed with a recording in the Bahamas called Sixty Six Steps, produced by Leos old friend and Prince producer David Z.Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations; a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.
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Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night One
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Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Howard University Bison Mens Basketball
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Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night Two
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Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night Three NYE
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Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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