Welsh Events in Chicago Summer 2009
It is shaping up to be another great summer of Welsh reading, rugby and rock n' roll in Chicago!
With concerts by Tom Jones, Judith Owen, Los Campesinos!, Bullet For My Valentine, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir and The Waco Brothers, visits by top Welsh authors Rhys Bowen & Niall Griffiths Chicago is definitely the place to be!
JUNE
Wednesday June 10 – 7:00pm
Rhys Bowen
Chicago Ridge Public Library
10400 S. Oxford Avenue
Chicago Ridge, Illinois
Agatha and Anthony Award winning Welsh author Rhys Bowen visits Evergreen Park Library for a presentation and book signing. Ms. Bowen’s historical mystery series featuring Molly Murphy (Murphy’s Law, For the Love of Mike), Constable Evans (Evan Help Us), and Lady Georgie (Her Royal Spyness) number 21 books in all--enough to entertain you poolside throughout the whole summer! Visit http://www.chicagoridge.lib.il.us/ for more information.
Thursday June 11 - 7:00pm
Rhys Bowen
Evergreen Park Public Library
9400 S. Troy
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Agatha and Anthony Award winning Welsh author Rhys Bowen visits Evergreen Park Library for a presentation and book signing. Ms. Bowen’s historical mystery series featuring Molly Murphy (Murphy’s Law, For the Love of Mike), Constable Evans (Evan Help Us), and Lady Georgie (Her Royal Spyness) number 21 books in all--enough to entertain you poolside throughout the whole summer! Visit http://www.evergreenparklibrary.org/regevent.aspx?id=594 for registration/more event information. Wednesday June 17, 8:00pm
Judith Owen
Space
1245 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
Welsh singer Judith Owen has relentlessly followed her muse, independently releasing recordings that have captivated fans, Hollywood music supervisors, fellow artists and the most discerning critics. With the same determination she has applied to finding her voice, she has also found her audience. Equal parts musicality and wit, Owen’s music combines pop, rock, jazz, classical, R&B and theatrical influences. Variety effusively describes her as “a charmer and a seducer, a rocker, and a jazz chanteuse.” Ticket Prices are $12.00 Advance; $15.00 at the door. For further info visit: www.evanstonspace.com or www.judithowen.net Saturday June 27 - 5:15pm
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Taste Stage - Taste of Chicago
Grant Park (Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr.)
Chicago, Illinois
They are neither Scottish nor a gospel choir - this top Chicago indie band is fronted by North Walian Elia Einhorn. For more info visit: www.myspace.com/scotlandyardgospelchoir
Saturday June 27 - 7:00 pm
Waco Brothers
Taste Stage - Taste of Chicago
Grant Park (Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr.)
Chicago, Illinois
Ladies and gentlemen, quite possibly the best live rock band on the planet! And best of all it’s fronted by one of our own, Newport’s Jon Langford. For more info visit: www.myspace.com/wacobrothers
JULY
Saturday, July 11 - 7:30pm
Tom Jones
Ravinia
200 Ravinia Park Rd
Highland Park, Illinois
$65/Lawn $22 ($27 on day of concert)
Ravinia welcomes back the man that needs no introduction, Sir Tom Jones! Bring a picnic, a blanket and some chairs and head up to Chicago’s premier outdoor venue for a great night out. Tickets are available at: www.ravinia.org
Monday July 20 - 7:30pm
Paul Potts
Rosemont Theatre
5400 North River Road
Rosemont, Illinois
Paul Potts the Welsh tenor who won the first series Britain's Got Talent a few years ago is performing in the USA in July. For more info visit: www.paulpottsofficial.com Sunday July 26, 2009, 7:00pm
Bullet for my Valentine
First Midwest Amphitheater
19100 Ridgeland Avenue
Tinley Park, Illinois
The Bridgend rockers are back in Chicago! For more info visit: www.bulletformyvalentine1.com
AUGUST
Saturday August 8 – 8:00pm
Los Campesinos!
Lollapalooza
Grant Park, Chicago
Los Campesinos! is an up and coming seven piece indie pop band from Cardiff. For further info visit: www.myspace.com/loscampesinos August 21 - September 27
Under Milk Wood
Storefront Theatre
66 E. Randolph Street
Chicago, Illinois
Media Opening: Thursday, August 27
August 21 – September 27
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Caffeine Theatre stages Dylan Thomas’ dark, but funny play about the dreams and waking lives of a fictional Welsh town. An iconic favorite since it was first broadcast as a radio play in 1954, the play’s 47 quirky characters bring to life their inner longings bubbling beneath the surface of the town’s daily life, endearing us to humanity’s bawdy and magnificent possibilities. Paul S. Holmquist directs this classic but utterly relevant play with an intimate and physically intense ensemble of Chicago theater veterans and emerging talent. For tickets and further information visit: www.dcatheater.org or (312) 742-TIXS (8497).
Wednesday September 9 – 7pm
Dylan Thomas Coffeehouse Cabaret
Storefront Theater Mezzanine
66 E. Randolph Street
Chicago, Illinois
Caffeine Theater brings together local actors and poets to read excerpts from Thomas’ works. Discussion to follow. Refreshments will be provided.
Thursday August 27 - 7:00pm
Niall Griffiths
The Book Cellar
4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
Niall Griffiths the author of the contemporary Welsh classics ‘Grits’, ‘Sheepshagger’ & the 2004 Wales Book of the Year ‘Stump’ is sometimes referred to as the “Welsh Irving Welsh”. Niall, a self described “low life in high places,” is bringing the tales of a Wales you'll never have heard of to Chicago in August.
SEPTEMBER
September 12 & 13
Celtic Fest Chicago
Grant Park (Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Drive)
Chicago, Illinois
Great free festival featuring live music from the Celtic nations. Arizona based Welsh band ‘Oceans Apart’ has just been confirmed to perform on the Sunday at 11:30am at the Celtic Crossroads Stage. For more information visit: www.celticfestchicago.us
AmeriCymru – The Social Network for the Welsh Overseas
AmeriCymru - The social network for the Welsh overseas has close to 1,400 members mainly in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA & Wales.
AmeriCymru is a great way to keep in touch with Welsh friends around the globe, and features an up to the minute calendar of Welsh events worldwide, Welsh language & genealogy assistance, exclusive interviews with Welsh musicians, actors & writers and much more…
Signing up for and using AmeriCymru is completely free of charge, so the price can’t be beat either!
Cheers
Dave Parry
The Chicago Tafia Welsh Society