Live Music Chicago...

Black Monument Ensemble. That's bound to be a scary name for a musical performance group given the fact that some folks get their drawers all in a wad over monuments to long dead racist white men. We saw their show as a part of the Red Bull Music Fest that was going on at various locations around town during our visit to Chicago. It was a free show if you took the time to RSVP and I bet that was not even really necessary but don't worry, all the artists were getting paid. I later read their bios in the evening's program and most were educators and community leaders with various endowment grants. I was proud to see my tax dollars put to such good use. 

So instead of me trying to describe what this was all about maybe you should just read their own words, photographed out of the program. 

The site for this concert was the Garfield Park Conservatory. It's near the PK house and we visit it often. It was set up very well and you can read about the park at an old blog post by clicking HERE.

The singers were great and the accompaniment was a mix of sampled music, drums and a lady who played a killer jazz clarinet and bass clarinet. 

A dance troupe also performed in time and the light show was understated but effected.  

Not sure about this alien dancer that appeared out of the row across from me but I guess this show is about the future. 

Here is a video clip of the performance we saw. We are actually in it. My head can be seen at the lower left of the screen and Cathy is directly  behind the big Afro. That was ok because somebody was also behind my big head. At the end when the performers parade out and all stand you get a pretty good look at the back of my head and until someone advises me on a different hair style my evolving comb over.  

Great music, the future, good times.