logo
A new multi-venue music festival is debuting in Chicago this September

A new multi-venue music festival is debuting in Chicago this September

Time Out01-05-2025

Chicago's Bricktown and Avondale neighborhoods are about to get their own music microverse. Sound & Gravity, a new five-day music festival from Constellation Performing Arts and Pitchfork co-founder Mike Reed, is set to debut on September 10–14, 2025, and it's shaping up to be one of the most eclectic and community-rooted events in the city's fall calendar.
Spanning six intimate venues—Constellation, Hungry Brain, Judson & Moore, Beat Kitchen, Guild Row and Rockwell on the River—the festival will mount 48 performances focusing on a wide range of genres, from contemporary classical and jazz to experimental, indie and electronic music. The lineup includes Bill Callahan, Mdou Moctar, Helado Negro, Mary Lattimore, Body/Head, Jeff Parker Expansion Trio, The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis,and surprise sets curated by Electrical Audio, the studio founded by the late Steve Albini.
'Sound & Gravity extends Constellation's mission, offering a concentrated dose of the venue's innovative spirit across multiple locations in one of the city's most creative neighborhoods,' said Reed in an official statement.
Founded by Reed in 2013, Constellation has become a mainstay of —a haven for artists and audiences seeking performance experiences that defy genre and expectation. 'What we do here is all about wanting to present music in the way we want to present it,' Reed told the Chicago Sun-Times.
All participating venues are within a five- to 15-minute walk from each other, so the fest is designed to feel more like a curated neighborhood crawl than a mega-event. 'It's creating this little [music experience] hub,' he added.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

When did we become so boring?
When did we become so boring?

Spectator

time20 hours ago

  • Spectator

When did we become so boring?

Recently, I found myself trying to explain to a much younger colleague who Oliver Reed was. We'd got on to the subject of the hell-raising actor because I was bemoaning the fact – perhaps rashly – that today's world is completely anodyne. Fear of offending others means it's better to keep your thoughts to yourself; after all, who needs the police investigating them for a non-crime hate incident? Brave is the person who brings their whole self to work, as many of us are encouraged to do. The government's Employment Rights Bill, which some are calling the 'banter ban', may mean we're even more reluctant to speak our minds. This prohibition against saying anything even vaguely controversial extends to all walks of life – including television. So, I cited Reed's legendary appearance on the late-night Channel 4 discussion programme After Dark as an example of a time when we didn't have to weigh every word before uttering it. During an episode on men, Reed got hammered on the free booze, became argumentative and gave horrified feminist author Kate Millett an unsolicited peck on the cheek. Eventually, after being told off by Helena Kennedy, he was asked to leave. Some may think he confirmed masculine stereotypes with his boorish behaviour, but it was one of the funniest things ever broadcast and went down in the annals of television history. From today's vantage point, it seems almost unthinkable that an unscripted debate – where guests were plied with free booze – could ever be broadcast on terrestrial television. Instead, we're fed a diet of inoffensive pap featuring vacuous individuals with perfect hair, unblemished skin and 'Turkey teeth'. Intellectually challenging television is a thing of the past. Now, we have to endure endless crime dramas and cookery programmes, which are little more than chewing gum for the mind. God forbid we be allowed to view anything that jolts us from our collective stupor. I hanker after moments like 1985's Live Aid when Bob Geldof jabbed the table and said: 'Fuck the address, let's get the numbers!' when emphasising the urgency of getting donations by phone rather than giving out postal addresses. Interviewed on Sky News in 2014 about critical reactions to the re-recording of Do They Know It's Christmas, he said: 'I think they're talking bollocks.' Asked not to repeat the word, he responded to another of the presenter's assertions with: 'Complete load of bollocks.' The interview ended abruptly. Absolute comedy gold. I, for one, am sick of today's bland entertainment. We need TV programmes fronted by louche characters with several days' beard growth who look like they've come straight from a nightclub. Their rasping voices should suggest a 40-a-day habit. And the news would be far more interesting if presented by people who'd clearly enjoyed a good lunch on expenses. Broadcaster and journalist Reginald 'Reggie' Bosanquet often appeared worse for wear while fronting the News at Ten. One of his co-presenters, Anna Ford, recalled: 'Reggie was a dear. I mean, you wouldn't have chosen a man who had epilepsy, was an alcoholic, had had a stroke and wore a toupée to read the news, but the combination was absolute magic.' Just imagine how ratings would soar for any channel brave enough to put a modern-day Bosanquet in front of the camera. It would be compulsive viewing. Forget the daily diet of doom – you'd tune in to see how pissed they were. And if we must suffer never-ending food programmes, at least let the chef have a fag planted in the corner of their mouth (Marco Pierre White is the only living cook I know to have done this). Then we could watch transfixed as the inch of ash hanging precariously from the tip threatened to drop into whatever they were preparing. It would be even more compelling if they were helping themselves to liberal amounts of alcohol like the late Keith Floyd. Sadly, because everything's now so carefully choreographed, there's no danger of anything spontaneous and, therefore, interesting happening. Gone is the era when a group of young musicians like the Sex Pistols could appear on live TV and turn the air blue. When challenged to say something outrageous by host Bill Grundy, guitarist Steve Jones responded by calling him a 'Dirty bastard' and a 'fucker'. It caused outrage, but the nine-year-old me was delighted. It just couldn't happen now. Neither the producers nor the band's management would allow it. We need TV programmes fronted by louche characters with several days' beard growth who look like they've come straight from a nightclub I like to imagine that, in the unlikely event I'm ever invited on to Today, I'd say something that would have the punters choking on their cornflakes: 'Sorry, Emma… [prolonged sniffing] Feeling a bit liverish. I'm afraid I had a couple of grams of Bolivia's finest washed down with a bottle of Jack D. Never a good idea on a school night.' Raffish laughter. But in reality, I'd be utterly craven. Anyway, I've switched to Radio 3. As for comedy, fuhgeddaboudit! I recently watched the first episode of Tina Fey's Four Seasons and nearly wept at the banality. Anything from yesteryear seems to have to carry a health warning. Can you imagine a new series of Little Britain making it past the morality police? Neither can I. Comedy from the 1970s and 1980s? Don't even go there. There is some hope: The White Lotus – a satire about the entitled rich – has produced some sublime moments. But it's a drama. We need more real-life characters in the media: rakish individuals and loose cannons, preferably those with charm, intellect and wit. Give John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, his own show. He may have mellowed with age, but he could be relied on to ignore the script. This isn't a rallying cry for bad behaviour for its own sake – or an argument against common courtesy, which is already in decline – but rather a call to loosen the fetters that mean, in today's world, it's easier and safer to say nothing at all. Our fear of opprobrium means public debate is the poorest quality I can ever remember. Rather than reasoned discourse, we have facile comments or pure vitriol. So come on, commissioning editors, instead of rendering us insensible with unmitigated twaddle, bring back cerebral discussion programmes whose participants aren't censored. Invite bon viveurs, intellectuals, raconteurs and wits. Mix it up occasionally with a disreputable character or two, supply the guests with a heavily laden drinks trolley and something contentious to debate, and you'd have an explosive cocktail – as well as the makings of brilliant television. Sadly, Oliver Reed died while filming Gladiator. He met some off-duty sailors in a bar and challenged them to a drinking match but fell ill and collapsed with a heart attack. My God, what an epic way to go. Of course, I could never say that to my younger colleague because the age of giants is over, and the unexceptionable are now in charge.

Jamie Oliver simple trick makes frozen meals taste 'unbelievable'
Jamie Oliver simple trick makes frozen meals taste 'unbelievable'

Daily Mirror

time03-06-2025

  • Daily Mirror

Jamie Oliver simple trick makes frozen meals taste 'unbelievable'

The celebrity chef is no stranger to giving tips to transform even the most basic dishes into culinary works of art and his latest hack is no different TV chef Jamie Oliver has dished out a nifty tip for sprucing up simple frozen dinners – and it calls for a touch of creativity. The culinary maestro is famously adept at transforming basic dishes into tasty masterpieces with his no-nonsense approach. In February, he shared his secret to making "delicious, melt-in-your-mouth" sirloin – by replacing oil with one natural ingredient – while in January, he unveiled his recipe for "reliable and easy" spaghetti bolognese with a twist. But now, his latest, easy-to-follow hack promises to transform mundane frozen meals into "unbelievable" delicacies – and the trick lies in a little inventive thinking. ‌ Speaking to the Metro, the chef – who marked his 50th birthday a week ago – showed how making beef bourguignon extraordinary is as simple as adding puff pastry on top to create a pie. ‌ "You can create an amazing dish using a frozen meal," he said with confidence. "Take the bourguignon, you could use it as a pie base and top with some puff pastry." But Jamie did not just confine his transformational techniques to a delicious pie. He went on to suggest that the French classic could transmute into an authentic Italian ragu by serving it as "a lovely pasta sauce because it's got onions, red wine and herbs in, plus lots of veggies". "Get it nice and hot in the oven, in a pan or on the microwave, then stir it into your favourite pasta and top with grated parmesan," he explained. "This takes it from a stew to a really unbelievable Italian-style ragu." Not content with just transforming frozen meals into delectable feasts, Jamie shared his kitchen essentials. He explained how having one particular ingredient could elevate the appearance of a dish to appear "super posh" – and it's an ingredient he always keeps in his fridge. "I pretty much always have a roll of filo pastry and puff pastry," Jamie divulged, before clarifying: "Store bought, not homemade." ‌ He continued: "Filo pastry is almost impossible to make if you're a normal person, and puff pastry is the same. Having them in the fridge or freezer is a really good hack, you can literally put a little puff pastry lid on top of a dish and it instantly looks super posh." However, Jamie drew the line at ready-made alternatives for certain items: "I wouldn't have ready-made shortcrust pastry in the fridge, though. I would never buy it. I'd make my own." Beyond his cooking endeavours, what's Jamie's choice of snack alongside a glass of his favoured whisky? He confessed that it's nothing less than "pure, decadent filth" he seeks during his downtime. ‌ "I take some amazing cheddar – Pitchfork or Westcombe – and I slice it up on a board. Then I get some Hula Hoops, and for me it has to be the salt and vinegar flavour," he added. "You take the round receptacle, and you have to penetrate the cheese with it to create what inevitably will be a little mouthful of pure, decadent filth." If the thought of having cheese-covered Hula Hoops is enough to make you run for the shops to buy a bag, Jamie offered this piece of advice and it's one he claimed could make all the difference. "Just make sure you get the regular Hula Hoops, not the flashy new big ones," he insisted. "The crisps need to be small and firm, not large and airy, in order to cut through the cheese. If I have a little drink of an evening, like a glass of single malt whisky, there's a dirty snack I have with it."

Chilling horror starring iconic British actor soars up Amazon Prime chart
Chilling horror starring iconic British actor soars up Amazon Prime chart

Metro

time02-06-2025

  • Metro

Chilling horror starring iconic British actor soars up Amazon Prime chart

A 2024 horror movie that produced an unexpected career turn for a famous British actor is proving a hit with Amazon Prime Video viewers. Heretic, which starred Hugh Grant as the eccentric and creepy Mr. Reed, was released in November last year to widespread critical acclaim. The film follows the story of two Mormon missionaries who visit Mr. Reed's home after he expresses interest in joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The two missionaries – Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) – immediately realise they're in a situation that's more than they bargained for. While Heretic only made back $60million (£44m) at the global box office, that was still roughly six times larger than the budget it was made with – $10m (£7m). And critics were fans too, with Heretic currently boasting a Rotten Tomatoes critic rating of 91%, a critic score of 7.3 out of 10, and an audience rating of 76%. The film was recently added to the massive libraries of horrors on Amazon Prime Video, and viewers are already sending it soaring up the trending charts. @Matthieson4426 celebrated the turn from Hugh Grant: 'Heretic. Hugh Grant is absolutely brilliant. Manages to make an unarmed middle aged man in a brown jumper epically scary. A great watch.' Elsewhere, @MandoDameron was excited that 'Heretic is on Amazon Prime at last!' with a series of emojis implying they were running to watch it. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video @MontyIsBlessed also couldn't get enough: 'Theologically thrilling and brilliant — I never imagined a movie and theology could bang this hard.' @PaulDuncan67 said: 'Hugh Grant gets better every time I watch him. Heretic is totally absorbing… It takes real talent to demand your attention with minimal players.' @Luluhit said: 'I had no idea this film was so impressive, packed with exquisite dialogue. It's like I've been in a classroom… They come back and tell you the truth right in your face.' On Reddit, SomeGreatGoodThing joked: 'I honestly can't imagine something more horrifying than being trapped in a room with a man telling me his opinions on religion, so this movie really worked for me.' As well as starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East, Heretic also features That 70s Show actor Topher Grace as Elder Kennedy, who makes a brief appearance in the film. More Trending For Metro, film critic Tori Brazier described Heretic as a 'horror reinvention' and said Hugh's career is now 'less and less defined by his bumbling rom-com persona from the 90s'. She also described it as an 'intriguing prospect with its approach to debate and engaging Mr Reed in a confined cat-and-mouse chase with two Mormon missionaries'. Heretic was co-written and co-directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the horror film super team who were also behind the 2018 apocalypse movie A Quiet Place. Watch Heretic on Amazon Prime Video now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Biggest film of 2025 won't be getting a sequel, director confirms MORE: Netflix fans furious over gutting announcement for the streaming giant's biggest hit MORE: The Simpsons episode that was banned 27 years after its original release

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store