MWA Approved: Ravenswood Art Walk Detour – 10/4 & 10/5

Dan Jarvis
Art & CultureMusic
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The Ravenswood area of Chicago is already a well-known hub of artist studios and galleries, it’s only logical for there to be a yearly celebration of this wonderfully creative neighborhood! Now in it’s 13th year, the Ravenswood Artwalk (RAW for short) is bigger and better this year with two stages of live music, food trucks, beer gardens, and of course plenty of art.

The opening reception for the weekend will take place on Friday, October 3rd from 7:30pm until 10:30pm. You’ll be treated to a sneak peak of the weekend complete with craft beer, wine, food from neighborhood restaurants, raffles, and more. There will even be live musical performances from the Oistrach Symphony Orchestra and the incredible belly dance group Amaranth. It’s a diverse start to an even more diverse weekend!

Artists sell their work in large tent at Wilson and Ravenswood. Photo By Ricardo Villarreal
Artists sell their work in a large tent at Wilson and Ravenswood. Photo By Ricardo Villarreal

At the center of this year’s Ravenswood ArtWalk is the RAW Detour, a street-festival featuring two stages of live music, an urban craft beer garden sponsored by Begyle Brewing, a food truck roundup, artist tents, a children’s corner and a gallery of products made in Ravenswood hosted by Ork Posters.

Here’s a taste of RAW Detour’s musical offerings for Saturday and Sunday.

SaturdaySunday

New Oceans | RCC Stage | 12:30pm

The music lineup on the RCC Stage kicks off with local garage punk outfit New Oceans. Their latest EP What’s The Use is an thrashy, catchy throw-back to ’90s grunge, punk, and power-pop. It’ll get your heart pumping and head banging in seconds.

TALsounds | ESS Stage | 1:00pm

If you need a cool down from New Oceans raucous set, the ambient, experimental soundscapes of TALsounds might be up your alley. This solo project of musician Natalie Chami is an incredible collage of loops, vocals, drones, and other atmospheric sounds.

Natalie Grace Alford | RCC Stage | 4:30pm

Later in the evening treat yourself to the incredible vocal prowess and danceable synth beats of Natalie Grace Alford. She brings the energy and immediacy of a Tune-Yards show without the need for a stage full of instruments. It’s catchy, upbeat, and extremely passionate music. Check out a track from her live set earlier this year at the infamous Young Camelot.

EGO | RCC Stage | 7:00pm

I want to describe EGO has a band that is constantly reinventing themselves but they really don’t have to because they’ve never managed to get stuck in just one genre of music. Their 2013 album DON’T is still a favorite of ours here at Midwest Action and their new self-titled EP is a great addition to an already incredible discography. They’re basically the modern day Talking Heads with a bit more of a freak-folk-punk-rock vibe.

Honey Hole Johnson | RCC Stage | 12:15pm

The dirty lo-fi blues of Honey Hole Johnson starts off an incredible day of music on the RCC stage. With a distorted resonator guitar, a drummer, and a voice that will make you quiver, Honey Hole delivers some Chicago blues done right. Here’s a live recording of his take on the Junior Wells classic “Good Mornin’ Little Schoolgirl” (courtesy of Young Camelot).

Zigtebra | RCC Stage | 1:30pm

Pronounced “Zig-Tea-Bruh”. A fun and poppy art-rock duo that has been playing together for a just a couple of years now. Their erratic harmonies and simple but melodic synth lines are simply infectious. The music itself is very sparse and minimal but not a single sound is wasted. It’s economizing at it’s best.

YAWN | RCC Stage | 4:00pm

A Chicago psych-pop staple, YAWN doesn’t sound like any other band I’ve ever heard. There are bits of Yeasayer, Animal Collective, and miscellaneous tribal elements that make YAWN a truly unique and enjoyable listening experience. Their live show will surely engulf you in sound (and good vibes).

Check out the Facebook Event for the full lineup of artists and schedules for both stages and be sure to RSVP while you’re there. Of course, don’t forget to pop into the many open studios and creative businesses featured throughout the entire weekend!

The event will take place Saturday October 4th  12pm-9pm and Sunday October 5th 12pm-6pm, don’t miss it!

Ravenswood Art Walk Official | Artists | Facebook