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Takin' It to the Streets
Marquette Park; Sat 19
It says something about the division of North Side and South Side that a lot of you might not know where Marquette Park lies. It’s down by Midway. Aside from the occasional hippie Phish jamboree at Toyota Park, that neck of the city is a little starved for live music events. However, Chicago’s best free summer festival this year is arguably Takin’ It to the Streets (no, it has nothing to do with the Doobie Brothers), a celebration thrown by the Inner-City Muslim Action Network. An improbable-sounding 70 acts—largely hip-hop, roots and soul performers—flood four stages. That’s packing nearly two Pitchforks in a single day. Not to mention the French break-dancers and tai chi lessons.
Headlining is actor-rapper Mos Def. After a hit-and-miss Hollywood detour and troubled commercial aspirations, the Brooklyn native went back to his roots on The Ecstatic. Ignoring radio hooks, the 36-year-old simply flows over nuggety little beats. He’s at his best when more abstract, leaving listeners inspired, awestruck, angry and elated. Over at the Hip-Hop Pavilion, a diverse roster of MCs brings politically charged albino fire-spitting Brother Ali, local backpackers All Natural, and the intriguing spots from Moroccan trio Fnaïre (the three weave rhymes in Darija, a dialect of Arabic) and witty Iraqi-Canadian the Narcicyst.
Leading the charge of world music are desert guitar warriors Tinariwen. The snaking Saharan lines could be labeled psychedelic, Malian folk or groovy blues. Label the Malians what you will, this is breathtaking soul music. Nomads flocking to hear those international stars would be wise to check out Orchestre Chabab Al Andalous, a traditional Andalusian orchestra of racing string instruments and hand drums, and Alpha Yaya Diallo, a fluid Guinean shredder. Your move, World Music Fest.
Tinawiren plays a free show in Millennium Park on Thursday 17.
