First up is Joywave, a rock band from Rochester, NY. They take the stage all dressed in white track suits. They jump right into their blend of rock / dance / electronic music. “Don’t ever want to wake up, next to someone new” sings the band leader on “Someone New”. Later on, he mentions that one of their earliest shows was in Chicago. He remembers seeing fireworks with the Sears Tower in the background. “Who would have thought we would end up in Millennium Park 12 years later playing to dozens of people!” A few small corrections there: The concert is taking place in Grant Park and there are hundreds of people in attendance. Towards the end of the set, they play the fantastic “Tongues”. It’s impossible not to dance along to this infectious song.
Next up to the stage is lovelytheband from LA. They start off with a bang by playing “make you feel pretty”. “Spending all my money just to make you feel pretty” they sing. It’s an incredibly fun song that gets the audience up and dancing right away. Later on, the singer explains that he broke his hand and that it hurts to play the guitar, but he is powering through it. He jokes that he is taking his songs too literally. This joke refers to the song that they close their set with, “broken”. “I like that you’re broken, broken like me. Maybe that makes me a fool.”
Last up are The Strumbellas from Canada. Their fun sound filled with a lot of heys and the full band singing is similar to The Lumineers. This is good company to be in and their live show matches their energy too. It’s a great close to an impressive lineup of bands at the Taste of Chicago on the Petrillo Music Shell.
Cost of a ticket: $25
PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value
Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother
Quinn Delaney
PlaylistHQ 