RECOMMENDED Sinister yet dancefloor friendly, AK1200’s sets are perfectly tuned for the rave and club set. Known primarily for his drum ‘n’ bass mix CDs on Moonshine in the late nineties, he later formed the Planet of the Drums DJ crew with fellow U.S. champions of the sound, Dieselboy and Dara. His latest mix CD, “Weapons of Tomorrow,” showcases the genre’s unsung heroes, drawing tunes from forum submissions and attacking them with his aggressive mixing style. Chicago heads will likely expect a bit more, specifically because POTD so recently visited Smart Bar. Nevertheless, solo sets from AK1200 deliver the goods, and those braving the chill will not be sorry. (John Alex Colon)
AK1200 headlines JungleFly, with Burn, BRC & MC Anti at Smart Bar, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, on January 17 from 10pm-4am. $7 before 11:30pm, $10 after.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
Can’t-Miss Music Events (Fall Arts Preview 2023) This fall we get new albums and tours from iconic acts like Wilco and Kurt Elling, plus a Corrine Bailey Rae project inspired by Theaster Gates' Stony Island Arts Bank.
