Music Top 5: May 2023

Photo: Pamela Littky

1
RICHARD THOMPSON
(Evanston SPACE/Old Town School of Folk Music)
Anytime the near-legendary elder statesman of British folk makes a Chicago appearance, it’s an essential event. This time around, he’s hitting two major venues on consecutive nights.
May 5-6

2
JEFF TWEEDY
(Vic Theatre)
The Wilco frontman returns with his annual benefit shows for education. Each of the pair of performances is composed of audience requests; and with his back catalog, that will make for a very wide-ranging affair.
May 19-20

3
RENÉE FLEMING AND EVGENY KISSIN
(Symphony Center)
Talk about luxury casting: the gold-standard soprano and former piano wunderkind, now veteran virtuoso, come together for an evening of songs by the master of the Romantics, Rachmaninoff.
May 14

4
BILL FRISELL TRIO
(Evanston SPACE)
The adventurous, ridiculously gifted jazz guitarist’s latest release is a quartet album, “Four,” but here he is, touring as a trio (with Tony Scherr and Rudy Royston). For an improvisor of Frisell’s caliber, won’t be a problem.
May 12

5
LEMON TWIGS
(Sleeping Village)
Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario resurrect the gaudy glories of seventies pop with more brio than many of the acts that originated them. They’re in town to tour their new, fourth album, “Everything Harmony.”
May 6-7

Robert Rodi

Robert Rodi is an author, spoken-word performer and musician who has served as Newcity’s Music Editor since 2014. He’s written more than a dozen books, including the travel memoir “Seven Seasons In Siena,” and his literary and music criticism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, The Huffington Post and many other national and regional publications.
Contact: robert@newcity.com