Starting September 9th, Uptown United is bringing weekly live outdoor entertainment to Argyle Street featuring musical, cultural, and youth performances. The street will be shut down from Kenmore to Sheridan to allow for outdoor dining (and dancing if the mood strikes you) while enjoying live music.
Visitors are encouraged to support Uptown’s local restaurants by either dining alfresco at the restaurants along Argyle, or by ordering take-out from nearby restaurants to bring with them to the event. Guests are welcome to bring their own portable chairs and tables to set up in the street, or take advantage of a limited number of seats set-up for the event.
Check out our Argyle Night Music Map & Guide to help you choose your takeout options each Thursday!
DATES
Elgin Bokari T. Smith aka L O Kari is a Chicago based DJ, Activist, Visual and Performing Artist from St. Louis, Missouri. L O Kari’s style is very smooth and transformative. Blending mixes of Hip hop, RnB, Electronic, Trap and EDM, some of his influences include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Nujabes, Linkin Park, Joe Hisaishi, LORN, and Prince.
6:00pm – Community Performance by The Aloha Center Chicago
A unique innovative and upscale multi-media resource cultural center dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Native Hawaiian & South Pacific Arts.
Herbsaint presents traditional 1920’s New Orleans parlor music interpreted from the recordings of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Johnny Dodds, and more.
Hunter Diamond – clarinet, vocal, case drum, footbourine
Paul Bedal – keyboard
John Sutton – bass
Thursday, September 16th | 5:30pm-8:30pm
6:00pm – Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago (KPAC) featuring:
Janggu Korean Drum performance by Suwan Choi
Saxophonist Jeff Chan
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6:30pm – Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles – Brass Quintet
The @LakesidePride Brass Quintet is Chicago’s premier queer small brass ensemble! Specializing in quirky covers of pop songs, showtunes, and movie hits, this quintet, one of Lakeside Pride’s ten chamber groups, is sure to put a smile on your face and a tap in your toes! For more information about their performances (or to join in the fun!), check them out on social media or www.lakesidepride.org!
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7:00pm – Sam Trump
Sam “Trump” Harris is a multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter from Houston, TX, and has been a student of music from first picking up the trumpet at age 7. Since moving to Chicago in 2009 to obtain his fine arts degree in music, he has become heavily involved in Chicago’s live music scene, and is widely known as a band leader, sideman, mentor, & curator. Wherever he is, Sam Trump is known for creating a vibe that is sophisticated & soulful.
Thursday, September 23rd | 5:30pm-8:30pm
5:30pm – Elephant Rebellion
Elephant Rebellion is a collective of artists and activists dedicated to empowering communities through the power of arts and education. We began organizing in 2012 after our friend and fellow artist/activist John Vietnam Nguyen passed away. He left behind a legacy of inspiring change in yourself and your community through positive action and self-determination. Representing Elephant Rebellion is Kabashi and L O Kari.
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6:30pm – Khmer Ensemble (Cambodia)
In 2004, the Cambodian American Heritage Museum & the Killing Fields Memorial was established under the auspice of the Cambodian Association of Illinois. The Museum & Memorial is the only museum of its kind in the US, which dedicates its programs and activities to the Cambodian genocide awareness and social justice, advocacy for genocide survivors and their families, healing arts, and youth leadership development in social justice. During the past 10 years, the Museum & Memorial has made significant impacts on the Cambodian community both locally and nationally, and on the general public.
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7:00pm – Ugochi & A.S.E.
Ugochi Nwaogwugwu – A Multi-Talented Free Spirit. With over two decade of experience in the literary and music industry, UGOCHI has gained quite a notable reputation for her solo career and collaborations. Not content to rest on her gnash, UGOCHI & A.S.E. are always laying foundations for the next release, adding more classics to their repertoire. Nina Simone once said, “It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times in which we live. That’s why UGOCHI & A.S.E. write, record and share their offerings on a frequent basis, making countless public appearances locally, nationally and internationally.
Thursday, September 30th | 5:30pm-8:30pm
5:30pm – Glenn Kaiser
Glenn Kaiser’s musical career started in the late ’60s while in his early teens. Glenn’s solo career is centered around the blues, especially with handmade cigar box guitars and other “found object” instruments, but also with lapsteel, acoustic and electric guitars, and harmonica. His extensive discography – over 35 recordings to date – includes projects of rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, worship, and American roots.
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6:15pm – CircEsteem
CircEsteem’s mission is to unite youth across all backgrounds and identities by fostering self-esteem and mutual respect through the practice and performance of circus arts.
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7:00pm – Beats y Bateria
How do classic rumbas, 100 year old folk tunes, and ancient rhythms fit in the percussive electronic music of today? Come find Beats y Bateria: a collaboration of Havana-born, Chicago-based DJ/Producer AfroQbano, Moldovan singer Ana Everling and global beat drummer Daniel Crane. The three members come from different musical homes but what they do together is set a mood of celebration and nostalgia under the umbrella of global dance music.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
with funding from the Walder Foundation.
If interested in becoming an Annual Sponsor, click here for more details!
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
