Waiting for the Lineup to Change

By Julene McCoy in Arts & Entertainment on May 1, 2007 3:08PM

Yawn. That’s our initial response to the free music at the Taste of Chicago this year. We know not every concert should cater to us alone, but should we suffer because of the need to cater to the balding, khaki-wearer’s bland taste in music? Thanks, XRT, for taking this to a new level of disinterest. Who’s having the BBQ? That’s where we’ll be instead of Grant Park.

The Taste of Chicago has released the Fourth of July lineup with newly anointed god of guitar and man of extreme patience John Mayer getting the main headlining gig. Robert Randolph and Mexican acoustic wonder duo Rodrigo y Gabriela round out the bill. Other reasons to stop stuffing the face, to have a beer, and to relax include: Maze and Beverly (June 29), The Black Crowes (July 6), and Cheap Trick (July 7). Is it even possible to keep Cheap Trick away from Taste, or do they lurk in the bushes around the Petrillo Music Shell year round? Just askin’.

Kenny Rogers, Sara Evans and Craig Morgan (July 1) will get us a country fix. Our Broadway fix comes from the casts of Wicked and The Color Purple with a revue on July 2. Los Lonely Boys (July 8) give us some comfortable diversity to close the festivities.

It is free — we shouldn’t complain that much. There are other music festivals that we have to plunk our hard-earned dollars toward. Once again, the best reason to go down to Taste is to catch the fireworks on July 3.