![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/ceafa176-347e-4785-b020-ebc82f174fef/LU_Fabric_Orb_02.png)
![Official Claire, Joe Andrew](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1720291481543-11JE6D7LO9Z8AQ80PV0I/officialclaire.jpeg)
Official Claire, Joe Andrew
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Official Claire is one of Chicago’s finest new songwriters. She works with a poet's eye for detail, with calm confession, with playful sarcasm, and with a deep need for catharsis- all on top of memorable, swaying hooks.
She’s also a calm shredder of guitar, and can play gritty and delicate, all in one swoop. Claire is from the Chicagoland area. Her music caught the attention of fellow Chicagoan and ex-Wilco member, LeRoy Bach. Bach has become a studio collaborator and member of her live band.
Official Claire's latest studio offering, Midnight Dickbiter, was recorded last winter, and features five remarkable new compositions. Claire played and engineered the majority of instruments. She’s also joined by LeRoy Bach and drummer Quin Kirchner (Ryler Walker, Wild Belle, Bill McKay).
Joe Andrew is a songwriter from Chicago who constructs "beautifully doomed psych folk" utilizing a crooning baritone voice, cryptic prose and intricate finger-style guitar work. His latest release, Inferno, is a bleary-eyed dirge that melds acoustic blues with pulsating electric grind. A full length album is set to be released later this year.
Gay Guy Summit
hosted by Brigid Broderick
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
At the core of Gay Guy Summit, we focus on helping our members gay more and gay better. At Summit, you will have access to world-class speakers who want to help you succeed. So, what can you expect to learn? We will focus on improving your sales and marketing strategies. We will take a deep dive into your podcasting, poppers use, and Charli XCX. Sales will be up and we will do anything it takes to meet the deductible by EOD. Featuring Parker Callahan, Peeper Johnson, Kristi Durkin, music by Mabel, and others.
![J&M Contra Dance Night](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718809743137-SAGIYKHS6B192IX07147/Contra+Dance+IG+no+Texture.png)
J&M Contra Dance Night
Lessons at 7:00pm, Dancing at 7:30pm
Judson & Moore and Local Universe present Contra Dance Night, a summertime residency for this called dance. Music by Mulefoot and calling by Andrea Craft. Lessons included in ticket price and start at 7pm, music & dancing starts at 7:30pm.
ABOUT CONTRA DANCE
Contra is a social dance, meaning you don't need a partner, that originated from English & Scottish country dances but was reinterpreted by New England and Appalachian folk styles.
The dancers form couples, and the couples form sets of two couples in long lines starting from the stage and going down the length of the dance hall. Throughout the course of a dance, couples progress up and down these lines, dancing with each other couple in the line. The dance is led by a caller who teaches the sequence of moves, called "figures," in the dance before the music starts. In a single dance, a caller may include anywhere from six to twelve figures, which are repeated as couples progress up and down the lines. Each time through the dance takes 64 beats, after which the pattern is repeated. The essence of the dance is in following the pattern with your set and your line; since there is no required footwork, many people find contra dance easier to learn than other forms of social dancing.
![Lavender Prairie Festival](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722613217792-6D3W9ASQ7U18ZBN7X21Z/LP_Frame-Fri.jpg)
Lavender Prairie Festival
Doors open at 6:00pm, Show at 7:00pm
FRIDAY LINEUP:
10PM - The Kentucky Gentlemen
9PM - Abigail Austin
8PM - Iris Marlowe
7PM - The Devil Said Jump
Lavender Prairie Queer CountryFestival is a three-day event at Judson & Moore featuring a curated lineup of queer acts from around the US, as well as some of Chicago’s queer country favorites. The event is presented by Local Universe, The Queer Social Club, and Andrew Sa following their collaborations with the regular two-step night Swappin’ Boots and the cult-hit Cosmic Country Showcase.
Inspired by the legacy of Lavender Country, the event is an experiential celebration of queer performance, dance, and art. Acts are coming in from around the country like the 27-year old twins The Kentucky Gentlemen from Nashville, the writer/vocalist/producer from Durham, HC McEntire, rising star from Charlotte, SC, She Returns From War, and Philly duo Big Benny Bailey (feat. Shamir). Also rounding out the festival from out of state is long-standing country-punk artist Abigail Austin who went on tour with Lavender Country in 2022. Picked from Chicago’s budding queer country scene are Olivia & The Lovers, the halloween-loving Iris Marlowe, Edie McKenna from queer-rockers Modern Nun, #QueerCountry Bandwagon, and duo The Devil Said Jump. Andrew Sa will be assembling a tribute to Lavender Country with former touring members of that band which was a collective of queer performers.
![Lavender Prairie Festival](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722613267132-YM8KB3QNBC6OH345M5QL/LP_Frame-Sat.jpg)
Lavender Prairie Festival
Doors open at 6:00pm, Show at 7:00pm
SATURDAY LINEUP:
10PM - Andrew Sa’s Lavender Country Tribute
9PM - HC McEntire
8PM - She Returns From War
7PM - Edie McKenna
Lavender Prairie Queer CountryFestival is a three-day event at Judson & Moore featuring a curated lineup of queer acts from around the US, as well as some of Chicago’s queer country favorites. The event is presented by Local Universe, The Queer Social Club, and Andrew Sa following their collaborations with the regular two-step night Swappin’ Boots and the cult-hit Cosmic Country Showcase.
Inspired by the legacy of Lavender Country, the event is an experiential celebration of queer performance, dance, and art. Acts are coming in from around the country like the 27-year old twins The Kentucky Gentlemen from Nashville, the writer/vocalist/producer from Durham, HC McEntire, rising star from Charlotte, SC, She Returns From War, and Philly duo Big Benny Bailey (feat. Shamir). Also rounding out the festival from out of state is long-standing country-punk artist Abigail Austin who went on tour with Lavender Country in 2022. Picked from Chicago’s budding queer country scene are Olivia & The Lovers, the halloween-loving Iris Marlowe, Edie McKenna from queer-rockers Modern Nun, #QueerCountry Bandwagon, and duo The Devil Said Jump. Andrew Sa will be assembling a tribute to Lavender Country with former touring members of that band which was a collective of queer performers.
![Lavender Prairie Festival](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722613299693-NYVJBQVULC429FL5MIOD/LP_Frame-Sun.jpg)
Lavender Prairie Festival
Doors open at 6:00pm, Show at 7:00pm
SUNDAY LINEUP:
10PM - Hawk & The Talons
9PM - Big Benny Bailey
8PM - Olivia & The Lovers
7PM - #QueerCountry Bandwagon
Lavender Prairie Queer CountryFestival is a three-day event at Judson & Moore featuring a curated lineup of queer acts from around the US, as well as some of Chicago’s queer country favorites. The event is presented by Local Universe, The Queer Social Club, and Andrew Sa following their collaborations with the regular two-step night Swappin’ Boots and the cult-hit Cosmic Country Showcase.
Inspired by the legacy of Lavender Country, the event is an experiential celebration of queer performance, dance, and art. Acts are coming in from around the country like the 27-year old twins The Kentucky Gentlemen from Nashville, the writer/vocalist/producer from Durham, HC McEntire, rising star from Charlotte, SC, She Returns From War, and Philly duo Big Benny Bailey (feat. Shamir). Also rounding out the festival from out of state is long-standing country-punk artist Abigail Austin who went on tour with Lavender Country in 2022. Picked from Chicago’s budding queer country scene are Olivia & The Lovers, the halloween-loving Iris Marlowe, Edie McKenna from queer-rockers Modern Nun, #QueerCountry Bandwagon, and duo The Devil Said Jump. Andrew Sa will be assembling a tribute to Lavender Country with former touring members of that band which was a collective of queer performers.
![Mya Byrne, Riggings](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722969172845-I7I64AWJ6PSU5EJ45AK0/MyaRiggins.jpg)
Mya Byrne, Riggings
Special guest Sara Jean Stevens
Doors open at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Mya Byrne is a celebrated Americana singer-songwriter and firecracker guitarist, combining influences from countrypolitan to glam-pop, blues, and ghostly incantations into a singular voice and vision, with elements of John Prine’s whimsy, Leonard Cohen’s spiritual gravitas, Dylan’s wit, and Lucinda Williams’ aching sensuality. Like a crackling backyard fire outside of a city at dusk, stars on one side of the sky and light pollution on the other, Mya’s music is in the pocket of traditional country and Americana, yet firmly rooted in the modern world.
“Being trans is a prayer for something better”- Carta Monir
This album is a prayer.
Egg is the first full-length from Durham, NC artist Riggings, the newest name sad-folk stalwart Alex Riggs has adopted for means of personal expression. It was recorded over three days in the summer of 2022 at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC under the watchful, owl-like eyes of Alli Rogers (Bon Iver, Tallest Man on Earth).
Much like the titular egg, it’s been sat on and kept warm until something inside was ready to emerge, arms open and beak wide open, screaming and wailing. What begins with stuttering, glitchy Steve Reich-ian patterns soon morphs into cobweb-encrusted folk, exercises in loping, broken piano jazz, guitar solos that sound like dying animals, and heartfelt elegies that are also about cat vomit.
![Stoned at the Jukebox](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723648400794-ULOOSV8180LQACRUJ2PX/StonedLogo.jpg)
Stoned at the Jukebox
Doors at 5:00pm, Music at 6:30pm
Stoned at the Jukebox is a monthly country party hosted by Reilly Downes & Cody Messick. Come by for happening DJ sets, a small market, and live sets from dance-worthy bands.
![Jessica Risker, Angela James, Kelsey Wild, Tara Smith](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725114961753-ZKA53OZ12ZDIX4AHX0VV/J+and+M+Sept+2024+Still+Flyer+REAL+FINAL.png)
Jessica Risker, Angela James, Kelsey Wild, Tara Smith
Doors at 7:00pm, Music at 8:00pm
The four singersongwriters play short, intimate, stripped down sets for free.
![Marian Runk "Two Wires and a Spark" Release Show](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718810378875-D21RX7UDGLQVQFICHOPB/Marian%252BRunk%252BFolk%252BMusician%252BPromo%252BPhoto%252B2%252Bby%252BLatham%252BZearfoss.jpg)
Marian Runk "Two Wires and a Spark" Release Show
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Marian Runk’s life-long fascination with storytelling evolved from book arts and comics to songwriting and performing. A dancer, birdwatcher, visual artist, political activist, writer, and musician; the breadth of her creativity is felt in every aspect of her music.
Dallas-born, Chicago-based Runk’s youth was filled with dance, poetry and singing along with the eighties ladies in the car with her mom. In her thirties, those passions converged when she fell in love with songwriting.
Two Wires and a Spark - out on September 13 - is filled with the powerful imagery you expect from someone with such a diverse artistic background. Often compared to Karen Dalton and Gillian Welch, Runk’s lyrics cover an expanse of themes, including loneliness, (mis)communication, dealing with grief, living alongside addiction, and road trips through the Rust Belt.
“Sounds like poetry set to classic country music. Runk’s soprano voice is like honey and her tunes are full of hooks.” - Tony Breed, CHIRP Radio
“Marian Runk is the real deal. Songs that have depth, heart and musicality and will get stuck in your head. -Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden)
![Mint Mile](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718914472431-B3VDE2O2CR6JH0NAQYLD/MINTMILE2017-8798-scaled.jpg)
Mint Mile
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
Mint Mile is a rock group based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 2014 by Tim Midyett of Silkworm and Bottomless Pit, with Jeff Panall of Songs: Ohia on drums. Matthew Barnhart (Tre Orsi), engineer of the recordings from day one, added bass guitar to his duties soon after, and Justin Brown (Palliard) joined up on pedal steel and guitar in 2016.
The band is rooted in a shifting amalgam of classic rock, post-punk, blues, folk-rock, and country with bits of glam and modern experimental music drifting to the surface.
With three 4-song EPs to open their offerings, Mint Mile produced a sprawling double album (is there any other kind?) called Ambertron in March of 2020, with the fresh, tight forty minutes of Roughrider continuing their run in eminently fine style.
![Dylan Earl](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725035816811-4F11JOQAREJXC0JVS6UN/Dylan%2BEarl%2B-%2BPress%2B2024%2B-%2B1.jpg)
Dylan Earl
with special guest Pat Reedy & The Longtime Goners
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
I’m from where I woke up this morning. I write the songs that come to mind and struggle with the ones that don’t. I find humor in misconceptions and solace in laughter, love in the street and fire in the eyes of the marginalized. I prefer facts over alternate facts. I’m here to shoot you straight, although sometimes I fire from the hip.
I was born a Cajun in Lake Charles, Louisiana at the end of the 1980s. When I was a boy, I was naturalized by the Natural State, then became a man. I plan to die in Arkansas. I dream of the raven riding thermals along the cliffs of the Ouachita. I’m blessed by the monks of Subiaco and silent with it’s hills. Sometimes my boots are tugged by the Calcasieu mud. A cold beer goes further than you think; “don’t give me two unless you’ve got 12 more” my buddy always says. I used to ride the levee at night and shoot at the moon. I used to run with the boys in Logan County, that’s also in Arkansas. I used to hold my breath in church until I saw stars just to see if Jesus would come down off that cross and save me. I used to hide from my brother, now I just hide from the cops. The sound of a dog drinking water is my favorite sound. I’ve never written all the songs I wish I had, but I’ve got 3 albums you can find on me or the internet. I used to be in a band called Keyless Gentry…we did one show. I spent all my 20s sweating on guitars, I hope to do it all my 30s. I spend most of my time behind a wheel, getting to you.
Growing up, my mom played all her country tapes in our ’89 econoline. I love those songs almost as much as our memories.
It was my mother
Who first took me to the country
I’m indebted to her
Not only in Love
But also in Time
Say no to fascism
-DEARL
![Aaron Chen](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723153782401-WU5BJ103Z0ASB08LGANB/AaronChen.jpeg)
Aaron Chen
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Aaron has quickly climbed the ranks of the international comedy scene. Aaron made his mark on Australian comedy with his debut solo show in 2017 and since then has toured nationally in front of sold-out crowds and rave reviews, earning him the sought-after awards for Best Newcomer (2017) and Director’s Choice (2019), and nomination for Best Show (2021) at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Since his critically acclaimed performance at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Aaron supported comedian Ronny Chieng on his Live Australian Tour, and had feature roles in Ronny Chieng International Student (ABC), Orange is the New Brown (Seven Network), and FISK (Netflix). As a comedian, he also appears on Australia’s #1 panel show, Have You Been Paying Attention (Network 10).
Aaron’s acclaimed 2021 Adult Swim special A Life in Questions was for nominated for Best Short Form Comedy special at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, and lead to development deals with Adult Swim/Warner Media. His stand-up special, If It Weren’t Filmed, Nobody Would Believe was released on YouTube in September 2022 and has accumulated almost 1 million views.
![Janet Bean, Contorno [album release], Glass Beagle](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1724177309647-1R0DDL3NB33O9LST23N2/JanetBean.jpg)
Janet Bean, Contorno [album release], Glass Beagle
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
Janet Beveridge Bean drums, sings, and writes in the great, muscular Chicago guitar band Eleventh Dream Day. Over their 40-year career and 12 album releases Eleventh Dream Day has been described as “an inspiring embodiment of exploratory eclecticism – which has seen a journey through wild prairie plowing Paisley Undergroundisms, Television-meets-Crazy Horse jams, dreamy yet driving college-radio-friendly melodicism, celestial post-rock, motorik garage-pop, VU-infused art-chugging, gnarly agit-punk and rambunctious rock ‘n’ soul across both indie and major labels.” Her 35-year career as half of the Chicago/Louisville duo Freakwater has“defied the alt-country pigeonhole with their aching, prairie-echoing songs of heartbreak and sorrow.” Her solo work has been described as a continuation of American cosmic music with “envelope-pushing textures and dissonance.” She has performed and recorded with James Elkington, as the Horses Ha; Jamie Fennely’s Mind Over Mirrors; and most recently with Birmingham, England’s legendary Nightengale’s frontman, Robert Lloyd, releasing Lloyd Bean’s, Black Cat/Dark Horse in 2023. Contorno is a Chicago-based rock n roll collective led by songwriter John Gargiulo. The band includes core members Connor Boyle, Lee Ketch, Dann Morr, and Andy Rench. The band's music melds folky jangle rock with swampy grooves and fiery, Neil Young-inspired guitar solos. They released their debut LP, "Won't Be Gone," in fall 2020. The album was recorded at Strange Magic Recording with Robbie Hamilton and features contributions from Janet Bean (Freakwater, Eleventh Dream Day) and Angela James.
Glass-Beagle, the Chicago-based alt-country outfit, bring a finely judged precision to their juxtapositions. Their debut EP, Spring Sword Chatter, released May 2024, showcases their uniquely mangled mix of country, folk, power pop, and rock 'n' roll. With a blend of fuzzed out guitars, singing pedal steel guitar and Nathan Zurawski’s abstract yet personal lyrics, the band roots their sound in something both nostalgic and innovative.
![Jen Brister: Hyperbole](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722442365145-DR1QMFET442ZAQG2SYEN/Landscape_+Matt+Crockett+%282%29.jpg)
Jen Brister: Hyperbole
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Jen Brister has a lot to say and she's come all the way to North America to say it. Join Jen as she performs her debut hour here in the US. Expect to see her mining material from past shows as well as showcasing brand new jokes. It's going to be a blast!
"No one does furious better than Brister.” The Guardian
“Her energy is explosive. Her use of space and delivery, mesmerising.” The Sunday Times
“A phenomenal display of sinewy stand up.” Chortle
![Souled American [Night 1]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722969072382-OTHGUK4SPAIAJX0VOAAU/SouledAmerican-full.jpg)
Souled American [Night 1]
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
An original influence on the alt-country explosion in Chicago, Souled American’s legacy has had a lasting effect on musicians and fans alike. The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle penned an essay about how Souled American's Flubber changed his life and Eric D Johnson (aka Fruit Bats) recalled a show at the Empty Bottle where Jim O’Rourke opening for them was just a side note:
“Souled American took the stage and it was immediately awesome – it was based in folk and country tradition but was heavily drenched in a spooky, hazed-out weirdo vibe. Singular alien music.”
Though the group released six records over their lifetime, it’s the last two, Notes Campfire and Frozen that have made a recent resurgence including this in-depth review by NPR last year. These albums are after the band lost their drummer and seemed to slow way down, uninhibited by the annoyance of someone keeping time in the band.
The group is getting back together to perform two nights at Judson & Moore to celebrate the reissue of these two albums by Scissortail Records (Tobacco City, Rosali). Tickets for reserved seating and general admission are on sale now!
![Grace Kuhlenschmidt [early show]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1717869313874-K90S5O7Q7SP9GRI8S1OJ/image001+%281%29+%284%29+%281%29+%282%29.jpg)
Grace Kuhlenschmidt [early show]
Doors at 6:30pm, Show at 7:00pm
Grace Kuhlenschmidt is an NYC based stand-up comedian, actress and writer who was recognized by the New York Times as one of the top 7 Comedians to Watch. Last year she was also recognized as a New Face by Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival. Grace recurred in the final season of SEARCH PARTY (HBO Max), can be seen in the first season of KILLING IT (Peacock), and also appeared in the first season of ZIWE (Showtime). You can currently watch her on THE DAILY SHOW (Comedy Central).
![Souled American [Night 2]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722969094732-G2CNCCWTZWZS1EJJ10YZ/SouledAmerican-full.jpg)
Souled American [Night 2]
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
An original influence on the alt-country explosion in Chicago, Souled American’s legacy has had a lasting effect on musicians and fans alike. The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle penned an essay about how Souled American's Flubber changed his life and Eric D Johnson (aka Fruit Bats) recalled a show at the Empty Bottle where Jim O’Rourke opening for them was just a side note:
“Souled American took the stage and it was immediately awesome – it was based in folk and country tradition but was heavily drenched in a spooky, hazed-out weirdo vibe. Singular alien music.”
Though the group released six records over their lifetime, it’s the last two, Notes Campfire and Frozen that have made a recent resurgence including this in-depth review by NPR last year. These albums are after the band lost their drummer and seemed to slow way down, uninhibited by the annoyance of someone keeping time in the band.
The group is getting back together to perform two nights at Judson & Moore to celebrate the reissue of these two albums by Scissortail Records (Tobacco City, Rosali). Tickets for reserved seating and general admission are on sale now!
![Grace Kuhlenschmidt [late show]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1717869313874-K90S5O7Q7SP9GRI8S1OJ/image001+%281%29+%284%29+%281%29+%282%29.jpg)
Grace Kuhlenschmidt [late show]
Doors at 9:00pm, Show at 9:30pm
Grace Kuhlenschmidt is an NYC based stand-up comedian, actress and writer who was recognized by the New York Times as one of the top 7 Comedians to Watch. Last year she was also recognized as a New Face by Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival. Grace recurred in the final season of SEARCH PARTY (HBO Max), can be seen in the first season of KILLING IT (Peacock), and also appeared in the first season of ZIWE (Showtime). You can currently watch her on THE DAILY SHOW (Comedy Central).
![Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725293047762-GW5HA9AGAMKGSEWX2WYL/148_CosmicCountryShowcase%2540SleepingVillage_10.2022.jpg)
Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip
Haunted Tavern at 7:00pm, Opening act at 8:00pm, Showcase begins at 9:00pm
The Cosmic Country Showcase is back for three nights at Color Club this fall. Lunar crooner Andrew Sa and cosmic clown Mary Williamson take us on a journey through the Cosmic Country that’s gone all kinds of sideways. Passengers on this trip will start in Color Club’s Tavern which will be completely transformed into a black light haunted bar by the stellar artist Glamhag before the house band, The Flying Objects, guide our hosts and esteemed guests through their nightmarish country-psych revue. Every show is different with on-theme artisans, local opening cosmic country acts, comedy, and variety changing each night!
![Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725293234493-9QRH73DMHK9UH8GS1K0H/AndrewSaandBand_SarahLarson.jpg)
Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip
Haunted Tavern at 7:00pm, Opening act at 8:00pm, Showcase begins at 9:00pm
The Cosmic Country Showcase is back for three nights at Color Club this fall. Lunar crooner Andrew Sa and cosmic clown Mary Williamson take us on a journey through the Cosmic Country that’s gone all kinds of sideways. Passengers on this trip will start in Color Club’s Tavern which will be completely transformed into a black light haunted bar by the stellar artist Glamhag before the house band, The Flying Objects, guide our hosts and esteemed guests through their nightmarish country-psych revue. Every show is different with on-theme artisans, local opening cosmic country acts, comedy, and variety changing each night!
![Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725293341491-KQR6PKEBVQUFH84FHQJR/032_CosmicCountry%2540SleepingVillage_04.14.2023.jpg)
Cosmic Country Showcase: Bad Trip
Haunted Tavern at 7:00pm, Opening act at 8:00pm, Showcase begins at 9:00pm
The Cosmic Country Showcase is back for three nights at Color Club this fall. Lunar crooner Andrew Sa and cosmic clown Mary Williamson take us on a journey through the Cosmic Country that’s gone all kinds of sideways. Passengers on this trip will start in Color Club’s Tavern which will be completely transformed into a black light haunted bar by the stellar artist Glamhag before the house band, The Flying Objects, guide our hosts and esteemed guests through their nightmarish country-psych revue. Every show is different with on-theme artisans, local opening cosmic country acts, comedy, and variety changing each night!
![Setting](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723565035739-A43JDO6N4HQQ1BHGI5IL/SETTING-23.jpg)
Setting
with special guests Whitney Johnson & Lia Kohl
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
Setting is Nathan Bowles (solo/trio, Pelt, Black Twig Pickers) on strings, keys, tapes, and percussion; Jaime Fennelly (Mind Over Mirrors, Peeesseye) on harmoniums, synthesizers, and piano zither; and Joe Westerlund (solo, Califone, Sylvan Esso, Jake Xerxes Fussell) on drums, percussion, and metallophones.
Setting established its own setting and found its footing in regularly scheduled improvisational sessions outside Westerlund’s home in Durham, North Carolina, beginning in 2021. The three players began as two, in the context of occasional Bowles and Westerlund percussion duo performances dating back to 2018. Fennelly provided the initial impetus to gather and play together with intentionality and discipline, as well as an harmonic adhesive and thickening agent in the grain and gravity of his harmonium and synthesizer. As always, Bowles’s background as a pianist and drummer informs his approach to banjo, imparting a woodiness, a piney verticality and resinous tang. Westerlund’s training with Milford Graves is apparent in his polyrhythmic flow and its correspondences to human circulatory and corporeal rhythms.
They recorded their collective discoveries on their debut album “Shone a Rainbow Light On” (Paradise of Bachelors), which Uncut praised with a "9/10", while Mojo Magazine listed the album as #3 of Underground Records of 2023, calling it “a record that spectacularly reconciles micro-detailed improv with deep-listening ambience.” And in Aquarium Drunkard’s Year in Review, they penned, “Like Fripp and Eno holed up in a mountain cabin looking for UFOs, Setting’s debut is a luminous slice of kosmische Appalachia that’s like scanning the horizon until you lose all separation between earth and sky.”
![India Ramey](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1724356839870-DBLCHOBP15XTYXOSIQG1/India2.jpg)
India Ramey
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
India Ramey blazes a trail through cinematic spaghetti western landscapes to wood floored Honkytonks and the Appalachian foothills.
India’s musical journey was not typical. “Having grown up poor, there was a lot of pressure for me to ‘go to college and make money’ so I convinced myself that music was a hobby”. Ramey, a domestic violence survivor graduated college, got a law degree and became a domestic violence prosecutor. “I thought if I was helping people like my Mom, I would like being a lawyer more”. Despite her love of helping people, Ramey’s love for music won in the end. She gave up her law career to become a full time musician and songwriter and has never looked back.
Featured as one of the “Must See Acts at SXSW, a Nashville’s Lighting 100 artist of the week, a three-time Americanafest showcasing artist, and one of NPR’s “10 Nashville Artists on the Rise”, India has only continued to rise among the ranks of as one of Country and Americana’s brightest up and coming, emerging artists. Her second national release , Shallow Graves debuted at number six on the Euro Americana Charts and landed a song as Rolling Stone’s pick of the week. Her new album, Baptized By The Blaze is out August 23, 2024 and is already the number one added album to Amiericana Radio. Billboard says of her performance in her Nashville residency performance, “The rollicking set recalls everyone from Tammy Wynette to Wanda Jackson.” Nashville’s Americana radio station, WMOT says India is the perfect mixture of Loretta Lynn and Neko Case, Rolling Stone describes her as “Part Black Sabbath, part honky-tonk” and the BBC’s Ralph McClean says “India is a singer of the truth, she knows the value of a well-told tale sung with passion and honesty. She is a bright light in the darkness. Long may she shine.”
![Julie Williams, Lydia Cash](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1725036042174-J95L0K3OJXKU7I302HNL/JM-JulieLydia.jpg)
Julie Williams, Lydia Cash
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
CMT Next Women of Country's Julie Williams is turning heads in Nashville’s Americana music scene with her compelling blend of country storytelling, soft yet-powerful vocal performance, and indie folk production. Building her career on the road, Julie has played over 120 shows in 26 states in the past two years and captivated audiences at festivals such as Newport Folk Festival, CMA Fest, Tortuga Music Fest, High Water Festival, Cayamo, and AmericanaFest. She has shared the stage with acts across genres, including Jason Isbell, Allison Russell, Mt. Joy, Devon Gilfillian, Brittney Spencer, and Will Hoge. A member of the Black Opry Revue, Julie was named in Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Class of 2021, featured on Wide Open Country’s list of “10 Country Acts Poised for a Breakout Year in 2023,” and her single “Southern Curls” was covered by Billboard, CMT, PBS NewsHour, and numerous music publications. An activist at heart, Julie launched Green Room Conversations in March 2023, a series of performances and speaking campuses on college campuses to raise awareness of sexual harassment in the music industry. On August 20th, Julie released "just friends?", the first single on her upcoming EP, Tennessee Moon (to be released on October 17).
Lydia Cash grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. She moved to Chicago on a whim in 2013, and her love for the city has since become a wellspring of inspiration for her music. Cash's latest release, Blush, boasts her fresh indie take on country music, weaving synths with traditional pedal steel, her airy voice floating with stacked harmonies and emotional, heartfelt lyrics.
![Johnny Delaware](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722613921224-AJ49WX1MH60CLP6F82S9/meta_eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%253D%253D.jpg)
Johnny Delaware
Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm
“This is a very nomadic album,” says Johnny Delaware. “I recorded it in studios at home in Mexico City and on the road in the United States and in hotel rooms all across Latin America.” It makes perfect sense, then, that Delaware would call his new collection Para Llevar, which translates roughly as “to go” or “to take.” Drawn from Delaware’s years of journeying—both physically around the world and internally to find himself—the record blends elements of Laurel Canyon and Latin America with dreamy, psychedelic production to forge a mesmerizing cultural swirl that transcends borders and traditions. Delaware produced the record himself in addition to playing nearly all of the instruments, and the result is a deeply personal exploration of human nature through the eyes of an itinerant observer, an intoxicating meditation on the doubt and hope and fear and love and loneliness that bind us all, no matter where we call home.
Born and raised in South Dakota, Delaware spent his 20s drifting around the US before eventually landing in Charleston, SC, where he recorded his 2013 debut, Secret Wave. The record earned glowing reviews, but it was another Charleston project Delaware helped co-found, Susto, that soon took center stage, garnering raves from Rolling Stone and Spin and landing tour dates with the likes of The Lumineers, Band of Horses, and The Head and the Heart. After moving to Mexico City, Delaware relaunched his solo career with 2022’s similarly well-received Energy Of Light.
![Toadvine Plays Honky Tonk Heroes](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721751861746-CP4A7YSWE5X1VYE7R10Z/honky.tonk.heroes.square.jpg)
Toadvine Plays Honky Tonk Heroes
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Chicago alt-country group Toadvine performs a set of their original music befor tackling a classic country album as part of their quarterly Judson & Moore Residency. This month they're doing the seminol career-changing album by Waylon Jennings, Honky Tonk Heroes.
![Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723647961603-2874RPD6FMFDWI7OB209/Screenshot+2024-07-24+at+3.16.07+PM.png)
Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore
Hi-Fi Lounge at 7:00pm, DJs at 10:00pm
Idyl Drive brings vintage, hi-fi, and cocktails to Judson & Moore's tasting room Fridays starting August 9th through the end of the month. Each week Idyl Drive will bring in vintage hi-fi equipment for an elevated listening experience and have a unique cocktail menu featuring Judson & Moore spirits. The events will also feature food from rotating pop-ups, a vinyl record shop curated by Miyagi Records of Garfield Park, and guest DJs each night that include Smith's Night and Title TK.
Full album listening starts at 7pm, Guest DJs at 10pm
More about Idyl Drive: With streaming and algorithmic playlists diminishing the personal connection we have with music, Idyl Drive seeks to create an atmosphere that brings us deeper into the world of records we love. Every choice in each cocktail, small plate, and record selection is about telling a story and connecting us more deeply with each other. With curated records spinning on a timeless 1954 Garrard 301 and cocktails crafted with the same dedication to soulfulness and high-quality ingredients, every moment at IDYL Drive reflects the love and thoughtfulness poured into this project.
![The Tillers](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1720551095564-SCLK8D2U6WRMSEQKSZ0R/image0%2B%25282%2529.jpg)
The Tillers
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
The Tillers have been thumping their own distinctive sound of string band style folk music for a decade, riding it all over the country and across the sea. Four studio albums and one live record have won them praise as modern folk storytellers of the national soundscape. They have shared the stage with a broad swath of national acts, from folk legends like Doc Watson, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Guy Clark, Country Joe McDonald, Jerry Douglas, Iris Dement, Pokey LaFarge, and The Carolina Chocolate Drops to rock daredevils like the Legendary Shack Shakers. The band came into being while busking for nickels and dimes in the gaslight district of Cincinnati. Now far removed from those humble beginnings, the band has won over Cincinnati’s bar and festival scene and launched international tours with tireless momentum. They resurrect songs of America’s past, craft originals all their own while touching on themes both historical and timeless. They are Cincinnati’s traveling minstrels. Expect to hear from them soon.
![Yard Party](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721320462004-W7CFCGLFAH1JQ7TWST33/YardPartySquare2.jpg)
Yard Party
Party Starts at 7:30pm, Comedy at 8:00pm
Local Universe teams up with Judson & Moore for the return of their FREE outdoor comedy hangout, Yard Party! AJ Maroquin hosts the best stand-ups in the city at Pizza Lobo Logan Square and your favorite DJs bring the heat. RSVP for the best seats in the house, shows happen rain or shine.
![Love, Los Angeles, and Imported Beers](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721144269567-OKVQ6SZK3ZY7HK8L3BFA/LLAIB_NoText+copy.png)
Love, Los Angeles, and Imported Beers
with Jay Weingarten & Jill O'Connell featuring Nordista Freeze
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Love, Los Angeles, and Imported Beers is a heartfelt romantic comedy play that takes audiences on a journey through the complexities of modern romance. The story follows Jay Weingarten, a hopeless romantic searching for love. Encouraged by his best friend Kevin (Jordan Adika), Jay ventures out into the world, hoping to find his significant other. As he navigates the ups and downs of dating, Jay encounters Jessica (Jill O'Connell), an art historian with whom he shares a deep connection over their mutual love of paintings. However, their budding romance faces challenges, including challenges with Jay's dad (Tim Heidecker). Through moments of laughter, passion, and reflection, "Love, Los Angeles, and Imported Beers" explores the power of love, the beauty of art, and the importance of taking chances in matters of the heart.
![Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723647961603-2874RPD6FMFDWI7OB209/Screenshot+2024-07-24+at+3.16.07+PM.png)
Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore
Hi-Fi Lounge at 7:00pm, DJs at 10:00pm
Idyl Drive brings vintage, hi-fi, and cocktails to Judson & Moore's tasting room Fridays starting August 9th through the end of the month. Each week Idyl Drive will bring in vintage hi-fi equipment for an elevated listening experience and have a unique cocktail menu featuring Judson & Moore spirits. The events will also feature food from rotating pop-ups, a vinyl record shop curated by Miyagi Records of Garfield Park, and guest DJs each night that include Smith's Night and Title TK.
Full album listening starts at 7pm, Guest DJs at 10pm
More about Idyl Drive: With streaming and algorithmic playlists diminishing the personal connection we have with music, Idyl Drive seeks to create an atmosphere that brings us deeper into the world of records we love. Every choice in each cocktail, small plate, and record selection is about telling a story and connecting us more deeply with each other. With curated records spinning on a timeless 1954 Garrard 301 and cocktails crafted with the same dedication to soulfulness and high-quality ingredients, every moment at IDYL Drive reflects the love and thoughtfulness poured into this project.
![Fretboard Summit Earlybird Party](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721327974901-FTJ24BILBWZ58ZXQ8FWF/fretboard-earlybird+%281%29.jpeg)
Fretboard Summit Earlybird Party
Doors at 4:00pm, music at 7:00pm
Kick off the Old Town School of Folk Music's Fretboard Summit weekend with live music featuring Tyler Siems, Nick Loux, Rhett Shull, Josh Scott and friends. There will be a group bike ride leaving Judson & Moore starting at 5. Live music starts at 7 p.m. Brought to you by JHS Pedals, the Mid South, and the Fretboard Summit.
![Nighttime [LA], Chris Coleslaw Band](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722442170414-YHB3HHRRNA0Q4V7VUTJD/a1272826890_10.jpg)
Nighttime [LA], Chris Coleslaw Band
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Eva Louise Goodman and an evolving cast of friends and collaborators known as Nighttime make cosmic folk music in Los Angeles, CA.
"Nighttime glides effortlessly between two worlds, letting folk chants of near-medieval purity morph into dark-toned 1960s-flavored, spector-esque rock." -Jennifer Kelly, Dusted Magazine
![Yard Party](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721320411571-KY2GPJUSLXIW0LRNQX0B/YardPartySquare2.jpg)
Yard Party
Party Starts at 7:30pm, Comedy at 8:00pm
Local Universe teams up with Judson & Moore for the return of their FREE outdoor comedy hangout, Yard Party! AJ Maroquin hosts the best stand-ups in the city at Pizza Lobo Logan Square and your favorite DJs bring the heat. RSVP for the best seats in the house, shows happen rain or shine.
![Rachel Joravsky is from Chicago!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1722969442794-M5OKM86AQGS03FCVA3V0/RaChel+is+FroM+CHICAGO.jpeg)
Rachel Joravsky is from Chicago!
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
NY Comedian Rachel Joravsky has put together a night of Chicago comedy for her big return to the Windy City.
feat. Dwayne Kennedy, Gena Gephart, Lucia Whalen, music by Da Siblings, hosted by Ben Joravsky
![Stoned at the Jukebox](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723648400794-ULOOSV8180LQACRUJ2PX/StonedLogo.jpg)
Stoned at the Jukebox
This month with Zack Fedor & Hosts. Market guest is Sad Cowgirl Pokes
Doors at 5:00pm, Music at 6:30pm
Stoned at the Jukebox is a monthly country party hosted by Reilly Downes & Cody Messick. Come by for happening DJ sets, a small market, and live sets from dance-worthy bands.
![Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1723647961603-2874RPD6FMFDWI7OB209/Screenshot+2024-07-24+at+3.16.07+PM.png)
Idyl Drive Takes Over Judson & Moore
Hi-Fi Lounge at 7:00pm, DJs at 10:00pm
Idyl Drive brings vintage, hi-fi, and cocktails to Judson & Moore's tasting room Fridays starting August 9th through the end of the month. Each week Idyl Drive will bring in vintage hi-fi equipment for an elevated listening experience and have a unique cocktail menu featuring Judson & Moore spirits. The events will also feature food from rotating pop-ups, a vinyl record shop curated by Miyagi Records of Garfield Park, and guest DJs each night that include Smith's Night and Title TK.
Full album listening starts at 7pm, Guest DJs at 10pm
More about Idyl Drive: With streaming and algorithmic playlists diminishing the personal connection we have with music, Idyl Drive seeks to create an atmosphere that brings us deeper into the world of records we love. Every choice in each cocktail, small plate, and record selection is about telling a story and connecting us more deeply with each other. With curated records spinning on a timeless 1954 Garrard 301 and cocktails crafted with the same dedication to soulfulness and high-quality ingredients, every moment at IDYL Drive reflects the love and thoughtfulness poured into this project.
![Yard Party](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721320411571-KY2GPJUSLXIW0LRNQX0B/YardPartySquare2.jpg)
Yard Party
Party Starts at 7:30pm, Comedy at 8:00pm
Local Universe teams up with Judson & Moore for the return of their FREE outdoor comedy hangout, Yard Party! AJ Maroquin hosts the best stand-ups in the city at Pizza Lobo Logan Square and your favorite DJs bring the heat. RSVP for the best seats in the house, shows happen rain or shine.
![Thrifty Kid, Charlie Hill](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721248596603-ZHETNPMNK50SJIVZS681/Screenshot+2024-07-17+at+3.30.14%E2%80%AFPM.jpeg)
Thrifty Kid, Charlie Hill
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Thrifty Kid is an Alt-Country band from Chicago, IL
As a child raised in New Jersey, Charlie Hill found an identity in music, learning to play guitar at age eleven and clinging to the instrument the way one might a diary or confidant, a source of reflection and guidance. Now twenty-nine, he holds just as tightly to the artform’s answers. He writes songs to understand himself and to further that self, a committed continuation of self-actualization. After all, coming of age is not a singular, finite event.
![J&M Contra Dance Night](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718809743137-SAGIYKHS6B192IX07147/Contra+Dance+IG+no+Texture.png)
J&M Contra Dance Night
Lessons at 7:00pm, Dancing at 7:30pm
Judson & Moore and Local Universe present Contra Dance Night, a summertime residency for this called dance. Music by Mulefoot and calling by Andrea Craft. Lessons included in ticket price and start at 7pm, music & dancing starts at 7:30pm.
ABOUT CONTRA DANCE
Contra is a social dance, meaning you don't need a partner, that originated from English & Scottish country dances but was reinterpreted by New England and Appalachian folk styles.
The dancers form couples, and the couples form sets of two couples in long lines starting from the stage and going down the length of the dance hall. Throughout the course of a dance, couples progress up and down these lines, dancing with each other couple in the line. The dance is led by a caller who teaches the sequence of moves, called "figures," in the dance before the music starts. In a single dance, a caller may include anywhere from six to twelve figures, which are repeated as couples progress up and down the lines. Each time through the dance takes 64 beats, after which the pattern is repeated. The essence of the dance is in following the pattern with your set and your line; since there is no required footwork, many people find contra dance easier to learn than other forms of social dancing.
![Haters Club](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718039124904-KVQ2I9OXR713DXNWUOV3/Haters+Club+Hosts.png)
Haters Club
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Haters Club was started in Chicago in 2018 and now happens in LA, but is now back in Chicago for one night only. It’s hosted by David Brown (Jury Duty), Danny Catlow (The Bear), and Kate O’Connor (Funny Games). The show originally started as a roast show. While we no longer do a full program of roasting, we certainly keep the hate alive.
We don’t book bad comedians, only good ones. We actually hate bad comedians. Past performers have included Sarah Sherman, Megan Stalter, Chelsea Peretti, Patti Harrison, Chris Fleming, Langston Kerman, Zainab Johnson, Brent Weinbach, DJ Douggpound...
![Yard Party](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1721320411571-KY2GPJUSLXIW0LRNQX0B/YardPartySquare2.jpg)
Yard Party
Party Starts at 7:30pm, Comedy at 8:00pm
Local Universe teams up with Judson & Moore for the return of their FREE outdoor comedy hangout, Yard Party! AJ Maroquin hosts the best stand-ups in the city at Pizza Lobo Logan Square and your favorite DJs bring the heat. RSVP for the best seats in the house, shows happen rain or shine.
![Final Frontierland](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1717874358909-SG0A2TAG3K32TE9Z671H/055_FinalFrontierLand_07.25.2021.jpg)
Final Frontierland
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Final Frontierland returns this summer to Judson & Moore. From the folks behind the Cosmic Country Showcase this immersive warm weather showcase takes the spirit of Old West tourist traps and whisks them with some of Cosmic Country’s patented alien whimsy for a whole new kind of show. After selling out a run at Sleeping Village in 2021, these shows will not only feature live music, but a live shootout reenactment from fictitious past & futures alike. With a show every two weeks, it’ll be a real trip as each one will be themed around a different road-trip inspired theme. Come for the live music and stay for whatever else might happen at Judson & Moore.
![Nate Varrone “Goes In”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718232359133-TK3ZALOQ37BZ9FYT1IAN/nate+varrone+goes+in+july+chicago.jpg)
Nate Varrone “Goes In”
Doors at 7:30pm, Show at 8:00pm
Nate Varrone is a Lebanese/Italian stand-up comedian, actor, and TV writer living in Los Angeles, CA. He is an alum of The Second City Mainstage in Chicago, IL. His work has been featured on Vulture, Comedy Central, and McSweeney's. He was selected to be in Comedy Central’s “Up Next” Showcase in 2019 at Clusterfest. He’s written for the Emmy Nominated series Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News. He is a 2022 Sundance Episodic Labs Finalist. He’s featured in Season 2 of The Bear on FX/Hulu. He currently co-hosts the podcast Joy Tactics with Eric Rahill and Jack Bensinger. He is also the creator of the most iconic character of the 21st century: Mr. Simp.
Swappin’ Boots hosted by Queer Social Club
MASKS REQUIRED
Lessons at 7:00pm, Dancing at 8:00pm
The Queer Social Club & Local Universe present the two-step night that's taken the city by storm, this time masks are required for a safe event and will feature the Stoned at the Jukebox DJs!
Pull out that vintage cowboy hat, shine up that bespoke bolo, and come pardner-up to dance with someone new and hang with fellow country-queers. There's a grand prize for the best dressed, and even a little something for the runner up! Channel Dolly and Orville and come dressed to impress.
If you need a bit of liquid courage, Judson & Moore's house distilled spirits and handmade cocktails will be available from the bar. If you don't know the steps, sign up for lessons before the night gets going from Billingsley & Earp. Think you have two left feet? The live band and the encouraging crowd will get you swaying in no time!
ABOUT THE QUEER SOCIAL CLUB The Queer Social Club is a collective focused on queer community-building and space-making. They organize events centered on cultivating queer joy, fostering connections, and intentionally building queer community
ABOUT THE LESSONS The Texas two-step is a fun partner dance that is easy to learn, even if you have two left boots. By the end of the group class with instructors Wild Earp & Michelle Billingsley, you'll be armed with the basics of leading/following, two-step footwork, and an easy turn or two; everything you need to feel comfortable two-steppin'. After the lesson, the dance floor will open with the house band!
![The Western Elstons, Big Sadie](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1719947613321-ITREZ3IDWNKEQRG721RI/Square.jpg)
The Western Elstons, Big Sadie
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
The Western Elstons have been playing the first and third Wednesday of the month at the historic Simon's Tavern in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago for over ten years now, but this is a special event. They're one of Chicago's best-kept secrets and they kinda don't want to be anything else. They'll play country, honky tonk, and rock & roll with minimal amplification to an appreciative crowd of regulars and local music fans. The Western Elstons feature the tight two-part harmony of Scott Ligon and Casey McDonough (who play and sing together in countless projects including NRBQ and The Flat Five), the well-known picker Joel Paterson on guitar, and the always tasteful drumming of Alex Hall (J.D. McPhearson, The Cactus Blossoms, The Flat Five).
Big Sadie is a Chicago-based acoustic band fronted by Elise Bergman (upright bass, vocals) and Collin Moore (guitar, vocals). Defined by rich, intricate harmonies and rustic yet sophisticated instrumental arrangements, Big Sadie takes a modern yet timeless approach to American roots music.
![Pitchfork Festival Aftershow: Black Duck](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1717872430833-8P820A0OEQY4HEEYT4SV/Black+Duck+by+Evan+Jenkins.jpg)
Pitchfork Festival Aftershow: Black Duck
Doors at 9:00pm, Show at 10:00pm
Black Duck brings together three pillars of the Chicago music community: guitarist/bassist Douglas McCombs, guitarist Bill MacKay and drummer Charles Rumback. MacKay began releasing records in the early 2000s. He has released several acclaimed solo albums with Drag City as well as a duo album each with Nathan Bowles (Banjo, Black Twig Pickers), and Katinka Kleijn (Cello, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO)), and two beloved records with Ryley Walker. An excellent guitar player, MacKay has performed with McCombs many times in various groups including guest stints in Eleventh Dream Day. Charles Rumback burst onto the fertile Chicago improvised music scene in the early 2000’s. His fluid technique and expressive playing garnered him much attention. Rumback and MacKay met at Roosevelt University and hit it off immediately, performing and recording together in various ensembles. Rumback too caught the attention of Ryley Walker, culminating in a series of duo albums and has also recorded with the Chicago pianist and legend Jim Baker, releasing several albums that featured Ron Miles, Greg Ward and James Singleton. Douglas McCombs is a founding member of Tortoise, Pullman, Brokeback as well as the long standing bassist for Eleventh Dream Day, an artist whose contribution to the music world can not be overstated. In the short time the trio have played together, they have performed at Big Ears Festival and alongside acts like Yo La Tengo. The trio’s self-titled debut album Black Duck harnesses each player’s capacity for poignant songwriting and improvisational exploration in pieces as far-reaching as they are arresting.
![She Returns From War](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1715960280439-SE2QVF8JSOZ2CASNXPYR/343df675-b775-4a61-8a2a-d20e2fc5483c.jpg)
She Returns From War
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
Hailing from the historically rich city of Charleston, South Carolina, americana music artist Hunter Park is defining what it means to not only live in the modern south, but to be a trans woman and artist within this landscape. Combining folk-infused vocal melodies and evocative lyrics that capture the unfiltered human experience, She Returns From War is taking her seat in the Americana music world with grace, strength, and passion. In 2023, the project shows no signs of slowing down. From opening for Bernie Sanders at his presidential rally in Charleston, to performing at national festivals like Stagecoach and High Water Festival and with artists such as Pat Benatar, Band of Horses, and Nikki Lane, She Returns From War is sharing with the world what the modern south should look and feel like: inclusive, compassionate, unfiltered, and loving
![Ordinary Peepholes NASHVILLE](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1719942787304-UCR1J1W5UHLUF2Z4C172/OP_NASHVILLE_SQUARE.png)
Ordinary Peepholes NASHVILLE
Doors at 8:00pm, Show at 8:30pm
Nashville, Robert Altman’s seminal work capturing the country music scene of the 1970’s, has sustained its cult status as one of the most influential films of all time. Grelley Duvall, along with Lonesome Andrew, Minor Moon and the Cosmic Country Showcase house band, The Flying Objects, bring this cinematic classic to the Sleeping Village patio for a sunset spectacle you’ll never forget.
Featuring the home-grown talents of Alex Grelle, Andrew Sa, Dorian Gehring, Glamour Cadaver, Kelly Hogan, Marta Jean Evans, Mary Williamson, Nathan Graham, Raequan Scott, Sam Cantor, Sarah Weddle, Sid Branca and Sully Davis.
Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t LIVE!
Doors at 6:30pm, Show at 7:00pm
Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't Live features the viral botany expert Joey Santore and buddy Al Scorch bring their natvie plant knowledge and comedic takes on flora & fauna to the stage. They'll riff on plants, take questions, and preview the 2nd season of their TV show Kill Your Lawn.
![Tommy Goodroad, Pit Stop [MN], Toadvine](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1717871969319-483PGZ36GDGT0CDUA5XE/0035569256_10.jpg)
Tommy Goodroad, Pit Stop [MN], Toadvine
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
“With his Midwest-inspired music and cowboy charm, Tommy Goodroad possesses damn near all the qualities one could want from a modern country singer,” says Corrine Robinson of Music Mecca. Chicago-based and Minnesota-raised, Tommy Goodroad began releasing music in 2021 and has been playing shows around the country since. His band, “solid as a Minnesota pond in February” (Glide Magazine), is the namesake of his debut EP, “Tommy Goodroad and The Highway Birds,” released in 2023. Pit Stop hails from the musical Mecca that is Minneapolis. They are currently working on their sophomore album that they plan to release in 2024. Deviating from the country-influenced tracks of their first record, the new material finds the band wandering down and wildly oscillating between beaten up paths of rock eras past, in search of a trail all their own.
Toadvine is a 6-piece alt-country band out of Chicago, Illinois. They released their second EP Toadvine II in 2024, featuring their noise-country cover of Merle Haggard’s The Bottle Let Me Down; a crowd favorite at shows throughout the Midwest. Starting as a recording project in Ohio in 2020, the band found its home on stage with bands like Dougie Poole, Tobacco City, Lavender Country and Elizabeth Moen. They are currently working on a full-length album set to be released next year.
![Tired Eyes](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718215535649-R15XR2LTIGTW840NCEM8/TiredEyesPress.jpg)
Tired Eyes
Doors at 9:00pm, Show at 10:00pm
Stalwarts of frayed future harmonics scour the Neil Young catalog and resuscitate all that is immense therein, calling themselves Tired Eyes (after a deep cut from 1975’s Tonight’s the Night). You know them already as Alan Sparhawk (Low/Black Eyed Snakes), Rich Mattson (Ol’ Yeller/Northstars), Glen Mattson (Lazer Bear/IROB), and Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run/Jayhawks/Golden Smog). The newspapers say that Tired Eyes “isn’t just grabbing the AM gold hits from Harvest, but focusing on the genre-defying classic-era Crazy Horse lineup. They drive home this point by taking their name from one of Young’s darker songs. ‘Heart of Gold,’ this is not.
![J&M Contra Dance Night](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718809743137-SAGIYKHS6B192IX07147/Contra+Dance+IG+no+Texture.png)
J&M Contra Dance Night
Lessons at 7:00pm, Dancing at 7:30pm
Judson & Moore and Local Universe present Contra Dance Night, a summertime residency for this called dance. Music by Mulefoot and calling by Andrea Craft. Lessons included in ticket price and start at 7pm, music & dancing starts at 7:30pm.
ABOUT CONTRA DANCE
Contra is a social dance, meaning you don't need a partner, that originated from English & Scottish country dances but was reinterpreted by New England and Appalachian folk styles.
The dancers form couples, and the couples form sets of two couples in long lines starting from the stage and going down the length of the dance hall. Throughout the course of a dance, couples progress up and down these lines, dancing with each other couple in the line. The dance is led by a caller who teaches the sequence of moves, called "figures," in the dance before the music starts. In a single dance, a caller may include anywhere from six to twelve figures, which are repeated as couples progress up and down the lines. Each time through the dance takes 64 beats, after which the pattern is repeated. The essence of the dance is in following the pattern with your set and your line; since there is no required footwork, many people find contra dance easier to learn than other forms of social dancing.
![Dallas Ugly](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718809153461-EMIN1F8V8T634F3VGMYN/DallasUgly.jpeg)
Dallas Ugly
Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
As Nashville-based band Dallas Ugly gears up to record their second album with Grammy winner Justin Ryan Francis, they have settled into a sound that is equal parts playful and mature. Their 2022 debut album, Watch Me Learn, was described by critics as “full of shimmering magic” (Under the Radar), “as unique as it is dreamy” (Glide), and “a record that deserves a lyric sheet” (Nashville Scene)
![Hallogallo Festival](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f47506b43b5a4f821675eb/1718760054783-8XQ5DHITNQV6MHA2FQFH/HalloGalloPoster.jpg)
Hallogallo Festival
Doors at 5:30pm, Show at 6:00pm
Youth revolution Now!
Pop from across the country
live in the Midwest
bring your zine
and your favorite shoes