Displaying items by tag: DJ Anthony
Common Leaves Mark at Ravinia in Night of Firsts
Saturday night was a night of firsts for Ravinia, hosting its first Hip Hop show that included a lineup of first-time performers on the stage, and featuring the one and only Common. One does not typically think of Hip-Hop when thinking of the outdoor picnic grounds and pavilion of Ravinia, but tonight even with the chance of rain (rain ponchos provided) fans from Chicago and its surrounding suburbs showed up in high numbers to groove and dance the night away.
With sponsorship from United and 107.5 WGCI, DJ Anthony took to the decks, making his Ravinia debut to open the night at this all ages concert. Fans know him from his radio spots on GCI and his current work as a producer on Cody Chestnut’s and the new Gorrilaz album.
Next up, was Tay (Taylor Bennett), another Chicago native from 79th Street and brother of Chance the Rapper, also making his Ravinia debut. With samples of tracks from his album Restoration of an American Idol and Broad Shoulders, the audience got a good feel for this up and coming rapper and his style of music. He was invited by Common as a late addition to the night’s musical lineup.
After twenty-five years in the music business, the Golden Globe and Grammy winner, and Oscar nominated musician for the theme song from Selma (“Glory”), once again took the stage in his hometown Chicago (well, Highland Park, anyway – close enough). This appearance marked Common’s first ever performance at Ravinia. I have seen quite a few shows at Ravinia, there are often a handful of dancers sprinkled throughout the crowd, scattered among the seated in the pavilion and across the grass, many standing on their feet for portions of a show. But the crowd response for Common was the most avid I have personally seen at the festival. The moment, Common stepped onto the stage, the entire pavilion arose from their seats, most remaining on their feet dancing and cheering for the entire show. Those with lawn tickets pressed themselves against the barricades while others danced atop the grass. Common pulled the crowd in, never letting go, playing his award-winning hit "Glory" along with songs that spanned throughout his twenty-five-year career known and loved by his fans. His was a high energy performance, and with meaning, as Common reinforced the purpose behind his Black America Again album. His message is simple in that supporting a community of people working together, enjoying music and life together, we are building a safer and more connected Chicago and world.
There is much more to see and be seen of Common in the future. With Common’s newfound success at the festival, perhaps more Hip-Hop acts will be scheduled for Ravinia. “I wondered if they liked Hip-Hop at Ravinia”, the artist jested to cheers across the venue. Yes, we do. With so much energy and love in the air, it was an unbelievable night of Ravinia firsts. www.Ravinia.org
Set List:
The Corner
The People
The Food
U, Black Maybe
Get ‘Em High (Kanye West)
Come Close
Testify/Darling Nikki (Prince)
I Used to Love H.E.R.
Take It EZ
Go!
Love Is…
The Light
Forever Begins
Be (Intro)
Glory
One Fine Show: Beautiful The Carole King Musical dazzles Paramount Theatre
04 May 2024 in Theatre ReviewsGrowing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies,…
'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better
03 May 2024 in Theatre in ReviewCrowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many…
Panther In the Sky – “A Moving Tapestry of Grief and Hope"
02 May 2024 in Dance in ReviewIn "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the…
IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS FIRST INTL COLLAB May 17 &18 “Lights/9”
02 May 2024 in Upcoming DanceA collaboration of Chicago dance and Germany lighting sculpture live on stage About the Program: This program, set within an…
PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE OF DEATH BECOMES HER, 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR OF MAMMA MIA!, AND THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY START TODAY!
01 May 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is excited to announce the pre-Broadway World Premiere of DEATH BECOMES HER is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre…
Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' at The Edge Innovative… radical… courageous… confusing
01 May 2024 in Theatre in ReviewBlue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621…
Red Theater's 'Hamlet' at The Edge Off Broadway - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are… hilarious!
28 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewI think my favorite thing – well, one of my favorite things – about Wyatt Kent’s take on HAMLET is…
Review: Joffrey Ballet's 'Midsummer Night’s Dream' at Lyric Opera House
26 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewFrolicking season is upon us once again and Joffrey Ballet welcomes summer with the return of Alexander Ekman’s “Midsummer Night’s…
Eerie, Human Mystery In Captivating ‘Jump’ by Shattered Globe Theatre
26 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewAs the audience takes its seats we are greeted by an atmosphere of foreboding, a trestle bridge girder to the…
Review: Joe Turner's Come and Gone at Goodman Theatre
25 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewDirector Chuck Smith returns to Goodman with another major August Wilson revival–“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”. This is the second…
THE GIFT THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 2024-25 SEASON
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreThe Gift Theatre is pleased to announce its 2024-25 season featuring Suzan-Lori Parks' masterpiece Topdog/Underdog directed by Shanésia Davis and the world premiere of Cygnus by Susan Soon He…
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD TO PLAY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO'S JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 – FEBRUARY 1, 2025
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is excited to announce that individual tickets for the world premiere of the first ever touring production…
Cast and production team announced for BrightSide Theatre production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, June 7-23
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreFull cast and crew have been announced for BrightSide Theatre's upcoming production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the rock opera that…
Chicago Opera Theater presents Chicago leg of the world premiere tour of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s newest opera Before It All Goes Dark May 25 & 26 at the Studebaker Theater
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreChicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and reimagined opera, closes its 50th Anniversary season presenting the final performances of…
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre announces 2024 season - celebrates local artists and two of the most significant Black female writers of the past 50 years
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreTim Rhoze, Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, has announced the company's 2024 season of four productions. The season will open with…
Comedy & magic collide in RIDICULOUS! with David Williamson, May 16-June 30 at Rhapsody Theater
23 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewDavid Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours…
THE 35th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL RETURNS MAY 25 – JUNE 30 AT SIX CHICAGO VENUES
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreCurious Theatre Branch is pleased to announce the 35th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival, May 25 - June 30 at six venues across Chicago. The…
Oh Baby, Baby: BABY the Musical at Citadel Theatre
22 April 2024 in Theatre ReviewsIt’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy…
Ballet 5:8's 'Lost Women of Juárez' in a word - evocative!
22 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewBALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership…
Northlight Theatre’s BROOKLYN LAUNDRY Highlights Solid Acting and Thought-Provoking Script
21 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewWhen life’s chaos is full of impossible choices, how are we possibly meant to move forward? Brooklyn Laundry is about…
Babes with Blades triumph over time and space in THE S PARADOX!
20 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewI would absolutely bomb out of jury selection cos I have a very definite bias: I’ve been a fan(atic) of…
No Trouble with Marriott Theatre’s Music Man
19 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewYou got trouble, my friends, if you’re going to put on Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. If you’re going to…
Alvin Ailey in Transition: A Poignant Performance at the Auditorium Theatre
19 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewThis year's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 65th-anniversary engagement at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre held particular importance as it marked…
Emile Zola Adaptation 'Nana' Is a Triumph at Magical Trap Door Theater
15 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewFor the final show of its 30th anniversary season, Trap Door Theatre—the little company that could—has selected a sure-fire hit…
Auditorium Theatre Announces vibrant 2024-25 Season
15 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreChicago’s National Landmark Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly announces its 2024-25 performance season presenting a vibrant mix of…
Chicago Writers' Bloc Announces 2024 New Play Festival May 5 - 19 at Theater Wit
15 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewChicago Writers' Bloc has announced the lineup of plays and musicals for its biennial festival of new plays, to be…
Hershey Felder Brilliant as Monsieur Chopin
14 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewIf you appreciate classical music and captivating stories about brilliant artists from the past, Hershey Felder’s one-man show, Monsieur Chopin:…
Jackalope Theatre Announces Cast and Creative Team for the World Premiere of THE SINGULARITY PLAY, May 19 - June 22
11 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreJackalope Theatre Company continues its 16th season at Edgewater’s Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., with the announcement of the cast…
Spanish Language Magic Shows at Rhapsody Theater to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
11 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBorn and raised in Mexico City, Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, will celebrate the festive Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend by…
Court Theatre’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Features Fabulous Ensemble with Striking Design
09 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewThe Player (Lorenze Rush Jr) has just run into Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with his troupe of players. As he explains…
Latest Articles
-
One Fine Show: Beautiful The Carole King Musical dazzles Paramount Theatre
Written by Kendall RoyzenGrowing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies, the classics, belting out hits from the 1950s and 60s; Sam Cooke, Buddy Hall, Mel Carter, Peggy Lee, The Ronettes,… -
Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' at The Edge Innovative… radical… courageous… confusing
Written by Sarz MaxwellBlue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621 by Thomas Middleton and adapted by the company’s co-founders Kevin Smith (Kevin/Kevin’s, also director) and Daiva Bhandari (she/her, also lead… -
'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better
Written by Bill EslerCrowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many will be drawn by its star, Emmy and Tony-winning actor Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame (George Costanza), and he is… -
Panther In the Sky – “A Moving Tapestry of Grief and Hope"
Written by Wesley DavidIn "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the intertwined narratives of four culturally diverse mothers who have tragically lost their teenage sons to the relentless grip of gun…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.