Chicago-native violinist and whistler Andrew Bird has made plenty of visits to his hometown over the past year, including a concert at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park this summer. He'll cap off 2016 with a string of concerts at Fourth Presbyterian Church on December 14, 15 and 16, placing his signature Victrola horn speakers amid the Gothic Revival splendor of the Magnificent Mile venue.
The shows are part of Bird's somewhat-annual Gezelligheid concert series, named after a Dutch term that roughly translates to "cozy." The performances are something of a holiday tradition for Bird, usually finding the musician playing selections from his entire catalog by himself and debuting some yet-to-be-released music to his most devoted fans. Collaborations with special guests are also a regular occurrence—at last year's string of shows, Bird brought local singer Nora O'Connor onstage for a series of duets.
“What I hope to do with these shows is adapt my music completely to the atmosphere of the space and the season," Bird stated in a press release. "I want the audience to be both lifted and comforted as we head into another cold and dark winter. I feel the space should be sacred so the audience can experience my music in a different atmosphere.”
Tickets for the Gezelligheid concerts go on sale Friday, October 14 at 10am, with prices ranging from $42.50 to $50. If you're interested in attending, you should act quickly—some fans travel from across the country to witness Bird's music in a unique (and seasonally appropriate) setting.
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