It has been three years since the last proper Hideout Block Party, which partnered with the Onion's A.V. Fest to bring acts like Death Cab for Cutie, the War on Drugs and Mac DeMarco to a parking lot near the small music venue. A 20th anniversary celebration at the Hideout last September served as a reunion of old friends of the venue, including acts like Jon Langford, Robbie Fulks and White Mystery, but it was a fairly low-key event in comparison to past block parties.
The Hideout Block Party will return just in time for the venue's 21st birthday on September 23 and 24, hosting a weekend of music based around two other momentous anniversaries. On Saturday, the celebration is centered around the 60th anniversary of Soviet satellite Sputnik, which was launched into orbit in 1957. The party begins with a droning, multi-guitar performance from the Plastic Crimewave Vision Celestial Guitarkestra, followed by a birthday tune sung by the Illinois Humanities Crowd-Out-Chicago 2nd Ward Choir. The lineup for the remainder of the afternoon features 75 Dollar Bill, Antietam, Skull Orchard, Eleventh Dream Day and Yo La Tengo alter-ego Condo Fucks. In keeping with the theme, each group boasts a member who was born the same year that Sputnik took to the sky.
Sunday will mark the 20th anniversary of local recording studio Electrical Audio, presenting a lineup of acts that have made albums with Chicago engineer Steve Albini. Danielson, Nina Natasia, Screaming Females, Man or Astro-Man?, Meat Wave, Shannon Wright, Pinebender, FACS and Mint Mile are all confirmed to perform.
The festival kicks off at 1pm on Saturday, September 23 and at noon on Sunday, September 24. Admission is a suggested donation of $20, and proceeds from the party will help support Chicago nonprofit organization Foundations of Music.
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