Are We Ready for the Chicago Music Awards?
If seeing Richard Marx and Peter Cetera live onstage at the Chicago Theatre immediately calls to your mind the glories of Chicago rock ‘n’ roll, you’re on the same wavelength as the organizers of the upcoming Chicago Music Awards. The group, a New York-based outfit that calls itself the National Music Awards, comes into cities and puts together star-studded events that it says are designed to (a) highlight local talent and (b) make some money. They’ve done shows in Boston, New York, and LA and now are poised to let Chicago into the club. Their show was originally scheduled for November 14, but it’s now been pushed back to March. The change, says organizer Robbie Woliver, is actually a blessing in disguise–the November date was a big schedule conflict for Marx, who is now positively ecstatic that he’ll get to participate.
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The organizers talk in just this way, with the names of all the stars clamoring to participate just tripping off their tongues: “Pearl Jam wants to play,” says Woliver. “Eddie Vedder grew up here: he considers himself a Chicagoan. Ministry wants to play.” Local organizer David Eisen is excited as well: “Peter Cetera wants to sing with Chaka Khan,” says Eisen. “Ministry’ll be there, Cheap Trick, Bo Diddley . . .”
Can they pull it off in Chicago? The group’s beginnings here haven’t been particularly auspicious. Early on an intern munchkin called around–out of the blue–asking local music people to provide letters of support for the undertaking. Next came the nominating questionnaire. Then the November 14 event was postponed, and there things sit. No definite March date has been set.
- What does Grace Slick sing in “White Rabbit” after the words “When logic and proportion have fallen _____?”
