The Venue, the 200-seat music performance space in Aurora, will continue livestream performances in April due to COVID-19 restrictions. All performances will be broadcast live from The Venue’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. At each performance, a donation is suggested and donations are split between the artists and The Fox Valley Music Foundation. All information and schedules can be found at themusicvenue.org.
The Kevin Trudo will start off the month at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 7. A singer/songwriter who claims to hate singer and songwriters will provide an intimate look at his life with songs and stories. Never a dull moment when The Kevin Trudo takes the stage and he always makes a connection with his audience.
• Album Cover Series: Crosby, Stills & Nash will wow at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 11. “They are three together” sang Stephen Stills and so are Leslie Beukelman, Ellie Kahn and Scott Tipping. The three first sang together during a performance of Rumors by Fleetwood Mac (the second Album Covers show at The Venue) and the rest was history. Tune in to hear the warm, signature harmonies that launched the Woodstock generation.
• Sam Wyatt, Chicago native songwriter, who’s opened for Blues Traveler and Counting Crows with his former national touring band, Train Company, will livestream at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. A gifted composer, Sam has been creating music for various projects for the last 15 years in the Chicago area. Sam is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a degree in Jazz piano. This will be a very special performance you won’t want to miss.
Steeped in Bluegrass, Blues and American Roots Music, The Desperate Bastards, livestreaming at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 18, will bring an energy and love for improvisation and tradition bound with modern edges. Band members include: Mike Church on guitars, Wavy Dave Burlingame on bass, Drew Littell on drums and Rob Anderlik on Dobro, Lap Steel and Guitars. Their bag is deep, drawing from old standards, classic rock tunes, swampy blues, traditional fiddle tunes as well as original compositions.
• The monthly series, What’s on Your Turntable, Kiss the Sky Records owner Steve Warrenfeltz’s exploration of the personal record collections of the not so rich and famous will feature special guest Ted Rzeszweski, a customer of Kiss the Sky, Jazz afficionado and all-around music lover. This show livestreams at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 21.
• The monthly series, The Venues for Venues will feature The Venue. Scott Tipping will interview Fox Valley Music Foundation executive director Melissa Mercado and The Venue’s General Manager Sarah Garcia. A musical performance will be included. Tune in at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 25. The Venue has been really suffering during the pandemic, so all proceeds will go to the Fox Valley Music Foundation on behalf of The Venue for this livestream.
All of The Venue livestreams remain available after the performances on both The Venue’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, but donations are only shared during the real-time livestreams with performers and other venues, so best to catch them while they are in progress.
We hope to break to the outside with live music in Mundy Park (adjacent to The Venue) in June! Livestreams will continue through mid-May 2021.
—The Venue and the Fox Valley Music Foundation