Supervisors of Chicago’s brand new, gleaming gem — a Frank Gehry-designed music pavilion within Millennium Park — claim that they want to have more popular music performances, but clearly actions speak louder than words: City officials have vetoed Radiohead’s request to play the venue on June 19 and 20. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago’s Cultural Affairs Department turned down Radiohead’s appeal “even though the group would have paid rental fees of $100,000 — because the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to hold a rehearsal June 20.”
“Free public programming is part of the venue’s mission,” a spokesperson for the Cultural Affairs Department said. “We have to support organizations such as the Grant Park Orchestra, but we’re open to other events if there are availabilities at other times” — like a private corporate event for Toyota that cost $800,000 and closed the park to the public last summer. According to the Sun-Times, Radiohead still hopes to return to Chicago this summer regardless of whether or not they can play at Millennium.
Chicago Cultural Affairs Department official site
Radiohead official site
Millennium Park official site
Get SPIN.com headlines for FREE on your mobile phone! Just text SPIN to 68423 to sign up. It’s one message per day, Monday thru Friday, bringing you all the news that rocks, minus the carpal tunnel.
