10,000 Maniacs (Thursday)
City Winery Chicago presents 10,000 Maniacs' Annual Valentine's Day shows live on Thursday, February 13th at 7:30 PM, part of a 3 show series. See all their Chicago dates and times(opens in a new tab).
10,000 Maniacs has a lot in common with Jamestown, New York, the city that spawned them back in 1981. Both are honest and hardworking, a step outside the mainstream, and both possess a bit of magic. “It’s a city of blue-collar poetry,” says keyboardist Dennis Drew. “And that’s what we’re about, real-life stories. We’re a family, we do real work and we keep moving forward.” Bassist, Steven Gustafson added, “we’re all good friends and we love each other, we play for each other, and we’re playing better than ever.”
The band has covered plenty of ground in its 43 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. With their radio and video hits, “These Are Days”, “Because The Night”, “The Candy Everybody Wants”, “Trouble Me”, “More Than This”, among others, the band continues to sell out shows around the country, and the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent. The live shows embrace their entire catalog, and the lineup is still anchored by four of the six original co-founding members. Drew, Gustafson, guitarist John Lombardo, drummer Jerome Augustyniak along with lead singer/violist Mary Ramsey who has been working with the band for over 30 years. The “new kid” is Rockford, IL guitarist Ben Medina who's been a fan of the band for 30+ years. Medina added: “10,000 Maniacs is my favorite band. I’ve been a fan since I was 17 years old and it’s been an amazing experience performing with them. I still can’t believe it!”
Gustafson concluded, “Chicago has great music fans and we’re always thrilled about playing our Valentine’s Day weekend residency at City Winery. It’s a fabulous venue.”
The band recently released “Can’t Ignore The Train” A 4 part radio documentary from their first steps in 1981 to the recording of their first major label release, The Wishing Chair.
The City Winery Chicago shows will consist of all the Maniacs’ “Hits,” some deep cuts and a few surprises. Bring your dancing shoes!
