Kommuna Lux – Live in Chicago | September 19After a sold-out show at Evanston SPACE last year, Odesa’s premier urban folk and klezmer band Kommuna Lux returns to the Chicago area for an electrifying performance.
Formed in 2014 on the streets of Odesa, Ukraine — the multicultural “Pearl of the Black Sea” — Kommuna Lux rose from busking and flash mobs to touring major stages across Europe and North America. Their high-octane mix of klezmer, Balkan swing, and Odesa street folklore tells the story of a city shaped by over 40 cultures.
The band’s name reflects their roots: “Kommuna” nods to Odesa’s communal spirit, while “Lux” highlights the joy and musical brilliance they bring to every show.
Since the war began in 2022, Kommuna Lux has become a cultural voice for Ukraine — raising funds and awareness through music, and earning accolades like Germany’s Iron Eversteiner folk prize. Their current lineup blends founding members with new talent, but their mission remains: joy, resilience, and unity through sound.
Don’t miss their return to Chicago — and check out their “Marichka” music video, filmed on the Chicago River during last year’s tour.
Presented by Roots and Chords Music
Wheeling, Illinois See less
The Klezmatics are the only Grammy Award-winning klezmer band and one of the most iconic and adventurous groups in modern Jewish music. Since emerging from New York City’s East Village in 1986, they have led a global revival of klezmer, combining centuries-old Yiddish tradition with radical contemporary sensibilities.
For nearly four decades, The Klezmatics have brought their unique sound to audiences around the world—blending klezmer with jazz, gospel, punk, classical, Latin, and Balkan styles. Their music is rooted in Eastern European Jewish tradition but embraces a progressive worldview, tackling themes like human rights, antifundamentalism, diaspora, and cultural resistance.
Their impact is unmistakable. The Klezmatics are the only klezmer band to win a Grammy Award (Best Contemporary World Music Album for Wonder Wheel: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie). They have released 13 acclaimed albums, topped the Billboard World Music Chart, and received multiple international honors, including the German Critics Award and the New York Jewish Music Award.
Their work transcends genre and platform. The Klezmatics have performed in over 20 countries and in venues from Carnegie Hall to European cathedrals to rock festivals. Their music has been featured in films, television, theater, and dance, including collaborations with Tony Kushner (A Dybbuk), Pilobolus Dance Theatre (Davenen), and the scores of films by Pearl Gluck. Their songs have appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and HBO’s Sex and the City.
The Klezmatics have collaborated with a vast range of artists including violinist Itzhak Perlman, Israeli star Chava Alberstein, gospel singer Joshua Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, poet Allen Ginsberg, Theodore Bikel, and more. Their Grammy-winning project with Woody Guthrie’s lyrics redefined the possibilities of Jewish-American musical storytelling
Ticket $50
Event Venue
1400 S Wolf Rd,Ste 100, Wheeling, IL, United States, Illinois 60090
