About this Event
Mavis Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate. Hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace, she is both a Blues and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer; a civil rights icon; a GRAMMY Award-winner; a chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer; a National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient; and a Kennedy Center honoree. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House. Hear Mavis’ clarion call to love, to faith, to justice, to brotherhood, to joy this November when she performs a two-night benefit concert to fight local hunger.
Mavis Staples has collaborated with everyone from Prince and Bob Dylan to Arcade Fire and Hozier, blown away countless festivalgoers, performed with The Band at The Last Waltz, and graced the airwaves on major talk shows, Austin City Limits, the GRAMMYs, and more. At a time when most artists begin to wind down, Staples ramps things up. In her 70’s she released a trio of critically acclaimed albums with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy that prompted Pitchfork to rave that “her voice has only gained texture and power over the years.”
In between records with Tweedy, Staples teamed up with a slew of other younger artists for Livin’ On A High Note, an album that first introduced her to Ben Harper, who would go on to write an entire album of material that became Staples’s 12th studio album, 2019’s We Get By. Backed by her longtime touring band, Staples breathes extraordinary life into Harper’s compositions, delivering roof-raising performances with both a youthful vigor and a commanding maturity. Opening with the stirring “Change,” Staples proclaims, “Say it loud say it clear / Gotta change around here” over a simmering, fuzzed-out guitar line. The funky Anytime looks fearlessly to the future and the title track with Staples and Harper is a prayer, a promise, an invitation.
On the eve of her 80th birthday, Staples said, “I’m the messenger. That’s my job—it has been for my whole life—and I can’t just give up while the struggle’s still alive. We’ve got more work to do, so I’m going to keep on getting stronger and keep on delivering my message every single day.” Don’t miss the messenger this November as she showcases her remarkable and continued evolution as an artist, one still growing and exploring more than half a century into her storied career.
Proceeds from the two-day concert event will directly benefit the nearly 40,000 individuals Beyond Hunger serves across Chicagoland. Located in the near-west suburbs of Chicago, Beyond Hunger provides hunger relief and essential programming to residents of 13 zip codes, including the West Side of Chicago and many of its surrounding suburbs.
Tickets for the November 19th benefit show at Thalia Hall (Pilsen) and November 20th at FitzGerald’s (Berwyn) go on sale June 25 at 10 AM. For more information about Beyond Hunger, go to http://www.GoBeyondHunger.org/ or find us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/gobeyondhunger.
Special thanks to WXRT, The Moller Family Foundation, and The Reedy Family Foundation.
Thalia Hall will require all staff, patrons, and performers to provide proof of full vaccination (two weeks after final dose). A negative test will NOT be accepted. Patrons will be asked to show their valid vaccination card (photocopy or digital photo is permissible) when they arrive at the door for entry. Additionally, masks will be worn by staff at all times and will be required of all attendees when not eating and drinking regardless of vaccination status. We are applying these requirements to all future shows and will update the policy as needed or as new guidance requires. Please reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions.
It’s been a positively joyful experience to see people return to our beloved concert hall for shows again, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to keep guests, staff, and artists safe during this time.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Thalia Hall, 1807 South Allport Street, Chicago, United States
USD 70.00 to USD 140.00