Summer in the city

In the dreary depths of Chicago's winter, when it seems like the snow will never melt and the frozen tundra that is the street outside your door goes on forever, people comfort themselves with the reminder that eventually, no matter how eternal winter seems to be, summer will come. And summer in Chicago is something to wait for.

I sort of didn't believe it, to be honest. The last few weeks have alternated between sweaty dreariness and outright thunderstorms, and it's hard to see past the torrential rain to the bright summer promised you. But last evening, I became a believer in Chicago summers.

It's not the weather that gets people excited, of course - wet heavy heat isn't particularly awesome. What is awesome, however, are the weeks after weeks of free concerts, festivals, block parties, and so on. Everyone is so relieved to not have to wear five layers outside that they go a little crazy, and it's great.

What I'm considering the kick-off event of my personal Chicago summer was last night's free St. Vincent concert in Millennium Park. Paid for by the city, it was the first in a whole series of free Monday night shows.

So basically, I got to see her:



in the great outdoors of Millennium Park, which is here:



For zero dollars.

In short: Game on, summer. GAME ON.