As you stumble into Chicago's Millenium Park after a mad dash across Michigan Ave, where the lights give you precisely 19 seconds to traverse the busy downtown traffic, you might think you've misadvertently wandered into Bilbao Spain. But the huge metal creation, by the canadian Frank Gehry, that sits in downtown Chicago houses artists of a different kind to its european counterpart. The stainless steel curved ribbons of the imposing structure are attached to a steel trellis which supports a sound system that can reach every nook and cranny of the 7000 seat arena, because this Gehry masterpiece is all about live entertainment. Nestled underneath its metal headress is the stage which has been home to musicians of the acclaimed Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the gravelly voices of the Chicago jazz scene and the combination of the two in the grammy nominated Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus. We were lucky enough to turn up in the right place at the right time and see a free tribute concert to Nina Simone and Dinah Washington on an early evening in September. As the light faded, the amphitheatre lit up reflecting the slowly changing coloured lights in all directions and we sat back, with the locals and their picnics, and let the music wash over us.

Written by  Alessia Horwich.

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