C.T. Ballentine returns to Chicago with Cup'nString

THE2NDHAND coeditor and great friend C.T. Ballentine‘s been in Louisville for the last month cooling his heels, among other things, not the least of which is plotting his return to Chicago for a show at Ronny’s Bar with Bill Tucker, Bartleby and others this coming Tuesday, Dec. 22, with his Cup’nString act.  If you’ve not heard them, think a cross of Bob Dylan, Rachel’s and some newer freak-folk sort of thing. While it’s been a too long since I’ve heard Ballentine play anything other than solo on a guitar or accordion in his apartment, when we collaborated on a show in Birmingham in 2007 when Cup’nString was on its way through town on tour supporting the Sea Shanties for the American Midwest record (“Lonesome on the Lam,” for my money, will someday assume it’s rightful place in the American songbook), Ballentine strode in shod in wingtips and sang the South out of the crowd.

Definitely worth checking out — there’s a Facebook page for the show at this link, and relevant details follow here as well:

Bill Tucker, Cup’nString, Michael Alexander, Bartleby
Tuesday, Dec. 22
Ronny’s Bar, 2101 N. California
Logan Square, Chicago