advertisement

Pat McKillen to perform April 19 in the Listening Room

On Saturday, April 19, singer songwriter, Pat McKillen will perform at 8 p.m. in the Listening Room at the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park in Crystal Lake.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. To reserve your tickets today, visit www.LakesideLegacy.org or call (815) 455-8000.

McKillen grew up in Tower Lakes and is a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He has opened for Lifehouse, Matisyahu, and Smashmouth.

“Audiences attending McKillen's performance at 'the Listening Room' have the opportunity to experience an emerging musician on the rise,” stated Siobhan Cottone, Lakeside's executive director. “The schedule and mission of our unique venue is to showcase talent from local to national recognition as well as bring the public a plethora of performance genres. We hope local audiences get to witness talented musicians such as Pat McKillen on their way to becoming famous!”

McKillen was also featured on America's Got Talent in the summer of 2013.

McKillen's cover of Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' was featured in 'The New York Times' “Music Match” section on Nov. 26, 2013. The New York Times journalist and founder of www.Valslist.com, Val Haller, wrote in that article, “The newest cover is by a Chicago singer-songwriter, Pat McKillen, one of the most versatile emerging artists on the scene, who performs all the background music himself. In his album “Red Headed Enemy”, you might think you're hearing Dave Matthews or David Gray, but it's all Mr. McKillen.”

After picking up the acoustic guitar in ninth grade, McKillen began writing basic songs that him and his fellow band mates would play throughout high school. But it was when McKillen was playing solo at college that he discovered a knack for songwriting and creating a fusion of sounds that fit his unique and powerful voice. While attending the University of Notre Dame, he had the opportunity to open for acts such as Lifehouse, Eric Hutchinson, Matisyahu, Tyler Hilton, and Smashmouth. He graduated from Notre Dame in 2010 with a degree in Finance, but chose to pursue music, instead.

Whenever one set of songs is finished, McKillen usually has another full album's worth waiting in the woodworks. While experimenting with percussive sounds and using the more folk-based sound he has developed, McKillen completed the tracking for “The Red Headed Enemy” in the summer of 2013, which is a 14-track album created in 2012. McKillen says he is "thrilled" with the sound of the album.

"For me, it's not necessarily about the size of the studio or the equipment you have," McKillen says, "The most important thing is that the sound of the recordings come off as organic as the songs themselves. As the one who is writing the songs, I know I'll take good care of them and get them right one way or another through my own experimentation in the studio." Listen to McKillen's original works at www.patmckillen.com.

Tickets are $15 in advance and can be purchased at www.LakesideLegacy.org or by contacting the Box Office and asking for Roger (815) 455-8000. If online sales have not sold out, tickets can also be purchased at the door for $20.

Lakeside encourages people to purchase tickets in advance. If you purchase tickets at the door on April 19, however, please arrive by 7:30 p.m. A cash bar is also available during the concert. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.lakesidelegacy.org. 'the Listening Room' is located within Lakeside Legacy Arts Park at 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake, IL. Lakeside Legacy is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, and is also home to the Historic Dole Mansion.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.