Get up close with singer-songwriter Robbie Gold
Highland Park singer-songwriter Robbie Gold has played venues both big and intimate. And with his drive to perform, you can surely find him playing a location near you soon with his friend and bass player, Matt Cushing.
The duo has been tapped to play the Team USA Stage at the Taste of Chicago Thursday, July 7, and Sunday, July 10. But before that, you can catch them at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights on Monday, July 4, and Saturday, July 9.
Robbie took some time to talk about his past experiences with the Taste of Chicago.
<b>Tell me a little about your performance history. How long have you been playing? And what got you into it?</b> I've been performing acoustic gigs since about my sophomore year in high school. The movie "That Thing You Do" inspired me profoundly, and after that I knew I wanted to be a singer-songwriter.
<b>What genre of music do you consider your work to be?</b> Acoustic-Pop. Major influences are John Mayer, Oldies, Green Day, Nirvana and a wide variety of genres.
<b>Are there particular themes or messages you address in your music?</b> Post-break up regaining confidence type stuff and also about having an unorthodox learning style, as in my song "Overcomplicate" on my album "Impact." I also enjoy writing about what's going on in the world politically/socially.
<b>What is your past experience with Taste of Chicago? Have you played it before?</b> Last year we were selected to perform on the Bud Light stage for Pop Music Day. We had a great time rocking out in the heart of the Taste.
<b>What other Chicago-area fests have you been part of?</b> We've played Andersonville Midsommerfest, Wrigleyville Block Party, and our absolute favorite so far was the Taste of Chicago. Awesome huge stage with the city as our backdrop. And it was Pop Music Day, so the crowd was really into the different pop covers we played.
<b>Are you rolling out anything new this summer?</b> Going to start recording in August as it's been a few years since I last recorded. I'm always working on new songs, so it will be nice to get them recorded finally.
<b>Do you have any upcoming news or projects you'd like to share?</b> We just opened for (the band) America in Detroit, which was a great time, and we have many more shows coming up this summer.
<b>Where can people hear your music or see some videos?</b> robbiegoldmusic.com