Sound & Gravity Festival Debuts in Chicago, Sept. 10-14

Sound & Gravity, a new five-day music festival created by Pitchfork co-founder Mike Reed and Constellation Performing Arts, will debut in Chicago’s Bricktown and Avondale neighborhoods from September 10–14, 2025. The festival features 48 acts across genres such as jazz, experimental, contemporary classical, indie, and electronic music, with notable performers including Bill Callahan, Mdou Moctar, Helado Negro, and surprise sets curated by Electrical Audio, the studio founded by the late Steve Albini. Spread across six walkable venues, the event aims to offer an intimate, community-focused experience rather than a traditional large-scale festival. Sound & Gravity is designed to reflect Constellation’s eclectic programming ethos and will serve as a fundraiser for the nonprofit, which is recognized for supporting avant-garde and experimental music in Chicago. Tickets range from $45 for opening night to $240 for an all-event pass and go on sale May 7. Reed describes the festival as a curated neighborhood crawl that highlights local culture and creative communities.