Community. Communion between audience and performers. Inspiration, anticipation, spontaneity; SHARED transcendent moments. Do you miss these things? I sure do! The Virtual Dream Café (VDC) attempts to recreate this atmosphere, via Zoom (interactive environment), until live music venues are able to reopen.
Double entendre intended: Mark, Ruth & Max, and Sue are indeed FINE FOLK, and so is their music! Enjoy memorable songs and stories, rich voices, multiple instruments... you won’t realize you’ve been smiling the whole time until it’s over! Balm for the soul and spirit.
About the Performers:
- Mark Dvorak is a Chicago-based musician, songwriter, and teacher, affectionately known as “Chicago’s official troubadour” (WFMT 98.7, 2012). He’s a multi-instrumentalist, steeped in tradition. His original songs sound timeless: familiar, yet fresh. His shows are sometimes educational, always entertaining.
While Mark is a fixture in the Midwest, he’s toured throughout the States and internationally as well. When not on the road he teaches at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, where he’s been on faculty since 1986. Mark has received journalism, children’s music, and multiple folk awards. To date he’s released 18 albums, including 2020's Let Love Go On, and 2011's acclaimed Time Ain't Got Nothin' On Me. In 2013 he published his second collection of essays and poetry, Bowling For Christmas & Other Tales from the Road. https://markdvorak.com/
- Michiganders Ruth and Max Bloomquist have been making music together since they met in 1975 and discovered their shared love not only for each other, but for music and songs made with acoustic instruments and featuring lyrics from the heart. They celebrate 45 years of performing their style of Acoustic Americana, with roots in Folk, Bluegrass, and traditional Country music.
Ruth is known for her songwriting as well as her striking alto voice. She was a winner of Merlefest’s Chris Austin Song Writing competition in 2003 with her gospel number, “By The River.” In addition to national touring, they’ve toured in southern France nearly every year since 2008. The couple released their sixth full length CD, On A Canvas Painted Blue, in 2017. https://ruthbloomquist.com/ - Chicago-based singer/songwriter Sue Fink enchants audiences with her whimsical perspective on the world, through her compelling songs and charming performances. Her genre, “urban campfire cabaret,” is folk with a hint of jazz, a large dollop of humor, and a drop of sadness for good measure. Her songs receive airplay locally and nationally, including "The Midnight Special" (WFMT) and "Folk Festival" (Lilli Kuzma, WDCB); most recently, her “Alternate Universe” song was included in Episode 691 of This American Life (NPR).
Sue performs solo, as CatBird (duo with Jane Godfrey), and as SongSisters (trio with Amy Dixon-Kolar and Patti Shaffner). As host of the Virtual Dream Café, Sue appears in the round with very talented performers whom she feels everyone should get to know. https://suefink.com/
About the show format:
- "In the round" means we each perform a song, one after another. Performers are inspired by each other's songs, and spontaneity abounds!
- This show starts at 7:30pm CST (8:30 ET), and runs 60-70 minutes... likely 3 to 4 rounds.
- "Doors open" at 7:15pm CST, so we can chat before the show begins. (Zoom is an interactive environment, where performers and audience can see and hear each other! Audience will be muted during the show, for sound clarity issues, but we can talk before and after the performance.)
- This will be an intentional show: we ask you to donate to reserve your seat, and then be present so we can share community. The show will NOT be recorded for later viewing. The intent is for us to share the magic together, in real time.
- Your generous $donation goes directly to these artists. Your donation also reserves your place in the "Zoom room," so to speak. We look forward to sharing music, and community, with you!
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Refund Policy
Your donation is non-refundable, but you may transfer your spot to someone else (for the same show date) if you're unable to attend.
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