Live Music Brightens Chicago Summers: Band Hollyy Draws Hundreds to Lakefront Shows

Summer days in Chicago are made brighter by the live music performances of Tanner Dane and his band, Hollyy, who have become a local fixture busking at AIDS Garden Chicago. What started as a passion project for Dane and his childhood friends in an Elgin attic has evolved into a celebrated local phenomenon.

Their music, a blend of bluesy alternative rock and soul, gained traction after they began distributing self-produced CDs around town. Now, some two decades later, Dane continues this grassroots approach with free shows along Lake Michigan. These impromptu performances, announced on short notice via social media, draw crowds of hundreds, ranging from families to commuters from other states.

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We’re literally just busking.

Fans eagerly anticipate the shows, with hundreds turning out to watch the band perform. "I love Chicago," said attendee Jade Hart, reflecting the sentiment of many who appreciate the community vibe fostered by the music. "I love the community." The musical inclination runs deep in Dane's family, with his mother also being a musician, passing down the love for music from her own father who built a sound system from scratch to enjoy classical pieces.

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I love Chicago. I love the community.