Richard Knight Jr. career has included everything from film and performance to writing, but he got his start in entertainment as a musician, playing his first gig in 1984 at a small club in Chicago.
For the next 20 years or so, Knight went on to perform in almost every venue in town, whether it was with one of his various bands or doing solo music as a singer-songwriter, Knight said. He’s headlined everything from Park West to the former Man’s Country bathhouse for its New Year’s Eve party in 1985.
But Knight’s career eventually took him in other directions, including several years as a film writer for Windy City Times and, until recently, a programmer for Reeling: the Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival. He also co-wrote and co-directed the 2012 film Scrooge & Marley.
Knight is making his return to performing as a solo artist on July 15 for a concert at Space, a small concert hall at 1245 Chicago Ave. in Evanston. He’s splitting the bill with renowned drummer Gerald Dowd, a long-time member of Knight’s band Samba Bamba.
Tickets cost $15-$22 and are available here.
“Getting up on stage in front of crowds and performing—that’s natural for me,” Knight said. “But it’s been over 30 years since I went up and played my own songs.”
Dowd will play drums in Knight’s band, which also includes musicians Jen Zias, Randy Henry, Tom Walta, Steve Dollinger and Mark MacLean.
Knight’s set will include a number of same-sex love songs, including some from his recent solo album, Love is Possible, released in December. The album includes songs he’s written over the years, including one about a physical encounter between two men that he wrote in 1979, Knight said.
“I had all these songs that I realized I needed to collect into an album,” Knight said. “So the album—like the show—is a hybrid of a bunch of different things, genres and songs.”
Knight said being able to sing these openly same-sex love songs on stage makes him reflect on how much progress has been made since he started in music in the ‘80s.
“I remember when we played Park West in 1985, my older sister came and told me somebody next to her in the crowd started making really homophobic comments because I was in black leather pants and a broad-shouldered, purple jacket,” Knight said.
Knight’s hair was teased up and face covered in makeup, which wasn’t as embraced by audiences back then, Knight said.
“My sister really called this guy out and he shut up,” Knight said. “It’s different now. I don’t need to change the pronouns of who I’m singing about anymore.”