Sheila Sachs, art director for Pravda Records, never expected she’d be dreaming up the design for a beer can as a project assignment, she says, “landed on her plate earlier this year.”
“Creating this beer can has to rank as one of the coolest things I’ve ever done and that’s because I got to work with Kenn and his creativity to make it happen,” said Sachs, who’s still waiting for the moment she gets to hold one of the finished cans in her hand.
“I’m waiting for the big weekend to have a can in my hand and music all around me at this event.”
The event is the inaugural PravdaFest, June 24 and 25 in the parking lot area of Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie. Sachs’ beer can co-creator is Kenn Goodman, who founded Pravda Records 38 years ago.
Iconic and based in Chicago as an always-expanding independent music label, Pravda Records was born as an idea that transformed into a career during Goodman’s college years at Northern Illinois University. Today, after more than 100 music releases, the Pravda label represents bands beyond Chicago and spans genres ranging from country punk and garage rock to indie pop and soul.
“I’ve been with Pravda since the start, and so when Kenn gives me direction such as adding band names to the top rim edge area of the beer can I’m creating to celebrate this music label, I go with it, because Kenn always knows just what he wants,” Sachs said.
“Kenn has always been very visual and he has always had vision.”
Goodman said though some might “raise an eyebrow for a brief moment,” when hearing the record label brand or the PravdaFest event name due to the global attention of Russia in recent years, he said it’s his company’s reputation and history which clearly separates it from any political connection.
“When I came up with the label name, I took the word ‘pravda’ from seeing it used in a book and it happened to catch my attention, because when defined, it’s a word that means ‘truth’ in Russian,” Goodman said.
He said his greater challenge in recent years has been working with Sketchbook Brewing Co., including the brewery co-founder Shawn Decker and other organizers, to plan, schedule and finally “greenlight” the record label’s anniversary festival event, which was postponed for more than two years.
“We were always planning for this to be a big 35th anniversary celebration,” Goodman said.
“But hey, Pravda38 looks pretty good on our limited edition beer can, so we thought there’s really no reason to wait until our 40th anniversary.”
Goodman said partnering with Sketchbook Brewing Co. was “a natural fit” since he grew up just five blocks away from the brewery location. He loved the idea to partner to also create a custom beer lager variety packaged in keepsake cans to celebrate the event, which Goodman says is “a celebration of this independent music label institution founded in 1984.”
The two-night event includes a selection of favorite bands, both established names and new breakout artists, performing on an outdoor stage along with assorted beers, food trucks and more.
The eight band lineup features Boom Hank, Hushdrops, Steve Dawson, and Josh Caterer on Friday night, and in the Saturday night spotlight are The Handcuffs, Diplomats of Solid Sound, The Service, and The Slugs. Media personality James VanOsdol will emcee both concert nights.
Limited edition posters and T-shirts will also be sold during the festival at a Pravda pop-up shop in the vendor area.
“I love everything about this festival, including the way we designed the concert space, which isn’t just a parking lot, but really more centered in the loading dock area of the brewery,” Goodman said.
“It’s a cool place for a celebration. I might have started this music label but it’s really about the music, the band and the fans which have gotten us to where we are today.”
PravdaFest 2022
When: 7 p.m. June 24 and 25
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Where: Sketchbook Brewing Co., 4901 Main St., Skokie
Cost: Single-day pass $30, two-day pass $50; VIP ticket $75
Information: 773-763-7509; pravdamusic.com
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.