This past Friday, the scene at Lincoln Hall on the city's northside was quite literally a movie. To be sure, it was one that has been in production for some time and one that ultimately culminated in a nearly-perfect setting, as the longtime Chicago hustler known endearingly as Rich Jones offered up his long-awaited project, Vegas to a sold out crowd that spilled out into lonely on-lookers from the curbside. 

While the show itself, complete with backing from the Burns Twins collective that paced the set throuhgout was a true success, the project that made the show a reality has been a favorite of many across the city for over a year now. Recorded alongside producer Ryan Lofty during a series of talented and truly evolutionary sessions in Las Vegas over the last couple of years, the project finds Jones miles away from where we found him on recent full-lengths like Pigeons & Waffles or 3Peat. Here, the longtime artist and essential cog in the scene delves a bit deeper, ruminating on lost emotions, forgotten experiences and the journey to search for one's self between the two. The result is a fully-understood work of art that epitomizes the type of artist Jones has grown into throughout his time hustling on the local scene. While it seems as though yet another local mainstay has found the sound to vault him outwards, its comforting knowing that at no point will Rich ever forget where he came from. If anything, last weekend at Lincoln Hall was just the start. Get in tune with the whole project streaming here and keep it locked for more from Rich very soon.