Mariachi JVcarterproductions

Provocative and intense... Chicago artists at their best... A community event That stitches…read moretogether the soul of the city!

From the owner: True Muse's Second Sunday Salon Series is a monthly live performance and art exhibition at The…read morePrint Shop in Humboldt Park. Join us for live music, spoken word, art, photography, original films, dance, readings, creative workshops and great conversation. Enjoy wine and cheese and other light bites at our events. Learn about Chicago based creators and build community with us.

Cosmic Underground Theater

(13 reviews)

We had a fantastic time, Kayla and Harrison are both very talented, engaging, and all around fun!…read moreAnd don't let the audience participation part scare you off, it's very easy and the vibe is like hanging out with friends! Also, it's BYOB but they have snacks and n/a drinks : )

Fun show with two amazing performers! Harrison's magic act…read moreis peppered with perfectly timed humor and deadpan jokes; Kayla's friendly and sincere personality is endearing. The evening was enjoyable and lots of fun. I recommend this show for date night, family fun or anyone who wants to laugh and leave feeling happy!

Chicago Theatre

(567 reviews)

•$$$

Short but sweet review - the experiences we've had at the Chicago Theater have always been…read moreconsistently good. This time was no different. My last review still stands. We arrived on time, were seated, and the concert started on time. The acoustics are great and our seats were in a good spot. We used their concession stand to get water and snacks - because we bought our tickets and paid for the concessions using a Chase card, we were given a big discount - nice. We'll continue to go to the Chicago theater when they have shows we want to see. It's a great theater and a wonderful experience.

I have been to the Chicago Theatre several times for concerts and have had experiences in all of my…read morevisits. It's an iconic Chicago landmark for catching live events. I like its ornate décor, the stadium style seats set-up which offers good stage view, the acoustics, and the overall aesthetics of this venue which makes it an ideal place to watch live events. On my recent (late June 2026) visit to see The Human League, Soft Cell, and Alison Moyet for the Generations tour, overall, I had a good experience. There were couple of issues that we had such as lack of cool air circulation inside the auditorium (it was hot and sweaty) and a couple of people standing throughout the show to dance, blatantly blocking other peoples' view and not caring about being inconsiderate and uncourteous to people behind them to which the theatre ushers had no problem with it. Otherwise, I have not had issues at this venue. So, 4.5 stars but rounded up to five. I look forward to going back here.

Hairpin Arts Center

3.3

(8 reviews)

Multiple attempts to contact this organization to hold an event have gone unanswered. The space…read moreseems to capable of holding many more events, but does not.

Madonna Birthday Celebration. Music, videos, retro clothes, drinks and empanadas! Fun vibe!read more

The Trap Door Theatre

4.5

(20 reviews)

I saw "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" at the Trap Door earlier this year and it was one of the…read morefinest pieces of ensemble acting I've seen in Chicago. Trap Door is a hidden treasure of which you should not deprive yourself. Like all good storefront theater, the stage is tiny, the seating limited, the experience intense. Plus, there can (will?) be wine.

Treefall! small and elegant theater! On Thursday night!…read moreActors try their best to show how struggle the life should be without mom! They are yelling more but it's how they should perform. Very nice place. I like it!

En Las Tablas Performing Arts

3.5

(4 reviews)

This place is WONDERFUL! My child has been taking classes there since he was a baby. The teachers…read moreare great with the children. They are patient and understanding about your child's limitations while also pushing them to do better. I could not ask for a better group of people to be teaching my son. The owners are very involved in the business and always available to answer questions. As for the prices, you will not find a better deal.

This place is a hidden gem. They offer multiple dance classes for children of all ages in a…read morecontrolled environment at great prices.

VOLTA Performing Arts

(11 reviews)

Our 4 y/o daughter started taking classes at Volta a couple of months ago and has been loving it so…read morefar. Ms. Dee and Ms. Jade are extremely professional, dedicated, flexible and wonderful with kids. T heir focus on creating a community and making dance accessible for all children in the area is genuine. For example, they didn't insist on my daughter coming with ballet clothes and shoes, which are costly. I highly recommend this studio!!

Mx Dee is the greatest! My kiddo went there for ballet and hip hop and loved every moment of it…read more We're a Goethe Elementary family and the love for Volta is huge at our school. Their pajama nights are awesome as well - enough time for the parents to grab dinner on their own. So happy to have this in our neighborhood!

The Den Theatre

(85 reviews)

We saw two shows at the Den Theater in Chicago over the weekend. It is a small venue, but very…read morestylish. The bathrooms are pretty clean (even at a late show). The seats are comfortable. It is an intimate venue. The drink service is great. The drinks are good. I had a "Dirty Shirley" which is a Shirley Temple made with vodka. The standout is the service though. The box office staff is amazing. I am not going to share how they saved my bacon one evening, but it totally blew me away. The security folks are nice and helpful and the servers are wonderful. If there is a show you are interested in, go see it if it is at the Den!

The Den Theatre hosted what could have been the worst performance I have ever seen, The Peep Show…read more I left at intermission and only want to warn others. The best entertainer was the magician but yet the burlesque dancers made me and others disappear. They were unapologetically lethargic and not enthusiastic. Nothing sexy or entertaining... The Den is a staple of Milwaukee Avenue but this show was a complete miss. Go see a movie instead of seeing this show. It will be better entertainment for your hard earned dollars.

Trickery

(213 reviews)

We attended Trickery on Saturday 04/18/26. Aaron was adept at working with a diverse audience to…read moreinclude them and maintain control of his performance in a very intimate setting. Because it's BYOB you'll get the 20-somethings that feel they have to get loaded beforehand and then act the fool while attending (do you hear that "Neil"? No one wants the focus on you acting like it was your first experience with alcohol) but Aaron was skilled at bypassing them without causing tension or escalating bad behavior. Aaron's attitude is one of someone who has worked hard to make this little venture work, and he deserves respect and recognition for his obvious commitment and work ethic. His act included variations of tricks performed by other magicians, with his own twists. He is an expert at sleight of hand and distraction, which is considerably more difficult in a room about the size of an average residential living-room. He had an appropriate sense of humor aligned with an audience coming to Boystown, an overtly gay neighborhood in Chicago (if you're not familiar). However he wasn't garish, flaming, flamboyant, or offensive; he managed a perfect balance of innuendo humor and audience engagement without being cheap or ingenuine. The snarky one-liners will likely go over your young kids' heads (although bring them to an early show, your 9 year old doesn't belong in Boystown at 10 pm on a weekend), and he carries himself with class avoiding the use of profanity or graphic terms. Again, I can't overstate that his tricks were amazing, impressive, and captivating - as magic should be. You leave the show shaking your head and wondering how it's done - which truly makes it "magic". You would be hard-pressed to spend $36.36/person for an hour of live entertainment that can match Aaron's performance. Pro-tip: If you're driving there you will need to use an app to reserve parking, as there aren't garages like downtown Chicago and every street is filled with so many signs there's no way you will return and find your car not-towed or not-ticketed. Chicago does this on purpose to generate revenue; you'll see "street cleaning" on Tuesday from xx hour to xx hour, no parking when snow is over 2 inches OR any time from Dec 1 through April 1, loading zone, 15 minute stopping/standing with flashers, no parking, residential permit zone only, bike lanes, bus stop restrictions, etc. If you find street parking and think you've beaten the system, think again. Nobel Prize Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Ivy League PhDs, Mensa members - you can meet them all at Chicago Central Auto Pound retrieving their vehicles. Stephen Hawking couldn't drive, but if he could and he parked in that neighborhood all the quantum mechanics in the world wouldn't make his towed car reappear from the Chicago Parking space-time continuum. The nice thing is if you do reserve parking and give yourself enough time you can walk to many, many restaurants and bars in the area that are open even after the 10 pm show ends. Thank you Aaron for a wonderful experience, you made my wife's birthday memorable for both of us.

We were at The Trickery last weekend for a magic show - our age group ranged from teens to senior…read morecitizens and we all had a blast. The highlight of our weekend in Chicago. Aaron and Steve are truly amazing magicians and performers - highly recommend!

Thompson Farm

(56 reviews)

U pick strawberries were a blast. The strawberries were red and juicy. Lots of strawberries to…read morechoose from.

Beautiful huge sunflower farms & pumpkins in the fall. Have got to catch the sunflowers at peak to…read moresee large blooms. Not when I was there. Great friendly service. Worth a visit. Bees around but dress the right colors, don't swat or move abruptly, leave them alone and they will give you the same respect.

Merrillville Farms

4.9

(16 reviews)

5/5 Awesome experience! Ginger (owner) was super friendly, talkative, and kind! Got taken on a…read moresurprise date here by my gf and had a great time! We came at 4 pm on a Tuesday - literally nobody else on the farm, had it completely to ourselves! We got our buckets from her and got sent off to pick blueberries! Lots of bushes, beautiful farm, cool chickens (a lot of them, off to the side of the field), cute cat, bee hives off to the side, old machinery - honestly just a gorgeous setting. Highly recommend as a date idea, or just to go for fun! Affordable, and very tasty blueberries (and shamrocks )

Always a pleasant visit Everyone is very kind and always a good selection! I usually take my…read moreGrandchildren and it encourages them to try new things!

Tacos Y Tamales Festival

3.2

(13 reviews)

2025 Review! Same Fest, New Location! Tacos & Tamales Fest…read moreis now on Blue Island Ave between Wolcott & Ashland. Their new location is so much better to space out the crowd, offer better street parking/access to public transportation, and allows for more vendors! They had the similar mix of local businesses, corporate freebies, artist tents, and (3) music stages; but, I'm already looking forward to seeing how they continue to grow next year.

I usually skip food festivals because I hate crowds, but this is one I'd been looking forward to…read morefor weeks. I don't eat good tamales very often and it was very convenient to have one location with all of the local venders so that I could try multiple restaurants at once. -Narrowing down which restaurant was my favorite to avoid future disappointments. Hands down, Yvolina's was my favorite. The chicharron tamale with green mole sauce was still in my mind when I woke up this morning. But sadly, I had to eat a grapefruit instead. ::sad face:: They run about $10 each, but are very large. I did also enjoy Yvolina's Chicken Tinga tamale, but the chicharron is the one I'd go back for. Didn't love the churros from Xurro, but I'm a pastry chef and make churros quite often. Maybe I just prefer my own. I ordered the churro s'more and wouldn't order again. It was all way too dry. Not enough chocolate either. There were many kinds of venders. If tamales aren't your thing, you aren't out of luck. With tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas etc.. sold up and down the streets, there's something for everybody. My only regret was not ordering the street corn that everyone seemed to me walking around eating. As much of a pain it was to be raining, it was the perfect time to go. The crowds were very minimal. It was still a lively bunch though. Many people dancing in the streets as the music blasted in the air. I very much enjoyed my evening and will definitely return next year. Parking is a bit of a beast. Prepare to have to park a bit far and walk.

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Janeth C.

6 years ago

I contacted JVcarterproductions the same day I needed a Mariachi band for my mother's impromptu celebration. Mr. Carter contacted me right away and worked everything out expeditiously just in time to surprise her. Due to the Convid-19 pandemic, I wanted a virtual serenata and he delivered! The Mariachi was outstanding! Beautiful voice, professional, warm & very lively. He sang all the songs she asked for and it felt as though they were in our house singing live. I highly recommend JVcarterproductions for any in person or virtual event of your needs. I will be hiring them again very soon for another event. They just became my go-to entertainment company. Thank you Jovan! You made my mother very happy. read more

Brandon E.

7 years ago

I hired JVCarter's Mariachi Band for this 2019 Mother's Day and it went super well. I hired a group of three performers and the sound was great and they were really easy to get along with. My mother was super surprised and she was singing their songs the rest of the day. A real success I would say. You can hire up 6 guys if you like but because of my budget I only did three. But it was a great time and we took great pictures. The guys were on time and there were no logistical issues. I would definitely recommend this as an out of the box idea for someone you really care about or a party you are hosting! read more

Stephanie W.

7 years ago

These guys are absolutely amazing! We hired them for our wedding in Pittsburgh, PA as we were unable to find any mariachi bands in the area. They were very professional, punctual, and flexible with our needs. Their performance was perfect and everyone at the wedding was raving about how awesome they were. Even the other guests at the hotel that could hear them from outside the reception room loved their performance. They were well worth the price paid and I would highly recommend booking them for any event! read more

Aaron B.

8 years ago

We hired a mariachi band through JV carter production for a surprise party for my wife at our house. We had 60 guests and everyone loved the band. They showed up exactly when they said, and performed for an hour. They were very professional and talented. The booking agent always returned my messages via text message, and one of the band members contacted me directly when mapping directions to my house hours before the party. They really put our party over the top!! read more

Lorena B.

7 years ago

Booking went smoothly and was able to get the mariachis last minute for my moms birthday. Any questions I had were answered right away. The mariachis were awesome and best of all my mom loved them and everyone had a great time with them. Could not recommend them enough. Great experience! Definitely will book in the future with them and using this website. I recommend 100% :) read more

Michelle P.

7 years ago

Mariachi JVcarterproductions was amazing! They were able to be very accommodating and able to fit us in their schedule in a short notice as well as reasonable pricing. It was so amazing having them play tributes to my dad at his memorial service. They were very respectful, punctual and professional! I would definitely book them again! Thank you! read more

Fran H.

7 years ago

We booked the 3 person band for a weekday employee luncheon and they were amazing! Booking was easy and Jovan was very thorough in answering all our questions. They showed up early and their voices and their music was absolutely amazing. Everyone loved them and they made our event extra special. Thank you so much guys! We highly recommend!!! read more

Jesus M.

197

7 years ago

I hired a mariachi band for my moms birthday as a surprise and it was an absolutely amazing performance by the mariachi band that I hired through JV Carter productions. Great customer service and I was taken well care of. I highly recommend using their services. 10/10 all around. read more

Robert F.

143

7 years ago

The mariachi group did a fantastic job of playing at my brother in laws wedding. They were very open to playing all kinds of songs and were very respectful. read more

Francisca F.

7 years ago

love the repertoire they have and everything started on time. all the mariachi members were good and professional. Love the music

Robert M.

7 years ago

I was very satisfied with these guys, I highly recommend them!!!

Mariachi JVcarterproductions - musicians - Updated August 2026

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Mariachi Mexico Vivo

4.1

(22 reviews)

This Mariachi band was one of the best ever! We got Mariachi Mexico Vivo to play at a corporate…read moreevent and everyone was fascinated! They knew every single song request and were so up beat. They kept the audience engaged and had a beautiful voice. I highly recommend!!

Never got to hear them play. The booking experience was so bad. Things were all lined up for a 4:30…read moreto 6:30 cocktails at a wedding reception. I knew going in that they might have a later appointment, which is great. I get the contract and the time is shortened from 4:30 to 6 for the same price. It appears their later appointment is shortening ours. This was never discussed earlier. But now she is holding us to the 2 hour minimum! I'm pretty good with keeping things in order, and her attitude was she is never wrong!

Mariachi Guerreros De Mexico

Recommend 100% Everyone was very polite and very good at what they do. Very responsible and arrived…read moreat the time we agreed to. Also very responsive to any questions I had along the process of making the contract. If you want a great band, Los Guerreros are the best choice!

IL Suono Music Agency

(2 reviews)

Alexi was extremely easy to work with, responded via email, text or calls really quickly. Was very…read moreopen to all of my requests and suggestions. I could not be happier with the level of service leading up to the event. The day of, he was able to start promptly with little to no instructions for set up - which was perfect for my event because we had a part of the programming going on while he needed to set up. He was not distracting at all while he set up. He read the room really well and was able to turn down the music or pause when needed with little to no instructions - it was really nice to not have to "coordinate" and make requests of him the day of. Will definitely recommend and use again! Thank you Suono Music!

We booked our wedding day music with Il Suono music agency, and we couldn't be happier! They played…read morebeautifully, they were on time, elegantly dressed. Their team was very professional, they were set up and ready to go before the event began. Alex was very easy to communicate with and set up a zoom meeting with us to solidify all the event details. All our guests were amazing by them, and were highly complimentary. We highly recommend them for any private event!

Mariachi Mexico Lindo

We celebrated my husband's 70th birthday with a surprise performance by Mariachi Mexico Lindo--and…read morethey were absolutely fantastic! Our guests were mostly Polish, but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying the music. Before long, everyone was out on the dance floor, having an amazing time! Herbert was wonderful to work with and always responded promptly to all of my questions and phone calls, which made planning so easy. I highly recommend Mariachi Mexico Lindo if you're looking for talented, professional, and incredibly entertaining musicians for your next celebration. They truly helped make my husband's 70th birthday unforgettable!

Fretless Music

(25 reviews)

Fretless music played at my wedding and they were absolutely amazing! Right from the start they…read moreresponded to my inquiries quickly and were great to work with. Their music selection was so so long I had a hard time picking from all of the variety! They played music during the ceremony which I did not get the chance to listen to, but all of my guests complimented them so much for doing such a great job. Once our processional started I got to listen to the music and it was lovely. They also did great with adjusting the length of the song to match the length of our procession. It was an absolute joy to have them play at our wedding and I absolutely recommend and will absolutely use their services again!

Stephanie was a joy to work with when planning the music for our wedding. We hired Fretless to play…read moreas a strings duet during our wedding ceremony. Stephanie even worked with us to arrange a special song for our processional, which was very meaningful. After the ceremony, Stephanie played with backing during our cocktail hour. We got so many compliments from our friends & family about how lovely the music was. Thanks so much for everything!

Fab Fun

4.3

(6 reviews)

We had Fab Fun Arcade Truck come to my son's birthday party last December and they were amazing!…read moreSuper easy to organize with, very accommodating, and genuinely kind people. The kids had such a great time -- the bus was a really good size with plenty to do inside. They were so patient and friendly with all the kids and made the whole experience stress-free and fun. Definitely recommend for any kids party!

They were so amazing, they work with us on our pricing, the communication was excellent, they were…read moreon time and they beyond the expectation....

Digital Rendition

(4 reviews)

What an amazing team! Ramzi and Stephen were excellent partners for our event recently in Chicago…read more Coming from out of town, I felt completely at ease trusting them to have our set-up ready and they fully delivered! We had a scheduling conflict and they worked with myself and our venue to find time in advance to set-up before our event and provided clear instructions for use. We encountered no issues and their screen and project set-up is very sleek and professional looking! Would highly recommend for future events!

Cannot speak highly enough of these guys. The organization I work for secured the Digital Rendition…read moreteam for a fundraising walk we were having in Northwest Indiana with very basic expectations - namely that they be affordable, show up on time, play some non-offensive music and go home. Not these guys. I mean yes, they did do that, but they did so much more. They were thoughtful and responsive and impeccably well prepared. I must admit that I occasionally stepped away from my event management duties for a dance break! We invited them back for our annual gala a month later and yep, we still love these guys. They walked us through planning the soundtrack for an awesome evening, were prompt and friendly and played jams everyone enjoyed. So glad we found these two! We'll keep them around as long as they'll have us. Thanks guys!

Royal George Theatre

(111 reviews)

The Royal George is a Chicago institution!…read more Thank you for hosting "I'M NOT A COMEDIAN...I'M LENNY BRUCE". Ronnie Marmo's portrayal was incredible, if you get a chance, this show is an absolute not miss! While he was a bit before my time, I learned of him via the "Mrs. Maisel" show. Mr. Marmo's authentic and realistic portrayal made us think throughout the show what is "freedom of speech" and its impact on this country and and its citizen. I am no theater critic but I am deeply grateful to the Royal George for hosting this presentation. I am more educated because of Mr. Marmo's efforts and thank the entire team for this amazing event. Please cut-n-paste this link: http://theroyalgeorgetheatre.com/shows.php?s=132 Sincerely, Patrick Shaughnessy Chicago

5/5 for my second experience here in 2016…read more Would return again based on this and having been seated in the main theater for this particular performance.

Room 85 Venue

(7 reviews)

This is my second time renting Room 85 venue and it was a great experience again! I would highly…read morerecommend the venue space 10/10. She's understanding and very consistent. The owner has great communication and she went above and beyond to ensure I had a great turnout for my event.

The venue space is large enough to be accommodating and small enough to be intimate. The layout is…read moreuser-friendly and can be reconfigured without becoming labor intensive. Management is professional and affable. Pricing is flexible and fair. Situated in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, this venue is comparable to upscale locations throughout the city.

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