Reading · Jerome’s Event List

Friday 8/21/26 First Edition

Here’s a First Edition with most shows for the city, along with precompiled highlights for the surrounding areas

Please watch for a Final Edition with complete listings for everywhere arriving before long

There are some great Friday music event options in Chicago and the surrounding areas

Read on for the details, and get out to enjoy some of the great shows if you can…

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Onsales & Presales

x Tue 10/20 7:30 Richard Shindell acoustic at SPACE Evanston, $25-54, all ages, 6:30 door, presale sunset

x Thu 10/22 8:00 Maggie Rose at SPACE Evanston, $35-47++, all ages, 7:00 door, presale sunset

x Sat 10/31 8:00 Dumpstaphunk at Garcia’s, presales Thu 8/20 10:00a, onsale Fri 8/21 10:00a

x Sun 11/1 8:00 Dumpstaphunk at Garcia’s, presales Thu 8/20 10:00a, onsale Fri 8/21 10:00a

x Mon 11/9 7:30 Bill Callahan solo at SPACE Evanston, $30-54 SRO, all ages, 6:30 door

x Sat 11/21 7:30-10:00 The Flat Five at Stoughton Opera House Stoughton WI, $27-33, stream $20-21

x Sat 11/28 5:00, 8:00 Susan Werner at SPACE Evanston, $38-64, all ages, 4:00, 7:00 doors, presale sunset

x Thu 12/3 8:00 Over the Rhine acoustic at OTSFM Maurer Hall, $45-56, onsale members Wed 8/19, public Fri 8/21, online 9:00a, in person & phone 10:00a

Today’s Friday 8/21/26 Shows

x 10:00a Fretboard Summit 2026 at OTSFM Lincoln Square, 1-day Access $150-175, 3-day All Access $350-375

12:00n-4:00 Norb Wojcik at Mariano’s Ravenswood

x 3:30 Outlaw Festival with Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson, ++ at Alpine Valley East Troy WI, $78+

Fri 8/21 Lakeview Taco Fest at Southport between Roscoe & Addison

South Stage at Roscoe

6:00 Run Forrest Run

8:00 Boy Band Review

North Stage at Addison

6:00 Super Creeps tribute to David Bowie

8:00 Too Fighters tribute to Foo Fighters

4:00-8:00 Tim Fullerton at Mariano’s Bucktown

4:00-8:00 Julie Ponce Trio at Mariano’s Crystal Lake

4:00-8:00 Paul Johnson Trio at Mariano’s Des Plaines

4:00-8:00 Phil Baron’s Dueling Pianos at Mariano’s Lakeshore East

4:00-8:00 Fathom DJ at Mariano’s Lakeview East

4:00-8:00 Jim Callen Trio at Mariano’s Lombard

4:00-8:00 Mario Dueñas Trio at Mariano’s Naperville

4:00-8:00 Honey Water at Mariano’s New City

4:00-8:00 Willow Sings Duo at Mariano’s Northbrook

4:00-8:00 Sir Charles & The Mix at Mariano’s Oak Lawn

4:00-8:00 Richard Sladek Trio at Mariano’s Orland Park

4:00-8:00 Jose Valdes Trio at Mariano’s Ravenswood

4:00-8:00 Isaiah Spencer at Mariano’s West Loop

4:00-8:00 Roger Weaver Trio at Mariano’s Westchester

4:00-8:00 Jim Pedicone Trio at Mariano’s Westmont

Live on the Lake at Navy Pier Beer Garden

4:30 DJ Papa G

7:35 ?

x 5:00 Richard P. Bennett at Judson & Moore, free, Old Fashioed Friday

x 5:00-7:30 Chris Foreman at Green Mill, tip the artists

x 5:00-8:30 Matt Hendricks at House of Blues Restaurant & Bar

5:00-8:00 The Put On at Epiphany Center, free RSVP, Golden Hour

x 5:00 The Jarod Bufe Quartet at FitzGerald’s Patio, free RSVP, all ages, 4:00 door, happy hour jazz

x 5:30-7:30 The Hoyle Brothers at Empty Bottle, free RSVP, Hard Country Honky Tonk

5:30-7:30 Jack Whittle at Buddy Guy’s Legends, free, 4:00 door

x 6:00-7:15, 8:15-9:30 Shawn Jones at Andy’s, $20, RSVP required

x 6:00 Billy Currington, Kip Moore, Kenny Whitmire at Salt Shed Outdoors Fairgrounds, $72-109+, 4:30 door, country

6:30 And Then Some at Reggies on the Beach at 63rd, free, 5:00 door, r&b

6:30 LuLuYam, zombAe at Beat Kitchen, sold out, waitlist, all ages, 5:30 door

6:30-9:00 La Cantera directed by Adrian Ruiz, Afro-Caribbean Jazz performance ensemble for young adults 19-24 at California Clipper, $5, presented by SRBCC aka Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center

6:30-9:30 The Chris White Quartet, ++ at Le Piano, $20, 6:00 door

x 6:30 Joe Pug, DJ Lawrence Peters at Robert’s Westside Forest Park, $40-68, under 21 with guardian, 6:30 door, Food Aid Festival benefits A House In Austin, Austin Eats Initiative, Best Of Proviso Township, Beyond Hunger, The Community Fridge Project, Westchester Food Pantry

7:00 cc2crazy, The Chris Mondak Band at Subterranean Downstairs, $22, 17+, 6:00 door

x 7:00-4:00a Duke Tumatoe and The Power Trio, Sheryl Youngblood Blues Band, Studebaker John acoustic at Kingston Mines, $20-23

7:00 Willis, The Braymores, The Flooks at House of Blues, $15-34, 17+, 7:00 door, alternative

7:00-10:00 Petra van Nuis/Larry Harris/Doug Hayes trio at Grill on 21 in the Loop, RSVP

7:00 Usher Raymond & Chris Brown at Soldier Field, $184+++

7:00 Ari Cervantes and Duo “Nimbe” at Jacob Park, Ravenswood Gardens, John O’Connell Summer Concert Series

7:00-9:30 small fry, Dead End Days, Nova Squad at Cafe Mustache

7:00-11:59 Solo Nights at Gallery Cabaret, RSVP

x 7:00-10:00 Andy Brown Trio at Gale Street Inn, RSVP, jazz

7:00 Frank Quinn, ++? at Mrs Murphys

7:00 Custodians, Moon Rules Apply, Bugoff, Reely B/G Moose at Ramova Loft, $15-29+, 6:30 door

7:00 In Time Out at The Dock at Montrose Beach

7:00-10:00 Windy City Jammers at Borelli’s Pizzeria, 20s-40s

7:00 Gerry Hundt at Briny Swine, tip the artist, blues

7:00-10:00 SR aka Sam Robinson Quintet with Steve Knight at Clara

x 7:00 The Handcuffs at FitzGerald’s Patio, free RSVP, all ages, 5:00 door

7:00 Whiskey Misfits at Friendly Music Community, tip the band, all ages

x 7:00-9:00 Ernie Hendrickson on Sainte Genevieve Riverboat Ottawa, $37, seniors & vets $33, children 3-12 $27, infants free, sunset cruise

x 7:00 Abigayle Oakley & Remi Goode at Molly’s House Concerts Lincolnwood, $25+ RSVP donation, 6:00 door and pot luck

7:00-9:00 The Foxgloves, Bad Mama at Northfield Depot Northfield, free, $15 suggested donation, benefits Save The Northfield Depot

7:30 Staff Infexion, The Fomites, Tavern Cats, Horse & Sparrow at Montrose Saloon, $15 door

x 7:30, 9:30 Bosman Twins Quintet “Elegance in Motion: Tribute to Duke Ellington and Count Basie” with Dwayne Bosman, Dwight Bosman, Kevin Fort, Marlene Rosenberg, Charles Heath at Winters Jazz Club, $30-40, one drink minimum $10 per set

x 7:30 Kacey Musgraves, Midland at United Center, $51-215+, country

7:30-9:30 Manasseh Birthday Show with Hasani Cannon, AbolishVictory at Epiphany Center Sanctuary, $25-37, 5:00 venue door, 6:30 Sanctuary door

7:30 esperanza spalding at City Winery, sold out, waiting list, 2 item per person encouraged, 6:00 door

7:30 Just The Tim at Reclaimed Patio, $5 RSVP, americana, folk, blues

7:30 Kill Lincoln, Jer, Bad Operation, The Best of The Worst at Cobra Lounge, $40-53+, sold out, waiting list, all ages, 6:30 door

7:30 Chicago Loud 9, B.O.L.Y Blaise at Lemon Chicago, $15-18, 8:30 door

x 7:30 Alabama Shakes, Liam Kazar at Ravinia Hunter Pavilion Highland Park, $78-159, 4:30 donor gates, 5:00 public gates

x 8:00 Phil Angotti & Friends, Venus Darling at Martyrs, $15, 7:00 door

8:00-10:00 Pablo Alto with Sergio Luna, Pulsar Li, Ben Campbell, Ben Greenwood, opening set by Jontan at Tack Room Pilsen, indie rock

x 8:00 Deep Sea Diver solo, Hand Habits at OTSFM Maurer Hall, $28-36

x 8:00 Michael Daves & Jacob Joliff, Frank Solivan and Jack Dunlap at OTSFM Szold Hall, $25-30

x 8:00 Eagles of Death Metal, Mountain Head at Metro, $35-43+, 18+, 7:00 door

x 8:00 Will Sheff at Lincoln Hall, $30-47, 18+, 7:00 door

8:00 Trouble Ahead tribute to The Grateful Dead at Garcia’s, $20-24, 7:00 door, rock

x 8:00-12:00m Clark Sommers Sextet with Chris Madsen, Adam Larson, Matt Gold, Neil Hemphill, Elio Wijaya at Green Mill, $20

8:00, 10:00 Tim Warfield Quartet with Richard Johnson, Runere Brooks, Dana Hall at Jazz Showcase, $35-50

x 8:00 Omar Coleman, Zach Avery at Buddy Guy’s Legends, $27, 21+ after 8:00

8:00 BTS Express with Shirley Johnson at Blue Chicago

8:00 Richie Pardo Quartet with Bugs Cochran at The Tonk, tip the band, all ages

8:00? Time Lords at O’s Tap

8:00 Fecto Glen album release for “There Will Come A Day”, Super Brick at Cubby Bear, $12-15, 7:30 door

8:00 beyond Ecstasy Live 3, ell!psis, ++ at Bookclub, $13-15+, 7:00 door, Arum presents

8:00? Aly G at Mary Jo McGuire’s

8:00-10:00 Downtown Charlie Brown at Epiphany Center Hall, free RSVP-$22, Free Blues Fridays

8:00 Iron Years, Bad Bloom, to you deary, Xonni at The Burlington, $14

8:00 Throne, Nequient, Heroine Sentinel, Voimaton at LiveWire Lounge, $15

8:00 George Murphy at Fifth Province Pub Irish American Heritage Center, $30, Irish folk

8:00-12:00m Broken Thorn, Hung Jury, The Lawn Darts, Mopery at Joe’s on Weed St, $15-20+, 7:00 door, Chicago New Horizons presents

8:00 Josh Tatofi, Kaipo at Bottom Lounge, $35-45 GA remain, 17+, 7:00 door

8:00-10:30 Mauro Frosio at Artango Bar & Steakhouse, RSVP, piano jazz

8:00 Sarah Marie Young at Untitled, $5 RSVP with “special request” seating

8:00-10:00 Leonum at Uncommon Ground, sold out, all ages, 7:30 door

x 8:00 Superchunk, Joe Glass at SPACE Evanston, $30-41 SRO, all ages, 7:00 door

x 8:00 Real Pretenders at Countryside Saloon Des Plaines, free, tip the band

x 8:00 Mr. Blotto at Hideaway Brew Garden Hoffman Estates, free, all ages, dog friendly

x 8:00-11:00 G Love & Special Sauce at Hollywood Casino Joliet, $40+

8:00 The Five Horseman aka Jeff Massey, Billy Ozzello, Greg Ashby, Chris Grove, Joe Winters at Austin Community Tavern, RSVP

8:30 Scout Gillett, Jackie West, Ava Brennan at Hideout, $15-20, 8:00 door

8:30 The Murder Junkies, Busby Death Chair, Fighting for Scraps, Acton’s Dictum at Reggies Music Joint, $15-21, 7:30 door

8:30 Bluhm, Cool Heat, Ghost Days at Schubas, $15-27+, 18+, 8:00 door

8:30 supersonic tribute to oasis at Chop Shop, $20-33, 17+, 8:00 door

x 8:30-11:30 The Henry Carpender Quartet at Cary’s Lounge, tip hard

8:00 Arman Sangalang Quartet with Dave Miller, Ethan Philion, Devin Drobka at Constellation, $15-21, livestream $5-10, 8:00 door

8:30-2:00a Molly at The Zebra Lounge

x 8:30 Lost Bayou Ramblers at FitzGerald’s Nightclub, $25-38, 7:30 door

9:00 House Calls ‘In the Round’, Felix Da Housecat, Smoko Ono B2B Syko, Adorio at Thalia Hall, $15-30 GA

9:00 Public Option, TED.FM, feral, hameedullah, Alex Julian Leeds at Schubas Upstairs, free, Meet Me Upstairs presents

x 9:00 The Joel Paterson Swing Quartet with Natalie Scharf, Dan Anderson, Alex Hall at Hungry Brain, $15-21, 6:00 door

9:00 “Let It Happen” Tame Impala Dance Party at Subterranean Upstairs, $22

9:00 Funky Mojo Daddy at House of Blues Restaurant & Bar, $10 after 9:00

9:00 The Bisceglia Brothers at Phyllis’ Musical Inn

9:00 I Love R&B Party at Avondale Music Hall, $27-48, 8:00 door, r&b

9:00 Hannah Dasher at Carol’s Pub, $15-18

9:00 Destructo Disk, better living, No Good With Secrets, Broken Left Foot at Cole’s Bar, $16, 8:30 door

x 9:00-1:30a Meg & The Wheelers at Broken Hearts Bar, tip the artists, country western

9:00, 11:00 Alejandro Salazar at Dorians, $10 after 8:00, 6:00 door

9:00-12:00m Island of The Misfit Toys at Fuller’s Pub, 70s-90s

9:00-1:00a Baby J & The Golden Street Reggae Band at The Wild Hare Club Level Fulton Market, $12-20, reggaeton, r&b, hip hop, Midnight Society presents

x 9:00-2:00a DJ Day Mary spins Joe Strummer’s Birthday at Delilah’s

9:00-12:00m Druuna debut vinyl release for “Druuna”, Become Death, Doomzday Slutz at Sleeping Village, $16-20, 8:00 door, Morbüüa Graviis presents

9:00 Factory with callhimalover, Dom Finker, schoolman, StaticAppeal, Malueg at Gman Tavern, sold out, waitlist, tickets available at door?

9:00-1:30a TGIF aka Thank Gene It’s Friday with Gene Hunt, Sean Alvarez at California Clipper, $5, Chicago classics & legends, techno, house, disco, club, ++

9:00-12:00m Afrobeats & House at Monday Blues Lounge, free

9:00 Reserver record release for “Reserver”, Shredded Sun record release for “Never Odd or Even” at Reed’s Local, $10

x 9:00 The Meadowlark Lemons at FitzGerald’s Sidebar, free RSVP, 7:30 door

9:30, 11:00 Meaza Joy at Rosa’s Lounge, $15-25, 8:00 door

9:30 Coyote Man album release for “Prosthetic Memories”, Machin, Versus The Giant at Liar’s Club, $10-15, 7:00 door

9:30 Buen Viaje with DJs Dain and Andrés at The Whistler, 6:00 door, classic house, shuffle based rhythms, early 2000s tech house, deep hypnotic textures

9:45-12:00m The Anais Chance Quintet with Nate Andalman, Soren Dorr, B. Slone, Jupiter Beck at Le Piano, $15

10:00 Maldita Sea, Crashout, The Tracie’s, Machín at Empty Bottle, $15-20, 9:00 door

10:00 Diamond Formation with Paurro, Ariel Zetina, Cryberbully at smartbar, $25-31

10:00 Nexus 6 with DJs Flesh Bot, Licious, Sprite at Subterranean, tix at door, industrial, techno, ebm

x 10:00-1:00a Lawrence Peters DJ Set at Salt Shed Three Top Lounge, free RSVP, classic country

10:00 Riley Brothers Band at Bub City Chicago, RSVP

10:00 Blacklight Blackout with Enzo, Jenny Fox, Mr bobby & Eddie Riot, Bootleg Contraband, Bruno, Snackman at Bourbon on Division, free-$18

10:00 Manasseh Afterparty with Unapologetic, DJ Otez G at Lemon Chicago, $5-10+, 10:00 door

10:00-2:00a DJ Boathouse at aliveOne

10:00 The Reckoning at Mom’s Place

10:30 “Better Off Alone” a 90s/2000s Dance Rave at Beat Kitchen, $22, 7:00 door

x 10:30-11:45 Marty “Big Dog” Mercer at Andy’s, $20, RSVP required, Late Night Concert Series

10:30-12:30a Erez Dessel Trio at Clara, jazz

10:30 Angèle Anise at Untitled, $5 RSVP with “special request” seating

x 1:00a-3:00a Green Mill Jazz Jam with Marquis Hill at Green Mill, $5

Jerome’s highlights for Today’s Friday 8/21/26 Shows