Indie/Alternative Shows in Chicago

Doors: 9PM / Show: 10PM / 21+ Horse Jumper of Love thrive on patient and uncompromising songs. Thanks to frontman Dimitri Giannopoulos evocative lyrics and arrangements that suddenly turn from delicate to blistering, their music is full of intensity. While the Boston trio, which also includes bassist John Margaris and drummer James Doran, has stretched the fringes of indie, their latest is their most immediate yet. Out August 16 via Run For Cover Records, Disaster Trick tackles self-destructiveness with healing and heart.Where Horse Jumper of Loves last release 2023s Heartbreak Rules excelled with quiet, bare-bones songwriting, Disaster Trick cranks up the volume while keeping the no-frills intimacy of the bands catalog. Recorded at Asheville, North Carolinas Drop of Sun Studios with producer Alex Farrar (Wednesday, Indigo De Souza), the recordings soar with searing guitars and an unshakeable rhythm section. I tried the quiet thing on the last album and I realized theres definitely two parts of me: I like really heavy music, and I like really gentle music, says Giannopoulos. The two albums I listened to the most while we were in the studio were Leonard Cohens Songs From a Room and Hums Downward is Heavenward. This contrast between quiet and loud exists throughout Disaster Trick but its animated by stark emotion and straightforward, timeless songwriting.

Doors @ 6:30PM, Performance @ 7:30PM This is an ALL AGES. Aragon Ballroom is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. There is NO re-entry. https://www.aragonballroomchicago.com/

Elevate your concert experience with a Pre-Show VIP Meet & Greet Package! Concert Admission Included: Full entry to the main event. Exclusive Meet & Greet: Meet the artist face-to-face before the show. Photo Opportunity: Capture the memory with a personal photo. Autographed Exclusive Merch: Take home a signed, limited-edition VIP keepsake. Available only to VIP ticket holders. 1-Hour Early Venue Entry: Beat the crowds 60 minutes before general doors open. Premiere Viewing Access: Secure the absolute best spot in the house early. First Access to Merch: Shop the tour table early and avoid the crowds. In an effort to mitigate scalping, Bottom Lounge does not certify any secondary ticket sales via third parties and is not responsible for fraudulent ticket sales on third party websites. Please be mindful of scammers. Tickets for this event will be sent on a delay (extra time is required to process and confirm all orders), but you'll always receive your tickets in time for your event. If you have not received your tickets one day before your event, be sure to let TicketWeb know.

Jesse Welles unassumingly upholds and continues the tradition of traveling troubadours, relaying the news, putting pain into words, and healing with a little humor. Fearless, he reports from the frontlines of a divided country on the brink, addressing inequalities and injustices, cutting through all bullshit and driving directly to the source of the matter. His songs leave the same mark in front of a sold-out club as they do under the unbiased eye of a smartphone camera as he strums his guitar alone in the wilderness of Arkansas. Following tens of millions of streams and a groundswell of acclaim from Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and more, the singer, songwriter, and guitar player cuts deep on his 2025 full-length album Middle. "Breathe to write, write to breathe," he says. "Humans are meant to create, so I'm gonna create music and keep releasing it constantly."

Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM / 21+ Horse Jumper of Love thrive on patient and uncompromising songs. Thanks to frontman Dimitri Giannopoulos evocative lyrics and arrangements that suddenly turn from delicate to blistering, their music is full of intensity. While the Boston trio, which also includes bassist John Margaris and drummer James Doran, has stretched the fringes of indie, their latest is their most immediate yet. Out August 16 via Run For Cover Records, Disaster Trick tackles self-destructiveness with healing and heart.Where Horse Jumper of Loves last release 2023s Heartbreak Rules excelled with quiet, bare-bones songwriting, Disaster Trick cranks up the volume while keeping the no-frills intimacy of the bands catalog. Recorded at Asheville, North Carolinas Drop of Sun Studios with producer Alex Farrar (Wednesday, Indigo De Souza), the recordings soar with searing guitars and an unshakeable rhythm section. I tried the quiet thing on the last album and I realized theres definitely two parts of me: I like really heavy music, and I like really gentle music, says Giannopoulos. The two albums I listened to the most while we were in the studio were Leonard Cohens Songs From a Room and Hums Downward is Heavenward. This contrast between quiet and loud exists throughout Disaster Trick but its animated by stark emotion and straightforward, timeless songwriting.

Movements are proud to announce their fourth full-length album for Fearless Records, Happier Now, with Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, Circa Survive) once again serving as producer. The result is an album that's as expansive as it is emotional and takes Movements? signature sound to a heightened level that further establishes the band as scene statesmen. ?I think at first we weren?t really sure what the record was going to be,? vocalist Patrick Miranda admits. ?We all had a general idea: We wanted it to bring in the early elements of our sound and blend it with the newer material like [2023?s] RUCKUS! and mesh both of those sounds.? Two of the songs that came from that initial session were the album?s first two singles: The instantly infectious anthem ?Dissolve Me? and moody meditation ?Back In My Ways,? which collectively acted as sonic north stars to guide the band through the recording process.

21+ 8pm Doors This is a 21+ event. Presented by Personal Space Booking.

Independent local night out.

Originally from New York, now living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Shindell is a writer whose songs paint pictures, tell stories, juxtapose ideas and images, inhabit characters, vividly evoking entire worlds along the way and expanding our sense of just what it is a song may be. Meticulously recorded over three years in New York and Buenos Aires, his most recent release, Careless, offered an ambitious, luxurious, full- length statement. Shindell immersed himself in the studio, allowing the time and latitude to explore, experiment, take risksto playas each of these eleven songs was given form and substance. While his signature acoustic guitar style is used to good effect, Careless also found Shindell plugging in more. The wider sonic and dynamic range of the electric has been a real inspiration. Rejuvenating.

Petra's Recession Seven: Petra van Nuis - vocals Art Davis - trumpet Eric Schneider - reeds Russ Phillips - trombone Andy Brown - guitar Dan DeLorenzo - bass Bob Rummage - drums At the start of the Great Recession in September 2008, Petra's Recession Seven, an authentic Chicago-style jazz band was born at Chicago's legendary Green Mill. The seven piece ensemble is led by Petra van Nuis, a vocalist praised by the Chicago Tribune for her "interpretive savvy...light-and-silvery vocals and, better still, saucy manner of delivery that emphasizes the art of the double entendre." Petra's Recession Seven features a front line of all-star internationally known Chicago veteran horn players. Trombonist Russ Phillips grew up "in the wings" listening to his dad, Russ Phillips Sr. play trombone in Louis Armstrong's All-Stars. Russ Jr. decided to follow in his dad's footsteps, and in addition to Chicago performances is a popular fixture on mainstream jazz festivals and cruises. Reedist Eric Schneider began his early career as a member of the bands of Count Basie and Earl Fatha Hines. Since then, Eric has played with many legends including Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald and continues to be one of the busiest working musicians in Chicago. Trumpeter Art Davis is charter member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and a highly respected jazz educator. Early in his career, Art toured with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney and continues to be the top call trumpeter for musicians touring through Chicago. The swinging rhythm section of bassist Dan Delorenzo and drummer Bob Rummage is led by guitarist Andy Brown, recognized in Downbeat Magazine's annual critics poll as a "rising star." In their hometown of Chicago, Petra's Recession Seven is a big hit at the Jazz Showcase, the Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club, Winter's Jazz Club and Fitzgerald's. Festival performances include the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Cedar Basin Jazz Festival, the Juvae Jazz Festival and the American Music Festival. Regionally, the Recession Seven has played jazz societies including the Madison Jazz Society, the Starr-Gennett Foundation, the Illiana Jazz Club, the "Masters of Swing" series at Cincinnati's Xavier University, the Lafayette Jazz Club and the Indianapolis Jazz Club. The American Rag, in a review of the band's 2011 on location recording "Live In Chicago" praises "a killer of a band that grabs your attention and doesn't give it back until they are finished playing." www.petrasings.com

With special guest Ella Woolsey Tickets starting at $20 + fees

Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM / 21+The Tubs second album, Cotton Crown, sees the Celtic Jangle boyband venture into darker, more personal territory while continuing to hone their highly addictive brand of songcraft. Its a true level up album which sees the band expand their sonic palette to take in a kaleidoscopic range of influences: everything from soulful pub rock (Chain Reaction) to Husker Du aggression (One More Day) to melancholy sophisto-pop (Narcissist) gets a look in. As Pitchfork noted, The Tubs see jangle as a vast world of moods and muses and Cotton Crown sees them continuing to explore this world and creating a distinctly Tub-ular sound in the process.

All sales are final, no refunds/exchanges permitted, but tickets may be transferred through your TM Account. Garcia's is fully ADA compliant featuring wheelchair lifts and ramps between the various levels of the venue, assisted listening devices upon request, and allows official service animals. Premium Table seating is located closest to the stage offering the most intimate music experience for guests and includes table service. Reserved Table seating is located on our main floor, behind the Premium section, and also includes table service. Both Premium and Reserved table seating is cabaret style which means you may be sitting with other fans. Private Booths are available and depending on the booth seats 1 to 4, 5, or 6 guests. General Admission/Standing Room is located around the sides of the room on an elevated level for quality viewing and easy bar access.

Rita Bliss is an Austin-based folk musician who captures moments, memories, and conversations in song. A Rust Belt native, her melodies are rooted in the old-time banjo sounds of Appalachia and sung with a vaguely upstate-New York accent. From the open landscapes of Texas to the bitter winters of the Northeast, Rita has collected truth, fiction, and many musical influences along the way. The Sweet Maries are a contemporary, harmony forward, female fronted singer-songwriter acoustic indie-folk Americana group led by Amy Shoemaker and Susie Lofton. Our repertoire includes curated favorites from the 60's & 70's, highlighting artists like Dylan, Donovan, the Beatles as well as some gospel classics, a little jazz and of course our own original material that explores the American folk experience. Very acoustic, very much listening music, very heavenly altogether.

Thursday, October 22 WBEZ Presents… Whitney * Greg Mendez $35 Adv. / $40 Day of / All Ages / Doors: 6:30pm / Show: 7:30pm Whitney return to the road in 2026 with a North American tour celebrating their forthcoming fourth studio album Small Talk (out November 7, 2025). Formed in Chicago in 2015 by Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, the band has earned a devoted following for their soulful blend of tender melancholy and radiant warmth. Their debut Light Upon the Lake introduced Whitney with the beloved single “No Woman,” earning Pitchfork’s coveted Best New Music designation and praise for its “near flawless… low-key perfectionism.” Nearly a decade later, the band continues to evolve while preserving the intimacy and spirit that made them so cherished from the start. On this run, Whitney will share new songs from Small Talk alongside fan favorites, bringing their signature mix of laid-back charm and intricate musicianship to stages across the US and Canada, with stops in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Toronto, Montreal, and more. “If you’ve ever seen Whitney live, you already know what a treasure their performances are. The Chicago-based outfit, led by the effortlessly cool Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, has a gift for crafting songs that feel both timeless and deeply personal – sunny yet melancholic, tender yet bold.” – We Write About Music

Sylvan Esso began as a chance meeting, followed by a couple of risky cross-country relocations that coalesced into ten songs. It became very clear early on that these songs were the product of sheer alchemy; Amelia?s effortlessly acrobatic melodic reflections complimented Nick?s dynamic compositions in ways that were as unlikely as they were undeniable. When it started it was whisper quiet, a slight frame, something almost domestic but gleaming with excitement. Then it made contact with the air. Sylvan Esso has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting organizations working for equity, access, and dignity for all. www.plus1.org

21+ // 8pm

Since his 2019 debut, Emerson has made his contemporary mark on the tradition of American songwriting. His newest and fourth full-length album, Blue Stars, with longtime label La Honda Records, visits all of the influences and moods of his previous release.After his first album, Fried Chicken & Evil Women, Emerson built a reputation for live music, finding his grass roots audience night after night. The loyalty among his audience can be attributed to his songwriting, and the innate gift of experienced lyrics. His self-titled 2021 release, as well as The Golden Crystal Kingdom in 2023, further cemented that foundation, drawing praise from the producers he worked with on each of those records, Rodney Crowell, and Shooter Jennings, respectively.With his fourth album, Blue Stars, Vincent brings together the distinct sound from all three of his previous releases. Produced by Patrick Lyons and recorded at Gnome Studios in Nashville, TN, the record benefits from Lyons deeply intuitive approach, having been close friends with Vincent for many years. For Emerson, it was important to capture the sound from the road as closely as possible, enlisting his touring Red Horse Band to play on the album.Ive known Patrick for years and going into the studio with him felt like a big family kind of thing with my band.Blue Stars features 13 original songs and is a testament to his songwriting prowess. Having dabbled across country, folk, and Americana music with his first three records, Emerson brings all three of those genres together with his latest release. Lyrically, these songs are rooted in his upbringing in East Texas, life on the road, and his deep family ties to Louisiana - three landscapes that continue to shape his perspective and inform his writing.I was definitely thinking a lot about my childhood in Texas and the trips to Louisiana to visit my mothers family there. A lot of the music I love comes from those areas, and I think its important to have a sense of pride in where you come from.But sonically, Blue Stars reaches wider. It brings together the hard country sound of his early work, the stripped down intimacy of his self-titled record, and the bold rock n roll of The Golden Crystal Kingdom. The result is a record that offers something for every listener who has followed his journey - while also serving as a perfect entry point for those just discovering his music.

21+ // 8pm // lineup tba VIP meet & greet tix include a signed polaroid and t-shirt Turning heartbreak into bangers and gay clubs into church, the yellow haired pop boy Bentley Robles has captivated fans worldwide. With over 14 million career streams and...

Savanna Ruth celebrates the release of her new album, The Baseball Diaries, with a special hometown show in Chicago. Produced by Scott Lucas (Local H) and Blake Smith (Fig Dish), the record blends raw '90s-inspired indie rock with intimate, diaristic songwriting.

Doors open at 4PM. Performance begins at 5PM. This show is for ALL AGES. House of Blues Chicago is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. *All support acts are subject to change without notice.* Upgrade Your Experience: https://www.sevenrooms.com/events/hobchicago/hobwebsite

The midwest, particularly the part of the midwest Eric D. Johnson hails from, is a largely flat expanse. Zipping through it on the highway, you?ll see cities and towns rise up in the distance, but blink and you?ll miss other man-made rejoinders to horizontal living dotting the landscape, hill after hill, built from the refuse of the past: landfills. Some of these hills make for great sledding spots, parks, and trails. Others turn organic waste into compost. The Landfill, Fruit Bats? June 12, 2026 album from Merge Records, is something else entirely: a mountain dominating the landscape of Johnson?s heart.

Tickets starting at $25 + fees. DICE protects fans and artists from resellers. Tickets will be securely stored in the app.

Tickets starting at $25 + fees