Chicago live music

Rock Shows in Chicago

Live rock events across Chicago-area venues on RUE. Listings come from venue calendars — open a show for tickets and details.

Upcoming events

FitzGerald's·Berwyn

CHARLIE PARR: Rooming House Record Release Show at FITZGERALDS

FITZGERALDS NIGHTCLUB PRESENTS:CHARLIE PARR Rooming House Record Release Show at FITZGERALDS!Rolling Stone has called Charlie Parrs music a gritty blend of Delta blues and Depression-era roots music soaked in his hardscrabble voice. Its a sacred realm of folk wisdom and sorrowful vulnerability. NPR said he offers expertly-picked resonator guitar and lyrics that puncture the soul. Parr tours prolifically, and has performed at tastemaker events like the Newport Folk Fest and Pickathon.The Duluth-based guitarist, songwriter, and interpreter of traditional music has released twenty albums over two-and-a-half decades and has been known to perform up to 275 shows a year. Parr is a folk troubadour in the truest sense: taking to the road between shows, writing and rewriting songs as he plays, fueled by a belief that music is eternal and cannot be claimed or adequately explained. The sounds from his working-class upbringingincluding Folkways legends such as Lead Belly and Woody Guthrieimbue Parrs music with stylistic echoes of blues and folk icons of decades past. Parr sees himself merely as a continuer of a folk tradition.Parrs mastery of his craft is only more apparent when contextualized within the history of folk tradition to which Parr has dedicated his practice. The land and lives around and intersecting with Parr have always influenced him, from the hills and valleys of Hollandale, Minnesota to the Depression-era stories from his father.Parrs first album with Smithsonian Folkways, Last of the Better Days Ahead (2021), foregrounded his lyrical craftsmanship and sophisticated bluesman confidence, with spare production highlighting Parrs mastery of guitar and elevating his blues poetry. In his 2024 release, Little Sun, Parr weaved together stories celebrating music, community, and communing with nature. In doing so, he put forth an ambitious and raw album that exemplifies the best of Parrs sound: his blend of the blues and folk traditions with the steadfast originality of a poet. Now, he continues that tradition with 2026s poignant and timely Rooming House, which joins the chorus of WPA-era socially-conscious folk operas and outlaw country concept albums of the 1970s to poignantly allegorize his experiences and the experiences of the people around him.Grab dinner before the show at BABYGOLD BARBECUEOr enjoy full service dining inside the club when doors open. ***PARKING***There is rather limited street parking in the area, we recommend arriving by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw. ***AGE RESTRICTIONS***21+, minors admitted with guardian

Folk / RootsJazz / BluesRock
Nov 6
8:30 PM
Martyrs'·North Center

Start Making Sense - A Tribute to Talking Heads

If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius. The musicians in this 7-piece Talking Heads Tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads entire career. Together they bring much of the Heads unique live show to the stage, with front man Jon Braun as a spot-on David Byrne, giving you a 'once in a lifetime' experience. Prepare yourself for a rockin', funkin', danceable celebration of the new-wave art punk you loved from the 80's !!!

Rock
Nov 6
8:30 PM
Outset·West Loop

The Wldlfe

This is an ALL AGES event. Outset is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. There is NO re-entry.

RockPop
Nov 7
7:00 PM
Price TBADetails →
Bottom Lounge·West Loop

Post Sex Nachos, Scarlet Demore, Hana Eid

ARTIST GA PRESALE: Tuesday, May 12 @ 12pm SPOTIFY GA PRESALE: Tuesday, May 12 @ 12pm KICKSTAND GA PRESALE: Wednesday, May 13 @ 10am GENERAL ON SALE: Friday, May 15 @ 10am -One (1) General Admission ticket -Soundcheck party access with group photo opportunity -One (1) Exclusive Signed Poster -One (1) Exclusive Merch Item -One (1) commemorative VIP laminate, signed by Post Sex Nachos -First entry into the venue (where applicable) -First access merch shopping (where applicable) 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.

RockPop
Nov 7
7:00 PM
Metro·Wrigleyville

Die Spitz

Saturday, November 7 Die Spitz * Faetooth $31 / All Ages / Doors: 6:30pm / Show: 7:30pm When the Venn diagram of passion, friendship, identity, and artistry collide, it can feel as if fighting words are spitting from your veins. And as postmodern society crumbles, Die Spitz giddily bounce between a dozen different ways to push back. If the world of rock music were an ice cream shop, the Austin quartet have sampled each flavor, flipped the freezer over, and started dancing with the employees they helped unionize. On their debut album, Something to Consume , Ava Schrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin, Eleanor Livingston, and Kate Halter fight against the inescapable consumption that surrounds life. “There’s a political side to it, but addiction and love can also be all-consuming,” Livingston says. And as the foursome trade off instruments, swapping songwriting and vocal duties, and generating powerful songwriting in concussive bursts, Die Spitz have created their own little pocket of the world where we can all stand on the edge together.

Rock
Nov 7
7:30 PM
Salt Shed·Bucktown

Orville Peck - Man Turned Mule Tour

With Mule on the horizon, Orville Peck turns his gaze inward, reckoning not only with his deeply personal past, but with the divide between the larger-than-life persona of Orville Peck and the man behind the mask. Saddle up for a ride into resilience, redemption, and self-discovery. Live Nation and Orville Peck will donate $1 from every ticket sold on the North American Man Turned Mule Tour to The Trevor Project, supporting its mission to provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ young people. For more information, visit www.thetrevorproject.org. No portion of the ticket purchase is tax-deductible.

Folk / RootsRock
Nov 7
8:00 PM
Price TBADetails →

tennessee whiskey, the ultimate eric church experience & bell bottom revival

Tennessee Whiskey is the most authentic tribute to the music of Chris Stapleton. Led by frontman Rich Sawyer, the show sounds and looks like a genuine Stapleton concert. Come prepared to sing your heart out to the soulful rock melodies of "Starting Over", "White Horse" and of course the namesake worldwide hit "Tennessee Whiskey". Put a drink in your hand and listen to The Ultimate Eric Church Experience. This authentic tribute is a high-energy band performing the rock and country hits of "The Chief". With a frontman who looks and sounds like Eric Church himself, the band has become recognized as the #1 act in the nation paying tribute to the country icon. Bell Bottom Revival celebrates the music of ACM Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson. Led by the incredible vocalist Alexandra Lee, the band performs hits like "Heart Like a Truck" and "4x4xU".

Folk / Roots
Nov 7
8:00 PM
Martyrs'·North Center

Start Making Sense - A Tribute to Talking Heads - 2 Sets!

If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius. The musicians in this 7-piece Talking Heads Tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads entire career. Together they bring much of the Heads unique live show to the stage, with front man Jon Braun as a spot-on David Byrne, giving you a "once in a lifetime" experience. Prepare yourself for a rockin', funkin', danceable celebration of the new-wave art punk you loved from the 80's !!!

Rock
Nov 7
8:30 PM
Martyrs'·North Center

Start Making Sense - A Tribute to Talking Heads

If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius. The musicians in this 7-piece Talking Heads Tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads entire career. Together they bring much of the Heads unique live show to the stage, with front man Jon Braun as a spot-on David Byrne, giving you a 'once in a lifetime' experience. Prepare yourself for a rockin', funkin', danceable celebration of the new-wave art punk you loved from the 80's !!!

Rock
Nov 7
8:30 PM
Outset·West Loop

Suzy Sheer

This is an ALL AGES event. Outset is a standing room only venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. There is NO re-entry.

ElectronicWorld
Nov 8
6:30 PM
Price TBADetails →

Better Than Ezra - Legends of the Fall: Closer To The Edge

Doors open at 7PM. Performance begins at 8PM. This show is for AGES 17 AND OLDER. Valid Photo ID is required for age restricted shows. Forms of valid ID are current and non-expired Driver's License, State ID, or Passport. 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

Rock
Nov 8
7:00 PM
Price TBADetails →
Bottom Lounge·West Loop

Sueco, with Jeris Johnson

Artist Presale: Thursday, July 16 at 10AM - Thursday, July 16 at 11:59PM General On Sale: Friday, July 17 at 10AM VIP Tier 1 Includes: A GA ticket to the show Meet & Greet with Sueco Individual Photo with Sueco Sueco will sign one personal item and one photo VIP Lanyard Tour Poster Exclusive Merch Item VIP Tier 2 Includes A GA ticket to the show Meet & Greet with Sueco Individual Photo with Sueco Sueco will sign one personal item and one photo VIP Lanyard Tour Poster Exclusive Merch Item One Tour Shirt One Hoodie Approx. 15min hang with Sueco after the show

RockHip HopPop
Nov 8
7:00 PM
Thalia Hall·Pilsen

Death From Above 1979 - Private Lives Tour with Wine Lips

Born from the womb of Y2K techno paranoia, dance-punk mega duo DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 have been a cathartic through-line since 2001. Every now and then they come to fly their jumbo jet sound into the skyscrapers that the zeitgeist has erected. Youre a Woman, Im a Machine (2004), The Physical World(2014), Outrage! Is Now (2017) and Is 4 Lovers (2021), now in 2026 they once again blast off celebrating their 25th anniversary with a fifth LP, Private Lives, slated for a fall release. Theyve survived CDs, MP3s, pirating, streaming and AI slop undeterred and have delivered nothing but musky power-cock riffs, psycho tenor wails and frenetic juvenile delinquent rhythms. Will you join them on tour? Will you submit yourselves to the all-natural sound? Honk once for YES, honk twice for HELL YES.

FreeRock
Nov 8
7:30 PM
SPACE·Evanston

Adam Ezra Group w. Sirsy

We dont see many artists building the kind of momentum Adam Ezra Group is generating right now.What has grown over more than two decades of relentless grassroots touring has become something far bigger than a typical touring band: a fiercely independent, fan-powered community that continues to expand one show at a time. Rooms across the country are selling out when Adam Ezra Group comes to town, with longtime fans regularly traveling across state lines to catch multiple shows, drawn by the bands deep sense of community and the promise that no two nights are ever the same.The band never performs from a fixed setlist, instead shaping each night around the energy in the room. Songs, stories, and moments unfold in real timepart concert, part revival, and part reminder of what live music can still be at its best.Blending folk/Americana soul, rock n roll energy, and deeply human songwriting, Adam Ezra Group has built one of the most authentic underground followings in live music today while quickly becoming recognized on a national level. As SPIN recently put it, they are an independent underground folk band blowing up without selling out, a rise that has happened entirely outside the traditional industry system, powered by word of mouth, community activism, and a genuine connection between band and audience that often turns first-time listeners into lifelong fans.Catch them now while theyre still playing the kinds of rooms where you can give Adam a hug on your way out.

Folk / RootsRock
Nov 8
8:00 PM
Constellation·North Center

Frequency: Bridge Percussion ft Sachi Keiko w/ Ava Brennan

You can watch the livestream HERE. If you watch the livestream, please support the artists by purchasing a livestream ticket. Bridge Percussion featuring Sachi Keiko. Ava Brennan. Following a debut collaboration concert at Constellation Chicago and the recording of a two-song single for NPR's Tiny Desk Competition, Bridge Percussion and Sachi Keiko will come together once again to perform a full set of Keiko's original songs. Originally written for and performed with a traditional four-piece band, Keiko's music has been reimagined and rearranged to highlight the infinite expressive and creative capabilities of percussion. The members of Bridge Percussion and Sachi Keiko first crossed paths as students of Northwestern University's classical percussion program, but have since come together to create music that goes beyond their classical roots. With this performance, they aim to showcase their shared passion for music in a way that blends influences from traditional chamber playing and orchestral percussion with elements of indie songwriting. By blending percussion and voice, they've crafted a performance that is unique, approachable, and demonstrates the versatility and limitless possibilities of the modern-day percussion ensemble.

RockFolk / RootsElectronic
Nov 8
8:30 PM
SPACE·Evanston

Bill Callahan (solo)

My Days of 58 is the eighth Bill Callahan album, his first since 2022. The twelve tunes here open uncanny depths of expression as Bill continues to blaze one of the most original songwriting-and-performance trails out there. With My Days of 58, he applies the living, breathing energies of his live shows to the studio process, sharpening his slice-of-life portraiture to cut deeper than ever before. The core musicians featured on My Days of 58 is the group that toured for 2022s REALITY: guitarist Matt Kinsey, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi and drummer Jim White, whose synergy was evident in 2024s live Resuscitate!. This showed Bill, as he puts it, that they could handle anything I threw at them, adding: Improv/unpredictability/the unknown is the thing that keeps me motivated to keep making music. Its all about listening to yourself and others. A lot of the best parts of a recording are the mistakesmaking them into strengths, using them as springboards into something human.

FreeFolk / RootsRock
Nov 9
7:30 PM

Michelle Branch: Everywhere And Back Again Tour

Doors open at 7PM. Performance begins at 8PM. This show is for AGES 17 AND OLDER. Valid Photo ID is required for age restricted shows. Forms of valid ID are current and non-expired Driver's License, State ID, or Passport. 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

RockPop
Nov 10
7:00 PM
Price TBADetails →
Garcia's Chicago·West Loop

Cut Copy

Event features a General Admission Dance Pit in front of the stage! 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.

ElectronicWorldRock
Nov 10
8:00 PM
Price TBADetails →
SPACE·Evanston

Great Lake Swimmers

Capturing light is not easy: ask any outdoor photographer. In order to capture the perfect shot, one has to be ready for fragmentary shifts in illumination. In that spirit, Caught Light is Great Lake Swimmers ninth album, and perhaps their most nimble: be prepared, dont overthink, act fast.Founder Tony Dekker has always been akin to a wildlife photographer, often choosing to make records in unique surroundings with a connection to Ontario history. This time, he holed up in the Ganaraska Forest, between Peterborough and Port Hope, with producer Darcy Yates (Bahamas) and engineer Jimmy Bowskill (Blue Rodeo). Their goal was to tap the warmth of early 70s folk/pop/rock, whether it be the cozy sonic sweater of Gordon Lightfoots classic work, or the gentleness of underrated American songwriter Dory Previn. Dekker made everyone listen to John Martyns 1971 album Bless the Weather before the session.For the first time, Dekker ceded control to a producer, albeit one who had once been the bassist in Great Lake Swimmers (2007-08). Yates chose the studio and the backing band, which included veteran drummer Gary Craig (Bruce Cockburn, Jann Arden), who Dekker calls the Jim Keltner of Canada. Tracking was completed in three days, Nashville-style, with only two days of overdubs, including Colleen Browns backing vocals. Compare that with 2023s Uncertain Country, which took three pandemic-stricken years to make.Caught Light was captured in the shortest amount of time Dekker had ever spent making a record, and its likely to be the one with perhaps the longest impact. Thats because Caught Light is not just the most fully realized Great Lake Swimmers album in years, but it also leads off with two of Dekkers strongest singles.One More Dance Around the Sun is an open-window, summer-driving song to accompany a golden-hour trip through the backroads of your childhood hometown. Dekker himself moved back to the Niagara area during the pandemic, with his partner and two young children. I spent the first half of my life trying to get out of the small town where I was born and raised, and Im spending the second half getting back there, says the songwriter who lived in Toronto his entire adult life until now. Its an ode to the familiarity and the joy in that and the repetition of seeing the same faces and places, knowing all of that very well. Its also important to feel grounded in community, to feel the power of that in a specific place, keeping ones moral compass fixed in the right direction.

FreeRockFolk / Roots
Nov 11
7:30 PM
Thalia Hall·Pilsen

Hovvdy with Christian Lee Hutson

Please Note: There is a delivery delay on all orders until approximately three days prior to the show.VIP ticket includes:- GA Standing Ticket- 30 min duo acoustic soundcheck experience + Q&A- limited edition signed poster- Early entry to show- Early access to merchHovvdys Will Taylor and Charlie Martin have occupied a distinct corner of the modern-day indie landscape for more than a decade. Having evolved from their understated slowcore beginnings in Austin, Texas, theyre now seasoned veterans of the scene. Across their first five studio albums, the duo established their trademark sound of twangy indie rock, 2000s-inspired pop-country, and emotional acoustic ballads with strong pop sensibilities. Their last two records saw them processing lifes most intense emotions more openly than ever before, from declarations of love in its many forms on 2021s True Love, to grappling with loss and personal change on their latest self-titled album, Hovvdy. But the songs of Big World have them trading in overt emotional directness for subject matter that leans enigmatic, contemplating their place in the world through a mosaic of songs that sees the band at their most secure and self-aware.

RockFolk / RootsElectronic
Nov 11
8:00 PM
Garcia's Chicago·West Loop

Donna the Buffalo

Event features a General Admission Dance Pit in front of the stage! 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.

Folk / RootsRockPop
Nov 11
8:00 PM
Price TBADetails →