Summer is the season of music
Yes, it wasn't that long ago that we all woke up to the sight of snow. But summer is coming — honest! — and that means tons of live music.
The fun actually gets started in late spring. Bands big and small will take to stages all over the city and suburbs during the next four or five months. Some of the shows will be intimate club affairs. Others will be huge outdoor extravaganzas. What they'll have in common, of course, are great tunes.
In a region like the Chicago area, it would be impossible to list every cool show coming down the pike. But here are some highlights, enough to get you thinking about how to spend your concert dollars.
Remember that tickets go quickly for lots of summer shows, so it's best to plan ahead. With that, let the music begin!
Pop princess
Is there another pop artist out there whose music says “summer” as much as Katy Perry's? It's doubtful. Her breezy, shiny, catchy confections are made to be blasted through open car windows on a sunny day. Perry will perform July 8 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Tickets, which range from $36.30 to $56.90, are available through Ticketmaster, at ticketmaster.com.
Other Allstate draws in the next few weeks: Sugarland (May 6), Bob Seger (May 14) and Usher (May 20).
Rock heavyweights
Ready to feel old? U2's debut album came out in 1980 — 31 years ago. The Irish quartet is still at it, though, releasing albums at a steady clip and routinely selling out stadiums all over the world. Seeing Bono and the boys play live is something every rock fan should experience at least once. Even when playing the most cavernous venues, the band can make the audience feel like they're in a small club. U2 brings its 360° Tour to Soldier Field on July 5. (This is a rescheduled date after Bono injured himself on tour last year. Original tickets will be honored.) Tickets range from $30 to $293.86, and they're available through ticketmaster.com.
Pair of festivals
Lucky for music fans, Chicago is home to two of the most popular rock festivals in the country.
The first is the Pitchfork Music Festival July 15-17 at Chicago's Union Park. Pitchfork tends to feature a mix of indie-rock stalwarts and bands on the rise. This year's lineup includes Animal Collective, Neko Case, the Fleet Foxes, Superchunk and the return of the great Guided By Voices.
Weekend passes are already sold out, but as of this writing single-day passes are still available for $45. Go to pitchforkmusicfestival.com.
The other festival is none other than the mighty Lollapalooza, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The festival will take place Aug. 5-7 at Chicago's Grant Park.
Among the headliners, some announced just this week, are the Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse and resurgent hip-hop star Eminem, whose latest record, “Recovery,” was the best-selling album of 2010 and garnered a slew of Grammy nominations.
Three-day passes are on sale now for $215. Single-day tickets costing $90 will go on sale this summer. Visit lollapalooza.com.
Lots of ‘Glee'
Who knew that when Mount Prospect native Ian Brennan and veteran television producer Ryan Murphy dreamed up the idea for the show “Glee” that it would become a national phenomenon? Fans of the show, the premise of which is based in part on Brennan's experiences at Prospect High School, will have a chance this summer to see cast members sing live in the suburbs. Lea Michele (who plays Rachel on the show), Cory Monteith (Finn), Chris Colfer (Kurt) and Amber Riley (Mercedes) are among the cast members set to perform. The shows take place June 3-4 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Tickets range from $61.50 to $102.70 and are available through ticketmaster.com.
Home of the blues
Chicago is still known throughout the world for its blues music, and the annual Blues Fest at Grant Park offers a treasure-trove of the best bluesmen and blueswomen around. The event runs June 10-12 at Grant Park, and admission is free, making this a superb summer music value. For a full list of performers and times, go to chicagobluesfestival.us.
Closer to home, blues stars Robert Cray and Buddy Guy will be among the acts performing at Blues on the Fox in downtown Aurora. This two-day event will be held June 17-18 at North River Street Park. Admission is $5 per day. Go to downtownaliveaurora.com for information.
Monkee business
It would be tough to find a more consistently great set of pop songs than those found on the first four albums released by the Monkees more than 40 years ago. This made-for-TV band confounded critics when it became a legitimate musical force back then, and the group's songs hold up well to this day.
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the group, Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz and Davey Jones — Michael Nesmith is the only Monkee not on board — are on a tour that will make a stop at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on June 29. Tickets are $65-$103 and are available through ticketmaster.com.
Heading north
Normally there's not much need to leave the Chicago area for good music. But one show coming up in Milwaukee shouldn't be missed. Gifted but ill-tempered rapper Kanye West will perform with acclaimed up-and-coming hip-hop artist Kid Cudi on June 30 at the Marcus Amphitheater, part of Milwaukee's annual Summerfest music festival. West is performing behind his 2010 record, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” which ended up on top of many critics' best-of-the-year lists. Tickets range from $43.35 to $92.50, which includes the Summerfest admission fee. Go to ticketmaster.com.
Father and son
Musician, actor, activist and writer Steve Earle will make a stop in Chicago this summer behind his latest record, “I'll Never Get Out of Here Alive.” The album, a rootsy, compelling exploration of mortality, is his first collection of original songs since 2007's Grammy-winning “Washington Square Serenade.” He will perform on July 19 at the Vic Theater in Chicago. Tickets are $32 to $35. Go to jamusa.com.
Also stopping in town is Earle's son, Justin Townes Earle, who continues to earn acclaim for his alt-country records, the latest of which was the stellar “Harlem River Blues.” The younger Earle will perform on May 30 in Chicago's beautiful Millennium Park, part of the New Music Mondays series. The show is free.
Metal lives!
For better or worse, the '80s never died. Case in point: Hair-metal favorites Quiet Riot and Def Leppard will swing into town in the coming months.
Quiet Riot, who scored a mammoth hit back in the day with “Cum On Feel the Noize,” will perform on May 20 at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles. Tickets are $29 to $59. Go to oshows.com.
The members of Def Leppard, meanwhile, will shake their still-impressive manes as they rock through such hits as “Pour Some Sugar On Me” during a show on July 15 at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. Tickets for that show are $45 to $149.50. Go to livenation.com.
Great setting
Ravinia in Highland Park is one of the area's best summer music venues. This year's lineup features a typically eclectic mix of musical styles and eras. One show that couldn't get more summery, though, is the June 17 double-bill featuring '80s pop heroes the Go-Gos and infectious new-wave band the B-52s. Both groups specialize in songs that will make perfect use of the open-air setting at Ravinia. Tickets for that show are $22 (lawn) and $60 (reserved). Go to ravinia.org for information about that show and the rest of its summer 2011 offerings.