There’s some interesting stuff going on this week, especially on Friday. With shows by Sunny Day Real Estate and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, I feel like the mid-90s are coming back to haunt me. And who would have ever dreamed of a day when Willie Nelson would open for Dave Matthews?
Monday, September 21
Andrew Bird, Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. 6 pm, free with magical tickets you had to win from WXRT or the Art Institute.
Mehter Ottoman Turkish Military Band, Pritzker Pavillion at Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free. Part of the World Music Festival.
Tuesday, September 22
Nothing really caught my eye today. Hopefully you’ll have better luck!
Wednesday, September 23
Ani DiFranco, the Vic. 7:30 pm, $41.
Phoenix, the Aragon. 7:30 pm, $21.
Snehasish Mozumder and Subrata Bhattacharya, Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington). 7 pm, free. Part of the World Music Festival.
Vlada Tomova’s Balkan Tales, Hermann D. Conaway Multicultural Center at Columbia College (1104 S. Wabash). 7 pm, free. Part of the World Music Festival.
Thursday, September 24
Sunny Day Real Estate, Metro. 8 pm, sold out.
One World Under One Roof (featuring nine artists from the World Music Festival), Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington). 6:30 pm, free.
Joshua Radin, House of Blues. 7 pm, $17.50-20.
Friday, September 25
Owl City, with Kate Havnevik and Unicorn Kid, Metro. 7:30 pm, $14-16.
Brandi Carlile with Angel Taylor, House of Blues. 7:30 pm, $21-23.
The Weakerthans, Bottom Lounge (1375 W Lake). 8 pm, $17-20.
Son Volt with Sera Cahoone, the Vic. 8 pm, $21-25.
Chicken Fat Klezmer Orchestra, Bill’s Blues Bar (1029 Davis St., Evanston). 5:30 pm, free.
Miike Snow and Jack Penate, Empty Bottle. 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm, $12.
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Logan Square Auditorium (2539 N. Kedzie Ave.). 8 pm, $15.
Bell X1, Double Door. 9 pm, $15.
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, The Kinetic Playground (1113 W. Lawrence). 9 pm, $15-20.
Scout Niblett, Subterranean (2011 W. North Ave). 9:30 pm, $12.
Saturday, September 26
Dave Matthews Band with Willie Nelson and family, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park). 7:30 pm, $40-75.
Brandi Carlile with Angel Taylor, House of Blues. 7:30 pm, $21-23.
Sunday, September 27
Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College (171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville). 6 pm, $45-60.